On October 25, Polk County Housing Trust Fund team members were honored to return to Center Street Park at Iowa Methodist Medical Center to share the story of the historic Center Street neighborhood and the recently installed State Historical Society of Iowa marker with U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Region 7 Administrator Deke Clayborn, members of his team, and local project supporters.
The visit was an opportunity to share stories of the neighborhood as well as reflect on the continuing work being done at all levels of government to ensure equitable housing opportunity for every member of the community. Today's HUD is implementing a comprehensive equity plan with several areas of work, including overcoming America's persistent racial homeownership gaps.
This fall, community representatives and leaders from Des Moines, West Des Moines, and Polk County will follow suit by beginning work on a new regional equity plan as part of a HUD policy called Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing, originally passed as part of the Fair Housing Act of 1968. We will be sharing updates about this work in the coming months.
We are grateful to Regional Administrator Clayborn for acknowledging the important history of Center Street and for his tireless work to lift up equitable housing opportunity for every person and family via programs at HUD.
Joining us in the photo L to R Richard Duncan (local historian), Bruce Ladd (HUD), West Des Moines Councilperson Renee Hardman (PCHTF board), Jay Singleton (PCHTF board), Toby O'Berry (PCHTF), Deke Clayborn (HUD Region 7 Administrator), Meoka Johnson (UnityPoint), Angela Claytor (UnityPoint), Julie Sleeper (HUD).