Hello neighbors. We are Matt and Christine and live at 418 W. 7TH ST Davenport, IA. This June we will have been in our home for 8 years and have been converting it back into a single family home. Built in 1902 as a single family home and then converted into 4 apartments in 1932 where it remained for nearly 90 years with minimal updates and as you can imagine all the work we have been doing for the last 8 years.

Recently, we were blindsided with an alleged Permit Violation and an alleged Misdemeanor. Moreover, we are threatened to be slapped with a fine of $1000 because we carried out renovations on our home without the knowledge that we were breaking any rules. This incident is not just a personal issue. It is a community concern, reflecting a gap in our local regulations.

Currently, our municipal codes around Historic Preservation (HP) and the Commission (HPC) has not been updated for 22 years. This lack of transparency can lead to misunderstandings, conflicts and even legal issues - just like the predicament we now find ourselves in. We believe this policy needs to change.

We are requesting your approval of our recent updates to our home at 418 W. 7TH ST, Davenport, IA - on the rear north alley facing side of our property. We would also like the City of Davenport to update the Historical Preservation Code and Create Guidelines, Educational Programming, and Services to our community versus acting as an aesthetic policing agent. In doing this we could foster a sense of cooperative community bonding and reduce potential confusion. Moreover, such a change would equate to giving voice to those who are directly affected by any changes in the neighborhood and make the process to updating one's home in an historical district or on the national historic registry a more streamlined and efficient process.

Davenport brags at having the largest amount of properties and buildings on the national historic registry however, the city does NOT provide GUIDELINES, PROGRAMMING, EDUCATION, OR SERVICE as set forth by CITY ORDINANCE and compliance under state and federal certified local government CLG certification.

However, if you – like me – see the potential value in this, or if you have personally experienced a similar predicament, I ask you to sign this petition. Let's revamp our historical preservation building permit process and make our communities a better, more transparent place for everyone.