C.S. Mott Foundation Continues Focus On Flint Initiative With Blight Removal Grant
Nearly $450k has been granted to help get rid of blight in Flint by the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation.
The money has been granted to the Genesee County Landbank as part of the CS Mott Foundation "Focus on Flint Initiative." The initiative was announced one year ago, when the Mott Foundation pledged $1 Million in grants over the next year to help strengthen Flint neighborhoods. The grants were decided based off a survey taken by Flint residents over the course of more than 8 months.
After all the surveys were collected, there were 8 primary projects that were taken on by the foundation. This grant of $450,000 covers three of those 8 projects according to the press release. The release walked through how the money would be divided, and more specifically, where it would go.
- Demolish vacant houses that are beyond repair | $150,553
- Take down properties that have been burned | $139,378
- Demolish homes listed on the City’s Property Portal that are designated as needing demolition but currently no funds are available | $158,098
Even though the pandemic has delayed the work on the Flint initiative, the Mott Foundation is still following through on their promise. Last week they announced a grant for Genesee County Habitat for Humanity of $121k. The money will be used to help provide home maintenance and repairs for seniors.
The best part about the Focus on Flint initiative is that it keeps residents involved in all decisions. The money granted for blight removal is not designated to any one area yet, as the foundation is looking for input.
Residents can submit their survey before November 30th to help determine the focus areas of blight. If you are a Flint resident, you can take the survey here. You can find more information on the Focus on Flint initiative here.