What Does Take to Make a Great City? Home Repair and Restoration Training Programs

by Richard Clement 

Councilmember ProTem Cushingberry is pleased to report that 16 homes in District 2 have been selected to participate in the Detroit Neighborhood Repair Program. Beginning in the Fall of 2015 the Detroit Land Bank will sell these homes to the program using an investment of  $30 million dollars into the program from the AFL-CIO Housing Investment Trust Fund. The City of Detroit Housing and Revitilization Department will provide up to $850,000 in start up costs from a special escrow account.

A partnership with the AFL-CIO, Detroit Land Bank, and financial institutions are teaming up to purchase 200 homes in the City of Detroit for restoration and occupation. The target area will be the Bagley Neighborhood in Northwest Detroit.  Then the project will expand to the Grandmont Rosedale neighborhood and other neighborhoods as selected by the program.

The core of a city is its neighborhoods.  Decades of disinvestment and high levels of foreclosures have devastated Detroit's neighborhoods. All neighborhoods are plagued by thousands of vacant and vandalized homes in need of extensive repair.  The net result of these negative actions makes it difficult for potential homeowners to obtain financing.  To reverse this trend, the Detroit Neighborhood Home Repair Program will create a business model with the following:

1.     A sustainable business model to acquire, repair, and finance abandoned homes and properties in the Detroit Land Bank Inventory

2.     Rebuild in three to five years between 250 to 300 abandoned homes using union labor and, employing Detroit residents in the repair program

3.     Securing funding from foundations, governments, and other private sources to bring cutting edge mortgage, finance, home owner counselling and, pre-apprenticeship training into the program.

4.     Create home-ownership opportunities, generate workforce training opportunities, provide union construction jobs and, foster neighborhood stabilization.

Target home buyers are those earning between 80% and 150% Area Median Income (AMI) of $26,325 for the Detroit Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) or a program range between $21,060 and $39,488. Incentives will be given to municipal workers including teaches, firefighters, and police, as well as UAW members, and current and former neighborhood residents. This program is an opportunity for anyone who wants a career in skilled trades. Targeted individuals like homeless veterans who need a second chance the opportunity will be made available also.

The addresses of the properties in District 2 are:

Addr#		Street Name	Zip	NBHD
19205		Greenlawn	48221	Bagley
18689		Ilene	48221	Bagley
17547		Mendota	48221
18087		Mendota	48221
17132		Monica	48221	Bagley
18265		Monte Vista	48221
18220		Ohio	48221	Bagley
18461		Ohio	48221	Bagley
17184		Prarie	48221	Bagley
18964		Prarie	48221	Bagley
18200		San Juan	48221	Bagley
17165		Santa Barbara	48221	Bagley
17527		Stopel	48221
8700		W. Seven Mile	48221	Bagley
17180		Wisconsin	48221	Bagley
18506		Wisconsin	48221	Bagley

These properties have been identified as the show properties for a program that will help create opportunities and restore structurally livable homes with future homeowners. This will be an opportunity for someone to build their own home and learn a skilled trade at the same time. So if  anyone who wants to pursue carpentry, plumbing, cement masonry, bricklaying, or any other skilled trade please contact Detroit City Council President Brenda Jones Office and ask about the skilled trades task force and the Office of Councilmember Pro Tem George Cushingberry Jr regarding bank finance information.