Home Renovation For Community Empowerment

Abstract

This thesis aims to address the overwhelming amount of residential blight in Detroit, Michigan. A large percentage of the Islandview neighborhood’s single-family and duplex units are either abandoned or seriously neglected by their occupants. Also, many occupied houses across Detroit neighborhoods are considered neglected and have not received necessary repairs due to cost, homeowner knowledge, and demographics.

Residential blight can be defined as “a physical space or structure that is no longer in acceptable or beneficial condition to its community” (Schilling and Pinzón 3). The motor industry events in the 1900s were some of the main causes of residential blight in Detroit. Neglected and vacant houses require costly repairs, which is not always possible for many residents, even with the home repair programs that the city offers. Many vacant and neglected houses are not receiving necessary repairs, so they continue to deteriorate in communities like Islandview, and residents are tired of it.

Residential blight is a long-standing issue in Detroit and it affects many residents in many neighborhoods. These vacant and neglected houses should be revitalized to support and empower the community.

Research Questions: How does residential blight affect the Islandview neighborhood? How can home repair become more affordable for Detroit residents? What are the gaps/exclusions within existing Detroit home repair programs?

Some methods used to test ideas and previous research include; collage, video, interviews, physical and digital model-making, mapping, diagramming, and data analysis. Interviews with community experts uncovered new ways of thinking about renovation and affordability in Detroit. Mapping, model-making, and diagramming allow existing conditions to be analyzed and investigated. Similarly, architectural drawings and data analysis are used to show the implementation of concepts that have been uncovered throughout the thesis.

With this thesis investigation, it has been discovered that home purchasing and renovation can be affordable for low-income Detroit residents. By utilizing the existing neglected housing stock of Detroit, eager residents can take back ownership of these homes and begin to rebuild their neighborhoods. Through the methods outlined in this thesis, Detroit residents can be empowered through the renovation of Detroit’s abandoned houses.

This study is valuable because there is an overwhelming amount of residential blight in Detroit, and there is an opportunity for residents in neighborhoods like Islandview to take back ownership of their community. Many abandoned houses have the potential to be restored and given back to the community at an affordable price. Residents with neglected homes due to a lack of home repair deserve the opportunity to restore their homes and make Islandview a thriving community with residents that support one another. Architecture and design can support this community by educating residents and providing resources for community empowerment through renovation.