Neighborhood Stabilization Program (DREAM-Plus)
This quarter, the DREAM-Plus Project was approved by City Council.  Building on the previous successes of the DREAM program, a neighborhood consisting of roughly 700 parcels was selected (informally referred to as the “Gaines Street Corridor”) for a targeted disbursement of funds. The focus of these projects will address exterior improvements, health & safety issues, mechanicals, and energy efficiency related items. The application period is currently open to both owner-occupied and residential rental properties in the Gaines Street Corridor.
The Quad Cities region, not unlike many areas throughout the country, is experiencing a shortage of qualified rehabilitation contractors. Given the amount of work this project is anticipated to bring, staff began exploring the option to offer certification classes to increase the number of certified rehabilitation contractors. Approximately 10 firms have expressed interest in this training option.

Vacant and Abandoned Properties
Under direction of City Council, staff mailed out letters to approximately 60 property owners in the Gaines Street Corridor. The desired outcome of these letters is to facilitate rehabilitation or new construction.  It is anticipated that outreach may prompt existing or new owners to pursue rehab or new construction on their own, or with assistance from these funds.  This initiative is a flexible approach to explore neighborhood revitalization.  The identified primary goal will be to increase homeownership. Next quarter, staff will begin mapping the parcels and prioritizing options based on current property status, readiness, and overall project impact.

Coordinated Assessment Program (Formerly Known As The Youth Assessment Program)
What was originally called the Youth Assessment Program is now the Coordinated Assessment Program, or CAPQC. This change was made after providing these services for a little over six months, it was evident that this program helps the entire family, not just youth. Therefore, the name change was warranted as CAP better represents the totality of the program. 
Since its inception in September of 2021, the Coordinated Assessment Program (CAPQC) has had over 225 referrals. In the last quarter (January – March), the program received 135 referrals, which is a 67% increase from the previous quarter. The primary sources of the referrals are schools, non-profits in the area, and the court system. Additionally, the resources available to the CAPQC has grown as well with nearly 15 different community resource partners providing services to those in need. CAPQC continues to see referral needs that include helping families meet basic needs, teaching life and parenting skills, counseling, therapy, and medication management services. For more information, please visit the CAPQC Website.

Group Violence Intervention (GVI)
The City of Davenport took a group consisting of 19 law enforcement and community partners to New York City on March 21st-23rd to participate in GVI University, hosted by National Network for Safe Communities. GVI University is a workshop to educate key partners and stakeholders, including law enforcement, social service providers, and community leaders on the key components of the Group Violence Intervention (GVI) strategy. Partners that attended GVI University included City representatives, Davenport Police Department, 7th Judicial District, Department of Correctional Services, Davenport Community School District, Family Resources, YMCA, and several community members. 
Led by Dr. David Kennedy and National Network staff, GVI University provided a comprehensive overview of GVI and an opportunity to discuss the additional innovations and investments that can be made to bolster and support the intervention. Partners and stakeholders came away from GVI University workshop with a full understanding of GVI strategy and how the three main components of GVI (law enforcement, community, and social services) work together to reduce gun violence, minimize the use of incarceration, and reset relationships between law enforcement and the community. 
Subsequent meetings will be scheduled throughout the month of April with local community outreach and social services groups to educate them about GVI and garner support from a wider body of residents and organizations. It is anticipated that the strategy will launch by early summer of 2022. Interviews for the GVI Coordinator position are underway with the chosen candidate to begin in late May.

Neighborhood Parks | Play
This project has been split into three components; playgrounds, multi-sport courts, and spray features. Under this plan, Emeis, Harbor Road, Lafayette and Whalen Parks are being recommended to receive new playgrounds. Cork Hill, Herington, and Van Buren Parks are being recommended to receive multi-sport courts. Locations being recommended to see new spray features are Cork Hill Park and the former Dohse Pool site. 
After receiving designs for the respective playgrounds, staff visited Fillmore, Hayes, and Jefferson Elementary Schools to let the students choose which playground they liked the best. This provided a unique experience that allowed for input from the users. As the designs come back for the multi-sport courts and spray features, additional community input opportunities will be scheduled.
The new playground features are expected to be installed in fall of 2022 to allow for the continued usage of the existing playgrounds throughout the summer. Spray features and multi-sport courts are currently expected to be installed over the summer and fall of 2022 with an opening expected for spring of 2023.

MSL | Destination Play & Event Lawn
Twelve firms from throughout the country submitted proposals outlining their qualifications to successfully design the Destination Play Area & Event Lawn. Following staff evaluations, five of the twelve firms were invited to meet with a selection committee comprised of staff and stakeholders.  Leaning on their experience, selected firms were tasked with further explaining how they would conceptualize, build consensus, and provide solutions to address constrains such as the Canadian Pacific Rail Line and the Mississippi River, should they be awarded the contract.  Staff plans to recommend an architecture and engineering firm for City Council consideration the first cycle in May.

