HOUSING & AMENITIES

Neighborhood residents overwhelmingly supported housing affordability and improvements that support existing residents as the highest neighborhood priority. Two strategies came out of this interest: a program to help residents improve their homes and a program to redevelop vacant structures to provide new affordable housing. The next highest priority was to develop neighborhood-oriented retail and services. MACC Development should work with provide to support business owners to ensure that goods and services are needed, accessible, and affordable to neighborhood residents. Finally, infrastructure improvements that increase safety including street lighting, sidewalk repairs, and traffic calming within the neighborhood were high priority for neighborhood residents.

Action Plan

1. Create development pro-forma and maintenance plan for first set of vacant home renovations. Present plan to City of Detroit Housing & Revitalization Department and Detroit Land Bank Authority to start property acquisition process.

2. Meet with property owners along Mack Avenue to assess current interest in developing properties and propose partnership to identify and recruit neighborhood-oriented retail and service businesses.

3. Meet with City of Detroit Department of Public Works to develop Safe Routes to Schools plan to improve sidewalks and lighting along key streets around neighborhood schools.

4. Work with neighborhood to identify locations for speed humps to decrease traffic speeds through neighborhood. Meet with City of Detroit Department of Public Works to discuss implementation.

5. Identify street flooding locations. At those locations, consider incorporating stormwater gardens pilot projects. Meet with City of Detroit Department of Public Works and Detroit Water and Sewerage Department of discuss implementation.

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Develop strategy to purchase and rehabilitate vacant homes to bring back into productive use and repopulate the neighborhood.

Identify, attract, and assist with development of businesses that provide retail amenities and services that specifically support needs of neighborhood residents.

Create gardens adjacent to city roadways and sidewalks that absorb stormwater and help to decrease street and sidewalk flooding.

Improve street and sidewalk infrastructure including additional lighting and sidewalk repairs to increase safety and accessibility throughout the neighborhood.

5. Barbour School Redevelopment

Identify and recruit high-quality developer and represent the needs of neighborhood residents to ensure that redevelopment supports the community.

6. Food/Community Events Program regular community events to enhance neighborhood identity and bring residents together to enhance neighborhood spirit and camaraderie.

7. Pocket Parks

Identify vacant parcels within the neighborhood to create communitydeveloped gardens and gathering spaces.

8. Traffic Calming

Introduce speed humps, signage, and pavement markings to slow traffic traveling down residential streets,