"TRUE NORTH"

TRUE NORTH. The GREATER DUBUQUE DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION announced "Dubuque's True North" in 2018. The program was described as a means of uplifting an area struggling with poverty and blight. The first phase focused on acquiring and rehabilitating rental property in the North End and re-selling them as single family homes. The hopes were to acquire and rehabilitate fifty homes in six years. Only nine properties, however, were acquired.

On June 23rd the announcement was made to "cede control" of residential improvement to the City of Dubuque and instead concentrate on commercial development in the North End. Among the factors in making the decision were an overly aggressive goal of rehabbing fifty homes in six years; finding properties at a reasonable cost was more complex than expected; and the City of Dubuque had increased its resources for home inspections and construction management. City officials announced their intention of focusing their attention on the nine properties already purchased rather than buy new properties.

GDDC officials announced that future projects could include development of multi-use properties housing business and residential tenants. Potential also existed for improvements at many large and well-known sites including the old FLEXSTEEL INDUSTRIES, INC. site and the DUBUQUE BREWING AND MALTING COMPANY.

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Source:

1. Montgomery, Jeff, "GDDC Shifts Focus From Housing," Telegraph Herald, June 24, 2020, p. 1A