Page 18 - Reflect DSM (City of Des Moines, IA)

EQUITY IN PRESERVATION

The City of Des Moines defines equity as "A social condition which deliberately creates
choices, access, and opportunities for all people to fulfill their basic needs, advance their
well-being, and achieve their full potential." ReflectDSM’s equity statement commits the
historic preservation program to a set of consequential actions to advance equity and
inclusion in the City. This statement is informed, in part, by an equity audit conducted as part
of the planning process. The audit assessed a select set of preservation related activities to
determine if they were inherently biased, inequitable, or exclusionary.

The audit found:
1. Currently, the City is not recognizing and protecting resources that fully represent
the City’s history and culture. The City has not been effective in preserving intangible
heritage.

2. The City has not applied historic preservation protections and related incentives evenly
across the city. This creates a perception that the City is biased towards certain areas
and types of resources.
3. For many residents, the preservation program’s regulations and processes are difficult to
understand and navigate.
4. Newer programs, developed with intentionality, are proving to be more accessible and
equitable.

Des Moines Historic Preservation Program Equity Statement

acknowledge

The Development Services Department acknowledges that the City of Des Moines’
historic preservation program has not extended the benefits of historic preservation
in a manner that values and protects the full range of tangible places and intangible
heritage that reflect all the city’s histories. It recognizes that, until recently, its
protections, incentives, and investments have primarily served those residents and
commercial and institutional interests that have the resources, time, and competency
to know about and navigate its programs and processes.

reform
The Development Services Department commits to reforming its policies, programs,
and practices to be fully understandable and accessible to all residents; to be more
inclusively applied across diverse resource types and communities; and to proactively
engage residents in research, planning, and decision-making. It will create a program
that deliberately creates choices, access, and opportunities for all people.

operationalize
With the adoption of the ReflectDSM Historic Preservation Plan, the Department will
institutionalize these reforms through a series of strategic actions that are equitable
and inclusive, community-centered, and are committed to collaborative approaches
that bring the benefits of historic preservation to all residents.

12 DES MOINES Citywide Historic Preservation Plan