Dubuque's True North

Caring for our vibrant historic neighborhoods and businesses

Finding Dubuque's True North is bringing a fresh focus to the revitalization of our North End neighborhoods. The initiative is embraced by boththe public and private sectors collaborating on objectives and strategies to achieve them. In time, this initiative will benefit both our citizens and our economy while preserving our sense of community.
Starting anew on the North End is the mission of Dubuque's True North, and the priorities to achieve it include:

Priority 1: Removal of blight and creation of affordable workforce housing.
Identify and take actions necessary to acquire, rehabilitate, and re-sell blighted rentals as single-family homes to Dubuque's growing workforce. Identify and take actions to support low-income residents' ability to afford to purchase and maintain these homes, including collaboration with workforce programming, financial institutions, nonprofits, and government agencies.

Priority 2: Identification and pursuit of the redevelopment, reuse and repurposing of commercial and/or industrial assets with the greatest opportunity for a “transformative” effect.
Identify key commercial or industrial properties whose redevelopment, reuse or repurposing would have the greatest positive economic, environmental and cultural impact for the community or neighborhood.

Priority 3: Pursue infrastructure improvements capable of creating the physical, financial and cultural environment necessary to enable new businesses to develop, and existing businesses to reinvest in the north side corridors.
Inform, guide and support public action to create a “north gateway” into the city of Dubuque that includes landscaping, street-scaping, traffic design, zoning and business assistance. Identify and implement innovative means to reduce costs and increase viability of new and existing businesses, including targeted support from StartUp Dubuque and access to shared space, shared organizational and administrative services, rehabilitation funds, broadband connectivity and management/mentoring support.