June 18, 2009 09:28 am
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The Missouri Department of Economic Development has announced the opening of the 2009 Downtown Revitalization and Economic Assistance for Missouri (DREAM) initiative.
The DREAM Initiative was launched to help small and mid-sized Missouri communities navigate through the various downtown revitalization, business development and residential resources available through state government to further help those communities with downtown revitalization and job creation efforts. The Missouri Development Finance Board, Missouri Housing Development Commission and Missouri Department of Economic Development are the program sponsors, with assistance from numerous other state agencies and divisions on task-specific needs.
Applications will be due by 5 p.m. on July 31 and may be obtained through the DREAM Internet site, www.dream.mo.gov. The 2009 DREAM communities will be announced in the fall.
“A top priority of Gov. Nixon’s administration is to support economic development to help create jobs,” DED Director Linda Martínez said. “The DREAM Initiative is a key instrument in the DED toolbox to aid in the economic development and downtown revitalization of the communities that have been selected as DREAM communities. I strongly encourage Missouri community leaders to consider submitting an application to this program to revitalize their downtown regions, create jobs and enhance opportunities for their citizens."
Since the first DREAM communities were established, those communities have received more than $168 million in public investment for housing, construction and renovation projects and infrastructure improvements. Public funding secured through the initiative has created an unprecedented $265 million in private investment to benefit the DREAM communities.
The inaugural DREAM designees were: Cape Girardeau, Excelsior Springs, Hannibal, Hermann, Kennett, Neosho, Sedalia, St. Joseph, Washington and West Plains. Since then, additional DREAM community designees have been awarded to Aurora, Boonville, Caruthersville, Chillicothe, Clinton, Farmington, Fulton, Farmington, Kirksville, Lamar, Lebanon, Louisiana, Maryville, Mexico, Poplar Bluff, Sikeston Strafford, Trenton, Warrensburg and Webb City.
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