Resources

Information for River Bend residents, from historic district guidelines to home repair programs and neighborhood reporting tools.

Local Historic District

River Bend is home to a Local Historic District, designated by the Des Moines City Council in January 2012. The district covers four areas that had previously been named National Historic Landmarks: The Oaklands, Prospect Park Second Plat, Riverview Park Plat, and the West Ninth Streetcar Line. 

The district is administered and enforced by the City of Des Moines through its Historic Preservation Commission, not by the neighborhood association. We provide the information below as a convenience to help residents understand what the designation means and where to go for help. 

Use the City’s “Show Me My House” tool to check if your property is in a Local Historic District: showmemyhouse.dsm.city 

View the Local Historic District Map

Planning Exterior Renovations? 

If your property is in the Local Historic District, the City of Des Moines requires a Certificate of Appropriateness before exterior work begins. This process is managed by the City’s Historic Preservation Commission. Interior changes are not affected. 

Exterior work that requires approval includes windows, siding, doors, foundations, porches, garages, roofs, decks, fencing, retaining walls, railings, stairs, and sidewalks. Exterior changes that do not require approval include paint color, storm windows, and plantings. 

If you already have vinyl siding or windows, you are not required to replace them. The guidelines only apply when you go to replace or substantially repair existing materials.

Historical Materials: Myths and Facts

Most homes in River Bend were built with materials meant to last generations. Here’s what the research actually says about keeping them.

Fact: The U.S. Department of Energy estimates that only about 10% of a home’s air infiltration comes through windows. The biggest losses are through floors, walls, and ceilings. A historic wood window with a storm window and good weatherstripping performs comparably to most new double-pane units. Adding attic insulation will almost always save more energy than swapping out windows.

Fact: The opposite is usually true. Pre-1940s wood windows were built with old-growth lumber that’s denser and more rot-resistant than anything available today. Properly maintained, they can last well over a century. Vinyl replacement windows? The seals often fail within 10 to 20 years, and research shows that about 30% of replacements get replaced again within just 10 years. Unlike wood, vinyl can’t be repaired. When it fails, the whole unit goes in the dumpster.

Fact: Studies estimate that it can take 40 years or more to recoup the cost of replacement windows through energy savings alone. One analysis put the payback at over 200 years. Meanwhile, restoring original windows and adding storm windows can cost less than half the price of full replacement and deliver comparable energy performance.

Fact: Vinyl siding is marketed as low-maintenance, but it can cause serious damage to older homes. It acts as a vapor barrier, trapping moisture inside the wall and rotting the original wood framing from the inside out, invisible until the damage is severe. Historic materials like wood siding and lime-based mortars are breathable — they let moisture escape naturally, which is exactly how these walls were designed to work. Vinyl and aluminum also crack, fade, and become brittle from sun exposure, and when they fail, you’re replacing the whole thing. Original wood siding, kept painted, can protect a home for well over a century, and when it does need repair, you can fix a single board.

Fact: It does the opposite. Homes in historic districts consistently appreciate faster than comparable homes elsewhere. In Indianapolis, local historic district homes averaged 7.3% annual appreciation versus 3.5% outside. In San Antonio, historic-district values rose 139% over 15 years, compared to 68% outside. Buyers of older homes are specifically looking for original windows, woodwork, and architectural detail. Stripping those features and replacing them with vinyl removes the very thing that makes the home worth more.

Fact: Preservation isn’t about making homes expensive. It’s about keeping them standing and in good shape. A coat of paint and new weatherstripping costs a fraction of a full vinyl window replacement. Repairing a porch rail is cheaper than rebuilding one. The most affordable home improvement is almost always maintaining what’s already there. And while original features do protect your home’s value over time, the day-to-day cost of upkeep is lower than the cost of replacing everything with new materials that won’t last as long. Preservation programs, tax credits, and community land trusts exist specifically to help homeowners in neighborhoods like River Bend maintain their homes without shouldering that cost alone.

Fact: There is no such thing as a maintenance-free home, old or new. The difference is that historic materials were designed to be maintained, not replaced. A wood window can be reglazed, repainted, and fitted with new weatherstripping. A damaged clapboard can be swapped without touching the rest of the wall. Vinyl and aluminum can’t be repaired the same way — when they fail, you’re replacing the whole unit. And they will fail: vinyl seals break down, aluminum dents, and synthetic materials become brittle in the sun. Old materials need upkeep, but so do new ones. The old ones just last longer when you do it.

Fact: Not necessarily. Many modern building products release volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, which are chemicals that off-gas into indoor air for months or years. Vinyl products, engineered wood, synthetic insulation, and adhesives can contain formaldehyde, phthalates, and other irritants linked to respiratory problems. And the problems don’t stop at your front door. Vinyl (PVC) has one of the lowest recycling rates of any plastic, less than 5% in the U.S. When it reaches the end of its life, it can’t be meaningfully recycled and sits in a landfill indefinitely. Over time, additives like plasticizers and heavy metal stabilizers can leach into surrounding soil and groundwater.

The original materials in most historic homes, like solid wood, plaster, natural stone, and lime-based mortars, are inert. They don’t off-gas, and when they do eventually break down, they don’t leave behind persistent synthetic chemicals. Lead paint and asbestos are real concerns in older homes, but they’re manageable with proper maintenance and encapsulation. That’s not a reason to rip everything out and replace it with materials that introduce new risks both indoors and in the environment.

