Another 30 homeowners in central Davenport will receive financial assistance in rehabbing their home thanks to the City of Davenport’s DREAM Project.
Twenty-four projects for current homeowners and six new homeowner projects have been tentatively approved for DREAM awards in the latest round of funding, the city said in a news release.
The DREAM project received 141 applications from homeowners vying for a portion of the $900,000 in funding available this year. Applications for the sixth round of funding opened in August.
Residents could apply for a grant of about $20,000 to make exterior improvements to their property.
“When one person invests in their home, it has a ripple effect through the entire neighborhood,” said Bruce Berger, the city’s community and economic development director. “We’ve seen how a new fence or a fresh coat of paint impacts the way people feel about their homes.”
Since 2019, the city has awarded nearly $5.9 million dollars through the program to revitalize 252 properties in the City’s heritage neighborhoods.
As a first step, city staff will contact the new recipients for an initial consultation on their projects.
Money still available
According to the city’s Community and Economic Development Department, there is still money remaining for an additional four new homeowner projects.
Homeowners are encouraged to apply. To be eligible, the homeowner must have closed on a home in the last 45 business days in a designated Davenport DREAM Project neighborhood. For more information on eligibility and how to apply, visit here.
In addition, the city launched an Extreme DREAM Project in early 2023. The program, funded by $2.1 million from the sale of the Heritage building in 2021, aims to help renovate dozens of vacant houses on or near Gaines Street in the central city. At the time, city leaders said about 32 properties may be eligible to receive up to $100,000 in matching funds.
The properties must have been vacant for at least six months, have severe code violations and be a single-family or duplex home and owner occupied. For more information on this program, go to davenport.com/extremedream.
