Madison Heights, Habitat for Humanity partner on home repairs

MADISON HEIGHTS — This spring, a neighborhood improvement program will bring more than $1 million in minor home repairs to eligible residents of Madison Heights.

The program is done in partnership between Habitat for Humanity of Oakland County and the city of Madison Heights, backed in part by an $850,000 grant that will help pay for key items such as furnace upgrades, hot water heater replacements, roof replacements and repairs, kitchen and bath upgrades, deck and porch replacements, and new siding.

The project area is the south end of Madison Heights, south of Lincoln Avenue and north of Interstate 696 between Dequindre Road and Stephenson Highway. Recipients are single-family homeowners who qualify based on income eligibility requirements. The application process will open later in the spring, with more details to be made available at madison-heights.org.

In addition, in May, a “Rock the Block” event will see HFHOC bringing around 100 volunteers to the project area. They will assist qualifying homeowners by mowing and edging lawns, cleaning up leaves and trash, repairing porches, and other miscellaneous chores and fixes.

“These repairs will contribute to residents’ health and well-being,” said Madison Heights Mayor Roslyn Grafstein, in an email. She noted that issues such as drafty windows and leaky roofs are a public health concern since they can lead to chronic illnesses. “Improving the physical condition of the homes and enhancing the overall aesthetics of the neighborhood will improve the quality of life for the homeowners and their surrounding neighbors, further strengthening their sense of community.”

Ann Duke, director of philanthropy at HFHOC, said her team is excited about the collaboration.

“Critical home repairs are a challenge for low to moderate income homeowners, especially seniors with a fixed income,” Duke said in an email. “The price for a roof or water heater replacement is typically too expensive for these citizens, which can often lead to a myriad of other home maintenance issues. Programs of this nature help to keep homes safe and secure, and ensure that seniors are able to age in place.”

The collaboration with HFHOC follows other recent news of the city’s application for the latest round of Community Development Block Grant funding, through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

In that application, the city is requesting $20,600 for lawn-cutting services that will also benefit qualifying homeowners, namely senior citizens and those with disabilities. The program starts in April, and interested homeowners can call the Active Adult Center at (248) 545-3464 to sign up.

The CDBG application also requested $50,000 to help fund a full-time code enforcement officer and nearly $67,800 for sidewalk improvements such as new trash bins, benches, bike racks and street trees along 11 Mile Road between Stephenson Highway and Lorenz Avenue.

It’s all part of a larger effort to strengthen neighborhoods in Madison Heights, improving quality of life, health and safety, aesthetic appeal and property values.

David Soltis, a member of the Madison Heights City Council, said that governments have a moral obligation to take care of the most vulnerable, including seniors and young children.

“A few years before the pandemic, I worked with some local businesses to arrange a new wheelchair ramp for a veteran. As a city, we should evaluate initiatives like that and build upon them. Maybe some of the money that the marijuana companies put toward the community fund can be used for projects like that, helping seniors to stay in their homes,” Soltis said.

“As a city, we should also look into ways to expand the benefits (of the HFHOC program) beyond the project area. There are just so many people in the city who are getting up there in age, and who need help with basics like cooking, cleaning and maintaining their homes. We need to look at it comprehensively. Seniors deserve the dignity of being able to age in place. They helped build up this community, so they’ve earned it.”