Posted May 23, 2017 by WHO-TV

An organization in the metro is pushing to revitalize neighborhoods around Des Moines.

At a city council meeting Monday morning, two organizations proposed a plan to start a land bank in Des Moines.

They believe this is a necessary tool to remove blight and to revitalize neighborhoods.

The idea of a land bank comes from the Capital Crossroads’ Capital Core Neighborhood Improvement Plan.

“This team developed the Neighborhood Improvement Implementation Plan and five strategic initiatives,” said Bethany Wilcoxon, Director of Capital Crossroads. “Addressing blighted residential properties, building new value-added housing in existing neighborhoods, revitalizing commercial areas in those neighborhoods, upgrading infrastructure, and finally, improving the perceptions of Des Moines’ neighborhoods as well as the schools.”

This plan is building on the Tomorrow Plan and Housing Tomorrow Plan in addition to Capital Core.