By Heidi Roman
C & G Staff Writer

CLINTON TOWNSHIP — Clinton Township is dedicating about $500,000 in federal funds allotted to the community to support Habitat for Humanity’s efforts to turn dilapidated and vacant houses into homes for struggling families.

The township’s Planning and Economic Development Department has been working on a Neighborhood Stabilization Program 2 through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 to try to make a difference in neighborhoods with blight from foreclosures. The community got $2.2 million through the program and has been continuously analyzing how the money is being spent.

About $500,000 was supposed to be spent on demolishing boarded-up structures. The Department of Planning and Community Development has been surveying neighborhoods to determine the need, and then trying to purchase the homes identified for demolition.

“We have found that when they’re trying to do this, all of a sudden the value goes up,” said Township Supervisor Bob Cannon. The public “would be offended” if the community paid the prices some property owners are asking.

Four homes will be demolished for $45,000, but instead of spending the rest of the money on demolition, the township will work on rehabilitating some homes. That’s done in cooperation with Macomb Habitat for Humanity, and some money has already been designated for that use.

“Their success rate is very high,” Cannon said of Habitat.

Habitat uses the money to help repair homes for residents who wouldn’t qualify for conventional mortgages. The future homeowners help do the repairs.

Dave Tirsell, interim director of Macomb County Habitat, said the funding received so far has made a difference in many residents’ lives.

“We have over two dozen families in Clinton Township that are tax-paying, school-attending residents,” Tirsell said. “We’re looking forward to stabilizing some additional families.”

For information about Habitat’s program, call (586) 263-1540 or visit www.macombhabitat.org.