Flint Township View

Twp. awarded demolition grants





FLINT TWP. — The walls of 31 blighted structures are due to come tumbling down early next year, thanks to a grant to the township.

The funding is coming from the Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA) 2016 Hardest Hit Blight Elimination program.

Township officials requested funding to tear down 32 homes and received a grant to tear down 21 of them, said Tracey Tucker, township building director, in a report to the township board last week.

But by working with the Genesee County Landbank, funding is available to tear down six of the ten remaining structures, she said. Also she expects to get a county grant to tear down the remaining four homes.

Tucker did not specify the total cost of the demolition but the maximum amount of Hardest Hit funds distributed per residential structure is $25,000, according to MSHDA grant application documentation found on its website.

The program works with selected local units of govern- ment through their Blight partner.

The Genesee County Land Bank is the local Blight partner and one of 12 in Michigan.

According to the Land Bank’s Spring 2016 newsletter, MSDHA awarded it $13.9 million in Hardest Hit Fund dollars to demolish an estimated 1,030 blighted and tax-foreclosed houses in approved Hardest Hit Fund (HHF) areas within and just outside of the City of Flint. Thousands already have been razed. Homes targeted for demolition in Flint Township range from burn outs to those deemed structurally deficient, according to a list provided by Tucker.

Many are located on streets that often appear on demo lists. There are two each on Lavelle Road, Devonshire Street, Arlene Drive, Augusta Street, Flushing Road, Boatfield Avenue, Hatherly Avenue and Graham Road.

A bit of blight relief also is coming for residents who live near 1099 Scottwood Avenue, 2243 Highfield Street, 1070 Schumacher Avenue, 3351 Dayton Street and 1595 Pound Drive. One property is at 5473 Corunna Road.

Demolition is expected to begin in January, Tucker said.


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