Blight Busters uplift Detroit with affordable housing in Old Redford
For months, CBS News Detroit has followed the transformation unfolding in Detroit's Old Redford neighborhood — from the first shovel in the ground to the final touches on a major new housing development.
Now, that vision is a reality.
The Orchard Village Apartments, a brand-new 48-unit affordable housing complex, is officially complete. The project is the latest milestone for Detroit Blight Busters, a grassroots organization that's been revitalizing neighborhoods for nearly four decades.
John George, executive director of Blight Busters, has been on the front lines of Detroit's battle against blight since 1988. That year, he and a group of neighbors boarded up a vacant drug house, and the movement began.
"We started this work 37 years ago because we didn't want our children growing up and around that negative energy," George said. "To see this kind of development in the neighborhood where we started is very exciting, to say the very least."
The project was completed in partnership with CHN Housing Partners — a large-scale affordable housing developer, residential lender and housing service provider that works with its partners to solve major housing challenges for low-income people and underserved communities. According to George, it's not just about structural buildings; it's about building better lives.
"It's all about quality of life," he said. "Our children, all children, deserve to grow up in a neighborhood that's safe and clean."
Affordable housing remains one of Detroit's most pressing needs. Since 2017, the average rent in Detroit has increased by 55% for single-family homes and 43% for multifamily homes, according to data from the Urban Institute. Developments like Orchard Village help address that gap, offering stability and opportunity for families who need it most.
For George, this work is personal. A self-described "Brightmoor baby," he was born on Chapel Street and Fenkell Avenue and remains committed to making Detroit a place where everyone feels at home.
"[Detroit is a city of] people putting their petty differences aside," he said. "Creating opportunity, creating spaces and places where all are welcome, and creating a Detroit our children deserve."
A ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Orchard Village Apartments is June 2nd at 11 a.m. George says everyone is welcome to attend.
CBS News Detroit will continue to follow the impact of this project and the people behind it as part of our ongoing "Detroit Proud" series.
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