Two 100-year-old Iowa homes were headed for demolition; after an 18-month rescue, both have been renovated and will now become affordable housing for two refugee families in Davenport

Two century-old homes in Davenport that had once been marked for demolition have gained a new lease on life and are set to become homes for refugee families. Foundation of First Presbyterian Church and Tapestry Farms led an eighteen-month effort to transform these homes.The project was inspired by a concert in March 2025 by the Justice Choir of the Midwest that benefited Tapestry Farms where the need for housing for refugee families was highlighted. The church then cancelled the demolition contract and began working with the organisation to rehabilitate the homes. It will welcome new families into the neighbourhood near First Presbyterian Church in central Davenport. “These houses have already been part of this community for more than 100 years,” said Nancy Chapman, a member of First Presbyterian who led the project. “Now they have the opportunity to serve our community in a renewed way. They will be lived in, cared for and filled with the everyday moments that make a house a home.”“In a time when our community is struggling with having enough affordable housing, the renovation of these two homes represents one model of how collaboration can turn viable, yet vacant, housing into beautiful homes,” added Ann McGlynn, founder and executive director of Tapestry Farms.Over the past 18 months, crews have worked to rehabilitate the two properties and bring them back to life. The $180,000 project required the commitment and collaboration of numerous organisations, funders, contractors and individual donors.McGlynn said the renovation included new flooring, bathrooms and kitchens, along with painting and other improvements. Falcon Home Improvements served as the project’s contractor. Director Shawn Manning said crews repaired or replaced furnaces, ductwork, plumbing, electrical systems, roofs, porches and other parts of the properties.“There’s nothing on these properties that we haven’t touched in order to get it ready and safe for a family to come into,” Manning said. McGlynn said the homes’ original features were worth preserving. “Oh, but they have such good bones,” McGlynn said. “You know, there are fireplaces and there are cabinets that are built into the walls and beautiful woodwork and so it was just a matter of uncovering all of that and making it shine again,” McGlynn added, saying the homes will provide more than just a place to live. They include backyards where the families can grow gardens and are near a playground, school, bank and other amenities.For project manager Lupe Morales-Salsido, the work carried a personal connection. She said she comes from a large family and that her parents immigrated to the United States. “It just gave me a lot of pride,” Morales-Salsido said.The two refugee families are expected to move into the renovated homes in the coming weeks.