March 7, 2024 - Detroit's Revival mission hit a high note this week as 'Renew Detroit' marked its 500th free roof replacement for the city's seniors, with 85-year-old homeowner Barbara I'Ron receiving a much-needed new roof. The initiative, aimed at aiding low-income seniors struggling with home maintenance, leverages funds from the American Rescue Plan Act to ensure they can remain safely in their homes without financial burden; Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan and Detroit City Council are championing the effort.
Mayor Duggan noted the importance of the program for Detroit's long-time elderly residents, suggesting it was specifically for residents like I'Ron, who has lived in her home for 37 years, that Renew Detroit was established to help prevent forced displacement due to unaffordable repairs. "I appreciate this roof repair, and everything was done so nicely," I'Ron told the City of Detroit's official website. Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan highlighted that they have already helped 500 Detroit seniors and plan to assist up to another 1,500 before they're done. The federal grant money received by Detroit, totaling $827 million, has allowed the city council to allocate $30 million to Renew Detroit, according to FOX 2 Detroit.
Detroit's housing stock, among the oldest in the nation, presents particular challenges for those on a fixed income — a burden acknowledged by City Council President Mary Sheffield. "We have some of the oldest housing stock in the country," she said in a statement obtained by FOX 2 Detroit.
Pacing ahead, with the aim of installing 85-95 roofs per month and expectations to ramp up to at least 100 as warmer weather arrives, the Renew Detroit program is projecting completion of 1,400 installations by year-end. However, despite the current momentum, 1-800-Hansons, the program's primary home-repair company, and the Detroit City Council are urging more certified contractors to join the city's vendor list to help complete the remaining services for senior citizens in need, Mary Waters of the Detroit City Council told FOX 2 Detroit, "This is a call-out to people who are licensed or certified to do home repairs: Sign up with the city, become a vendor to complete this work; Your senior citizens need you."
While new applications for Renew Detroit are closed, the city still offers alternatives like the Detroit 0% Home Repair Loan Program, with zero-interest loans ranging from $5,000 to $25,000 for home repairs, as emphasized on City of Detroit. This program asserts the city's ongoing commitment to aid its residents, specifically targeting health and safety home issues for repayment over a ten-year period.
