Latest news with #HousingandRevitalizationDepartment
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
How $43M is saving Detroit basements
The Brief Detroit is using $43 million in federal funds for a Private Sewer Repair Program to prevent future flooding after a major 2021 disaster. The program helps homeowners repair private sewer lines, with about 650 homes already completed and more being processed weekly. Residents are encouraged to apply for the program to help protect their homes from the next major storm. DETROIT (FOX 2) - In June 2021, Detroit experienced one of its worst flooding disasters, with approximately 30,000 homes damaged after a historic rainstorm. Now, federal funds totaling $43 million are being utilized for the Private Sewer Repair Program, aimed at helping homeowners prevent future devastation. The Private Sewer Repair Program assists residents in repairing their private sewer lines, with about 650 homes already completed, and the city continues to process repairs for 5 to 20 homes weekly. What we know In June 2021, a catastrophic flood hit Detroit, damaging an estimated 30,000 homes. Mary Alexander, a Detroit homeowner, witnessed significant flooding in her basement during this event. The city has since launched the Private Sewer Repair Program, supported by $43 million in federal funds, to help homeowners address their portion of the sewer system. Approximately 650 homes have already been repaired through this program. The city is working through 5 to 20 homes each week and plans to continue until the funding is exhausted. The backstory "It was the entire basement. I was like, Oh my God," Alexander said. "(I had) heart palpitations. I was frustrated I had so much stuff down there I was trying to figure out – ok, some of its floating in the water, some of its not." Rico Razo, from Detroit's Housing and Revitalization Department, said they're aiming to make sure it never happens again. "We're excited that we have that many residents that can sleep that well at night, not having to run down to the basement to check and see if their basement is flooded after heavy rainfall," Razo said. Thanks to the $43 million, homeowners like Alexander are sleeping a bit more soundly. "They replaced my entire line. All the way out. They did all that work within a matter of days," Alexander said. Sam Smalley, from the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department (DWSD), said the goal is to prevent future flooding. "It's a pretty comprehensive project," Smalley said. "We're hardening basements while we're working on our public infrastructure. This also helps residents protect their houses." Smalley encouraged all eligible residents to apply for the program. "Everyone should apply. We're trying to harden as many basements as we can and go as fast as we can because we don't know when the next storm is," Smalley said. What you can do Residents can apply for the Private Sewer Repair Program to help prevent future basement flooding. More information about the program is available on the city's website. The Source FOX 2 spoke to Mary Alexander and the city about the program and how the money will be used.
Axios
13-05-2025
- Business
- Axios
New home construction is pricy, but still a priority
It costs about $150,000 more to build a new home in Detroit than it does to build a new multifamily unit, per a recent analysis from the city's housing department. Why it matters: New home construction is rare but increasingly desirable as Detroit navigates complex housing challenges around needs for affordability, as well as amenities for residents outside downtown. Driving the news: City council requested the analysis as leaders seek housing solutions. The Housing and Revitalization Department's report seeks to help the city determine where and how to invest its resources to further those affordability goals. Though the department says it should continue prioritizing financing multifamily affordable housing for low-income residents, it also says it's worthwhile to work to lower the cost of new single-family housing in a city with a lot of vacant land and historically high homeownership. Stunning stat: A new home in Detroit with three bedrooms, two baths and a garage would cost nearly $450,000 to construct, based on the data the department collected. Of that price tag, the direct construction costs are estimated at $336,000. For comparison, the March report found the average multifamily cost per unit is $304,000. The report acknowledges costs vary greatly depending on land, infrastructure and environmental issues. Yes, but: In 2024, Detroit's homes sold for an average of $87,500, per Realcomp — roughly $360,000 less than the price of the example of a new home. Between the lines: The department used data from local developments as examples, as well as plans from projects in the pipeline, estimates and housing finance tools. Flashback: Detroit allocated a lot of federal affordable housing funding to single-family homes from 2000 to 2008 developed by local community development groups. The mortgage crisis put an end to those efforts. Economic challenges from the recession remained, with low home values and high vacancy. The focus since the bankruptcy has been on multi-unit affordable housing, with more publicly funded financial tools available for those types of homes. By the numbers: Detroit issued 34 permits for new single-family home construction last year, according to the city. It's a small figure, but up from 18 in 2023, seven in 2022 and nine in 2021. What they're saying: Sami Abdallah, a Detroit real estate investor and owner of Re/Max City Centre in Southfield, tells Axios the city is seeing individual successes in higher-end new home building, like Greatwater Homes in East Village. "But we're not seeing any mass movement toward increasing supply. ... We're not seeing any affordable [new homes]. A starter home, the numbers would never make sense for that," he says. The bottom line: The city needs to make public resources available for both multifamily and single-family houses to satisfy the city's diverse needs around affordability, mobility, yard access, amenities and wealth creation, the report says.
CBS News
09-03-2025
- Business
- CBS News
Detroit seeking input on housing and infrastructure plan using $346 million in federal funds
In August 2023, severe weather caused major flooding in neighborhoods all over Detroit. "It was a high amount of rainfall in a short period of time, and the sewer system wasn't able to handle that amount of rainfall," Julie Schneider, director of Detroit's Housing and Revitalization Department, said. The city has been given $346 million in Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery funds by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Officials want to use around $220 million of that funding to address flooding concerns. "Storm water projects to kind of hold still storm water, increase the amount of storm water that can be held so water can be removed more quickly from the surface level," Schneider said. Another way the money can be used, according to Schneider, is to fix a home's connection to the sewer system. "Along the alley of a home, there is most likely a connection to the city sewer system, in a lot of cases, that has fallen off. That increases the debris that's getting into the system, which reduces how much water can go into the system and also can cause backup issues into homes," Schneider said. While a large portion of the funds will be used to mitigate flooding issues, Detroit residents hope the city will also address another major problem. "Rent is just horrendous," Detroit resident Joyce Shelton said. Another resident, Benjamin Gaspar, says the rising expenses of housing and food are concerning. Schneider says another $75 million of the grant money will go toward housing, including affordable housing development and down payment assistance. "The biggest driver of why we received these dollars was housing, and so a portion of these dollars will be used to improve our housing stock," Schneider said. The city is holding two virtual public input meetings. The first is on Monday at 6 p.m. and the second is March 17 at 5 p.m.
