According to the University of Michigan’s Detroit Metro Area Communities Study, an estimated 37,630 Detroit households live in “inadequate” conditions. This issue is particularly prevalent for low- and moderate-income residents, who are more than twice as likely as upper-income residents to have inadequate housing conditions. Unsurprisingly, research also shows that Detroiters unsatisfied with the condition of their home are twice as likely to say they want to move.
Put simply, if residents don’t have access to safe, secure and stable homes, they will move out of the city. Meanwhile, residents who cannot afford to make repairs or don’t have the ability to move will be left behind in unstable and potentially unsafe homes.
We believe that Detroit homeowners, particularly those who have lived in the city for decades, should have access to the critical repairs they need to stabilize their homes and preserve them for the next generation. That is why we were proud to partner with ProMedica and DTE to establish a $20M fund called the Detroit Home Repair Fund. These resources will be deployed by Enterprise Community Partners and the Green and Healthy Homes Initiative over the next three years and is expected to serve more than 1,000 Detroit homeowners, with no minimum or maximum spend on each home.
As a part of the Gilbert Family Foundation and Rocket Community Fund’s joint $500M commitment to Detroit, this work aims to build economic opportunity with Detroit residents by building a strong and healthy foundation. In addition to increasing access to home repair resources, the Detroit Home Repair Fund leverages multiple home repair resources at once. The first track of DHRF will be available to community partners already working with DTE Energy’s Energy Efficiency Assistance (EEA) Program. Eligible recipients are owner-occupied Detroit homeowners with income at or below the 200% federal poverty line who have applied for the 2022 Homeowner Property Exemption (HOPE).
Detroit homeowners who believe they may qualify can call (313) 306-2082 to inquire about the DHRF and get support applying for HOPE.