City leaders are considering expanding the Extreme DREAM program as Rejuvenate Housing opens its fifth renovated home in central Davenport.
DAVENPORT, Iowa — Davenport City Council is moving to next steps after approving a resolution at its Committee of the Whole Meeting, that could make changes to the city’s Extreme DREAM Program.
This comes as Rejuvenate Housing has officially opened its fifth renovated home at 617 W 13th St. with help from funding from the program.
“It’s amazing when we go to buy it and what it looks like now… it’s like a dream,” President of Rejuvenate Housing Gwen Tombergs said.
Rejuvenate Housing is a nonprofit that has the mission of rebuilding neighborhood homes and expanding homeownership opportunities.
“I think we need to care about older neighborhoods,” Treasurer Ed Winborn said.
The nonprofit was started by Winborn, along with Don Deckers, who noticed the condition of homes in central Davenport.
“It kind of was gradually deteriorating,” Winborn said.
Rejuvenate Housing has set a new goal to take on more projects each year.
“We wanna start doing three to five houses a year is our goal,” Tombergs said.
The organization can’t come up with all the funding themselves. That’s why they look to programs like Extreme DREAM.
“There’s no way we could have ever done it without obviously the funding from Extreme DREAM,” Tombergs said.
The Extreme DREAM program provides up to $100,000 to rehab vacant and abandoned homes along the Gaines Street corridor.
“When you live in a neighborhood that has more homes have been renovated, it creates a sense of community,” Davenport Third Ward Alderperson Marion Meginnis said.
Davenport City Council is now considering expanding the Extreme Dream program to support more homes and potentially replace houses that are beyond repair.
“I think that it encourages people to do the work. I mean, this can be expensive work,” Meginnis said.
Below is the proposed boundaries for the Extreme DREAM Expansion. The shaded yellow areas are the current boundaries for Extreme DREAM. The blue portions are currently designated under the DREAM Project. The blue areas will continue to be designated under the DREAM Project, but will also be eligible for the Extreme DREAM program.
“Years ago I didn’t feel like much attention was paid to South of Locust. Leaving office, I feel like the city is paying attention,” Meginnis said.
The resolution to expand the program is expected to be voted on at the next Davenport City Council meeting.
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