Community Connection
residents.
“I have the opportu-
The NSP Program,
nity to talk to the clients
Homebuyers do not
and help them through
the approval process,”
a primer
receive assistance direct-
ly from HUD. They must
said Brenda Massey, contact an NSP grantee
program manager for
By Loretta Humphrey-
for application details.
the Fifth Third Bank NIP
Cruz
The grantee has a signifi-
program. “I usually see cant role in the disburse-
the properties or pic-
Foreclosed and aban-
ment of NSP funds to the
tures of the properties
doned homes contribute
ultimate recipients. This
before the work is done
the greatest toward the
role includes qualifying
and after. I am always
destabilization of neigh-
individuals based on in-
amazed at the transfor-
borhoods. Throughout
come. The grantee also
the City of Detroit, dilapi-
mation. Sometimes the
determines based upon
dated and abandoned
homes look like entirely
established criteria, con-
Doing good in the
homes are eyesores and
different homes. It’s
tinued affordability of the
a magnet for illicit activ-
gratifying. It’s a great
applicant.
ity, increased health and
feeling to know that I am
There are more than
neighborhood
safety issues, and they
assisting someone who
help to deteriorate the
300 grantees across the
really needs the support.
earmarked for revitaliza-
overall quality of life that
state. Fifth Third Bank
The clients I work with
tion or stabilization activi-
further depresses area
is partnering with various
By Loretta owner-occupied homes live in low- to-moderate-
ties include, but are not
home values. Everyone
limited to:
municipalities, along with
Humphrey-Cruz
can have access to re- income neighborhoods.
loses. In addition to de-
Home Renewal Systems
sources to make repairs Many of these areas
pressed neighborhoods
– Establishing financing
LLC, which manages
to their homes without used to be very nice lit- for purchase properties across the tri-
The Fifth Third Bank
being an invitation for
mechanisms
incurring a significant tle communities. Some
and redevelopment of
county area. The Home
Neighborhood Impact
safe havens for criminal
amount of debt. The big of the houses in these
foreclosed homes and
Renewal Systems LLC
Program (NIP) is one
activity, they also help
picture result is that pro- neighborhoods are now
residential properties;
multifaceted program is
of the most popular and
feed the negative percep-
grams such as NIP help a little worn out just from
effective community pro-
tion of metropolitan De- – Purchasing and reha-
designed to assist mu-
revive old, tired neigh- time. I love working with
grams the bank adminis-
troit at home and around bilitating homes and resi-
nicipalities in the stabili-
borhoods. When NIP my clients but have a
ters in southeast Michi-
the nation. dential properties aban-
zation of neighborhoods
funds are leveraged with special place in my heart
gan. This year, 2009,
doned or foreclosed;
threatened with instability
the resources of other for my senior clients who
Based on the most
from home foreclosures.
was a record year for the
organizations the posi-
recent published data
work hard to make sure
– Establishing land banks
NIP program. Forty-five
from the U.S. Housing
tive effect is exponential. they cross every t and
for foreclosed homes;
Although the NSP
grants totaling $329,698
and Urban Development
operates on a national
dot every i.”
– Demolishing blighted
were awarded to hom-
With the Detroit Lo- Department (HUD), the
scale, requirements may
structures;
eowners in Detroit and
cal Initiatives Support In addition to their State of Michigan has an
differ from one state
surrounding cities. His-
Corporation (LISC) efforts in the city, the average foreclosure rate
– Redeveloping demol- or city to another. NSP
torically, Fifth Third Bank
and the Next Detroit federal government’s of 5.8 percent while De-
ished or vacant proper- grantees develop their
had awarded just over
Neighborhood Initiative Neighborhood Stabili- troit has the highest fore-
ties. own programs and fund-
$100,000 in NIP grant
(NDNI), Fifth Third Bank zation Program helped closure rate in the state
The NSP provides
ing priorities. However,
dollars across southeast
has worked toward help- to provide an additional at 16 percent. More than
grants to all states and
NSP grantees must use
Michigan.
ing in the turnaround and boost to an already im-
25 percent of Detroit’s
selected local govern-
at least 25 percent of the
eventual transformation portant and effective
housing stock is vacant
With the proliferation
ments on a formula
funds appropriated for
of targeted neighbor- program that assists ho-
and more than double
of depressed neighbor-
basis. Of the approxi-
the purchase and rede-
hoods in the city. meowners in revitalizing
the national average at
mately $3.92 billion al-
velopment of abandoned
hoods, particularly in
their homes and their
12 percent. Flint, anoth-
located, $98,653,915
or foreclosed homes or
the City of Detroit, NIP
This year our collab-
neighborhoods as well.
er hard hit city with a high
in NSP funds were al-
residential properties that
grants have gone a long
oration with Detroit LISC
number of foreclosures,
located to the State of
will be used to house indi-
way to help staunch the
and NDNI has resulted “There are so many
has vacant housing stock
Michigan program and
viduals or families whose
blight that contributes to
in the improvements of positive outcomes from
at 23.1 percent, accord-
$47,137,690.00 for De-
incomes do not exceed
the declining home val-
13 homes in three tar- collaboration, such
ing to the U.S. Census
geted neighborhoods: as preserving and
troit proper. Wayne
50 percent of the area
Bureau 2006-2008 Com-
Grand River/Greenfield, strengthening the ex-
County was allocated
median income.
munity Survey 3-Year Es-
Osborn and the North isting housing stock in
$25,909,153, Genesee In addition, all activi-
timates.
End. The partnership Detroit neighborhoods,
County $7,506,343, ties funded by NSP must
also proves the obvious residents collaborat-
The Neighborhood
and the City of Flint $4, benefit low- and mod-
lesson that working to-
224,621. In all, at the erate-income persons
ing and creating block
Stabilization Program
end of the program the whose income does not
gether to leverage avail- clubs and other social
(NSP) is a component
State of Michigan is slot- exceed 120 percent of
able resources has the networks that come to-
of the Community De-
ted to receive a total of area median income. To
greatest possible impact. gether for a cause, and
velopment Block Grant
$263,563,262 for neigh- learn more about gen-
Partnerships with these the most rewarding out-
(CDBG) and was created
to help reverse the ero-
borhood revitalization. eral guidelines about
ues. The goal of the pro-
organizations helped to come which is the restor-
sion of neighborhoods
the NSP program, go to
gram is simple: to con-
stretch every dollar that ing of community pride”,
throughout the nation.
Homebuyer
www.hud.gov or www.
centrate funds in areas
was awarded and made says Tonya Gray, project
The funds that have been assistance
recovery.gov.
where residents living in
it possible to award more manager for NDNI.
The Michigan FrontPage • November 13, 2009 7
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20