The City’s Approval Process for Exterior Renovations: 

  1. Review the Historic District Architectural Guidelines
  2. Submit a Certificate of Appropriateness application through the City’s Customer Self-Service Portal. 
  3. Your plans will be reviewed by City staff and the Historic Preservation Commission. You may attend a Commission meeting to discuss your project. 
  4. Once approved, you’ll receive your Certificate of Appropriateness within five days and can begin work. 
  5. If you disagree with the Commission’s decision, you may appeal to the City Council within ten days. 

Starting work without approval may result in a stop work order and a requirement to redo non-compliant work. 

City contact for historic preservation: Planning and Urban Design Department 1200 Locust St., Des Moines, IA 50309 (515) 283-4192 | planning@dmgov.org 

City of Des Moines Historic District Webpage

Programs to Help with Home Repairs & Improvements 

Several City, state, and community programs may help River Bend residents with the cost of home repairs and improvements. Program details and funding change from year to year. Contact each program directly for current information. 

A City of Des Moines program providing financial assistance for critical exterior home repairs. Assistance up to $40,000 is available for homeowners at or below 80% of Area Median Income. A City inspector works directly with homeowners to identify needed repairs and coordinate with approved contractors. Applications open each January. Contact: ION@dmgov.org | (515) 283-4180 | dsm.city/ION

A City program where groups of 5 to 19 neighbors team up to make exterior improvements and receive matching funds. The City provides up to a 50% match of up to $2,500 per household. Households receiving income-based assistance may qualify for a 75% match. Team applications open each May. Contact: BCGrant@dmgov.org | dsm.city/bcgrant

Offers home purchase, refinance, and improvement loans paired with forgivable funds of up to $10,000 for property rehabilitation. NFC also offers an Exterior Repair Loan program. No income limit for the loan itself, but forgivable amounts vary by household income. Contact: (515) 246-0010 | neighborhoodfinance.org 

A temporary reduction in property taxes on value added by new construction or improvements. Available to homeowners and developers. Schedule and eligibility vary by property type and location. Contact: permits@dmgov.org | dsm.city 

Iowa offers an income tax credit of up to 25% of qualified rehabilitation expenditures for historic properties. Eligibility and application timelines change periodically. Consult the Iowa Economic Development Authority and a tax advisor for current details. Learn more: opportunityiowa.gov

Available for income-producing (commercial) properties in National Historic Districts. Learn more: nps.gov/tps/tax-incentives.htm 

Keeping River Bend Strong 

River Bend is a neighborhood worth taking care of. Our historic homes, tree-lined streets, and diverse community make this a special place to live, and keeping properties well-maintained protects everyone’s investment and quality of life. 

The City of Des Moines enforces property maintenance standards through the Municipal Code to ensure homes and buildings remain safe and livable. If you notice a property concern in the neighborhood, such as broken or boarded-up windows, deteriorating structures, overgrown yards, junk or debris, abandoned vehicles, pest issues, or nuisance odors, you can report it. Reporting is not about being a difficult neighbor. It is about holding property owners accountable and making sure our neighborhood stays safe and welcoming for everyone. 

How to report a property concern: 

  • The City’s Neighborhood Inspections Division (NID) handles complaints about property conditions including tall grass and weeds, junk and debris, junk vehicles, pest problems, nuisance odors, and deteriorating structures. Contact: nid@dmgov.org | (515) 283-4046 
  • The Zoning Enforcement Division handles complaints about illegal business activity, signage violations, and nuisance noise. Contact: dz@dmgov.org | (515) 283-4207 
  • You can also report issues through the myDSMmobile app or at dsm.city under Report a Problem.
  • To find the specific inspector assigned to your area, use the City’s “Show Me My House” tool at showmemyhouse.dsm.city. 

Vacant Property Registry

The City of Des Moines requires owners of vacant properties to register them and maintain them to code standards. Vacant buildings must be kept secure with intact windows and doors, maintained roofing and siding, and mowed yards. If you are aware of a vacant property that is not being maintained, report it to the Neighborhood Inspections Division. The City’s Property Improvement Division monitors registered vacant properties and works to remediate those that are beyond repair. 

Learn more: dsm.city/departments/neighborhood_services/property_improvement 

Report a Problem

  • Police or Fire Emergency Call 911 
  • Police Non-Emergency Dispatch (515) 283-4811 
  • Neighborhood Police Officer Our Neighborhood Based Service Delivery (NBSD) Officer is Officer Brookelyn Danti. Reach her at bfdanti@dmgov.org or (515) 971-0730 for non-urgent situations or to follow up on a report. 
  • Report Problems to the City Use the City’s online reporting tool or the myDSMmobile app to report issues like potholes, streetlights, illegal dumping, and more. dsm.city > Report a Problem 
  • Unshoveled Snow To report unshoveled sidewalks 48 hours after snowfall ends, call (515) 283-4950 or use the City’s online reporting form. 
  • Yard Waste & Debris The SCRUB (Spring Cleanup to Remove Urban Blight) Program offers free disposal of debris, yard waste, tires, and appliances. Learn more: dsm.city