Davenport awarded as ‘All-Star Community’ for DREAM Project

DAVENPORT, Iowa (KWQC) – The City of Davenport was named a 2023 All-Star Community by the Iowa League of Cities for The Davenport DREAM Project.

The Davenport DREAM Project is a neighborhood restoration program that hopes to inspire a renewed interest in the unique architecture and character found in Davenport’s heritage neighborhoods.

“It really is a feel-good program for a lot of folks,” said Bruce Berger, City of Davenport Director of Community and Economic Development. “We hear from some owners that these are improvements they wouldn’t have been able to make otherwise but maybe wanted to. So, it’s checking something off their bucket list for the long term.”

The All-Star Community Award is the most prestigious honor given by the League to cities, according to a media release. Entries are judged by a panel of former city officials and others familiar with municipal government and winners are determined based on innovative efforts in areas such as urban renewal, development, preservation, collaborative efforts or quality-of-life improvements.

Davenport is among three of Iowa’s 940 cities to get the recognition, city officials said. Northwood and Clear Lake were also awarded.

Round five of the Davenport DREAM Project recently closed with over 120 applications received for current homeowners, according to city officials. Each round the City funds about 35 projects. In total, 222 properties have received the award and 195 homes have seen an impact from a Dream Project investment.

“We were just fortunate that I think it landed well with our citizens with our homeowners, Berger said. “There’s another five years maybe not we’ll see but the year it’s been a good ride for that four-five-year period.”

The City was recognized at an Awards Banquet at the League’s Annual Conference & Exhibit on Thursday.

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