Public Wi-Fi Hot Spots
At the March 23rd City Council meeting, the City Council approved a contract with Metronet to install and maintain free public Wi-Fi hotspots/zones at Centennial, Cork Hill, Herington, Emeis, and Fejervary Parks. These parks were selected based on usage and location in proximity to a Qualified Census Tract.  Wireless access will be limited to a common area located in each selected park and identified by signage.  Installation is anticipated to begin sometime this summer. As education, health services and social connections move online, it is important to seek options to promote outdoor activity while still meeting the demand of connectivity. Indianapolis, IN, Albuquerque, NM, and Sacramento, CA are also using ARPA funding to provide free public Wi-Fi in City parks.

Fairmount Library Community Center
The Discovery Phase of the Fairmount Library Community Center will kick off on Wednesday, April 27th, staff and stakeholders will  come together to begin envisioning the purpose of the building, who it will serve, and what it will look like. A series of community outreach events are set to follow in the months of May and June. These events will include obtaining input from key user groups and stakeholders to ensure that the wants and needs of the residents are heard and incorporated into the overall scope and design of the project. Results of these various input sessions will be present in July 2022. 

MLK Plaza Contribution
The Friends of MLK have obtained a conceptual design, as well as construction documents, and are preparing to proceed with obtaining bids to construct this outdoor gathering area. In tandem with these efforts, a fundraising campaign has kicked off to help ensure the sustainability of the asset. Please see additional media coverage of the kick-off here: https://www.kwqc.com/2022/01/17/friends-mlk-unveil-davenport-park-honor-dr-martin-luther-king-jr/ Further information on the Friends of MLK organization can be found here: https://www.fomlk.com/.

Library Social Worker
There continues to be a tremendous response from the community to the Library Social Worker and related services. More people are becoming aware of the programs offered by the Davenport Public Library. Over 300 people have received social services support, and staff have seen one-on-one, 250 people come into the Library requesting social service assistance within this time frame. One hundred of these have been appointments scheduled on through the website, while the remaining 150 people came through walk-ins. Sixty calls have been received from people requesting assistance, guidance, and direction from the community. Demographics served consist of, 55% Caucasian, 43% Black or African American, 1% Asian, and 1% Hispanics. Of these numbers, 20% of the people who received Library Social services assistance were first-time library users. The most requested service has been rental assistance and housing.

Pre-K Literacy Initiative
Since the start of the New Year, Early Literacy Coordinator Alison McGaughey has built six new community partnerships with organizations. Through these partnerships, organizations agree to distribute information about 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten, share early literacy educational tips with parents via e-news, virtual classes, etc.; and/or allow Alison to set up on-site registration tables during parent pickup time, school family nights, and/or other events. One new partnership, via The Lincoln Center, will connect DPL with the Cops N’ Kids initiative.

As a direct result of the community partnerships she has been establishing, Alison was invited to deliver presentations on the 1,000 Books program to a number of community organizations, as well as to provide early literacy education to parents of infants and toddlers via programs such as United Way Born Learning Academy, and Genesis VNA/Scott County NEST. She has been engaging directly with parents, grandparents, childcare providers and other caretakers, and children. One positive interaction resulted in WQAD airing a feature story, raising visibility and awareness for the program.
Since the Early Literacy Coordinator came on board, 19 new partnerships have been created, resulting in 275 children being enrolled, and 79,132 books having been read. Of the 275 enrolled, 144 are new this period.

Duck Creek Sewer Interceptor
On March 22nd, staff met with McClure Engineering to review the initial horizontal alignment and vertical profiles for the proposed sewer. Detailed discussion revolved around construction methods and alternative paths for the sewer in regards to specific properties, environmental impacts, or areas where intricate work would be needed. In addition, the project team reviewed the first draft of temporary and permanent easements that will be needed for the construction phase of the project. A follow-up meeting is scheduled for late April, where staff will receive geotechnical reports, wetland delineations and discuss areas for streambank stabilization and the upcoming permitting process.

Multi-Modal – N/S Path
A Request for Qualifications seeking a qualified firm to perform engineering services for the development of plans and specifications for this project was released on March 9, and closed March 30. A key component of the project is to provide users safe passage underneath East Kimberly at the bridge over Goose Creek. Three distinct phases have been identified to accomplish this goal; north, south, and middle. The southern and northern sections are intended to be a ten foot wide off-street trail while the middle section will consist of both an off-street trail and on-street bicycle infrastructure. The middle section is currently proposed as an alternative while staff seeks additional grant funding which will allow for the entire section to be off-street. Staff plans to recommend a firm for City Council consideration the first cycle of May.

Regional Transitional Housing
During this past quarter, staff met with two of the primary providers of Supportive Housing Services in Davenport to learn more about this arena and what programs and projects they are working on to address their respective needs, and keep up with expected changes.
With the City already being a recipient of approximately $1,500,000 in HOME-ARP funding, which is an additional federal funding program aimed to reduce homelessness and increase housing stability across the country, staff solicited pre-application information from all of the Supportive Housing Services agencies in the region. Staff will begin analyzing and soliciting formal applications for projects and programs from qualified providers next quarter (April – June).

Flood Mitigation Stage 22
On March 23rd, the City Council approved a contract with HR Green in the amount of $335,500 for engineering services. The project’s kick-off meeting with the consultant is scheduled on Thursday, April 14th. At this meeting, staff will receive a detailed schedule outlining the progress of work. It is expected that the first few months will consist of field survey, drainage modeling, and geotechnical sampling. Once all of the information has been gathered, preliminary engineering will begin.