Home Repairs for Longtime Islandview Residents

Hello! We are the Field Street Block Club, a group of active residents, both young and old, coming together to fight for the livelihood of our neighborhood. We live in the Lower Eastside of Detroit, in a neighborhood called Islandview. We are raising money for critical home repairs and heating and electrical appliances that are desperately needed for our residents. For years our long-time residents have been on waiting lists or have not been able to access available grants and assistance from the city. We need help sooner than later, so we are calling on our collective networks to help raise funds for our neighbors most in need.

We are amidst a health and safety crisis. We have senior citizens, some of whom are also veterans, that struggle through cold winters relying on space heaters and ovens to heat their homes. We have families without proper roofing, water damage from previous floods, and weak foundations. We have kids who play around sinkholes in our streets and empty, dilapidated houses that have yet to be cleared.

Many families in our neighborhood are on fixed or low incomes. And the cost of heating these old homes with damaged roofs results in obscenely high energy bills that many of our neighbors just cannot afford. Islandview is set to be the next ‘trendy’ neighborhood. Billion-dollar developments and investors are moving in and building extravagant condos and apartments while our community and its needs are neglected. Higher rent means that these developments are not for the community. 

We envision a safer, healthier, and more sustainable way of living for all of our long-time Islandview residents. We are asking for your help to repair and heat our homes and keep our neighbors safe so that we can build a stronger foundation for our future generations. We don't just want our kids to grow up in this neighborhood; we want them to thrive.

How we will sustainably rebuild our community:

• Prioritize our senior citizens and major home repairs like roof replacement and gas & electrical appliances that are much needed during our cold winters.

• Use licensed and insured Detroit and/or Black-owned contractors for these home repairs.

• Create a Home Repairs Committee within our Block Club to organize, manage, and oversee a Home Repairs Program that will keep up with fundraising efforts and granting funds to eligible residents.

• Participate in workshops that help our community build skill sets that enable us to do simple home repairs on our own to avoid the bigger ones.

• Create more awareness and communication pieces around this widespread issue of Home Repairs in the city of Detroit by notifying neighbors about available resources and programs and helping them with the application process.

If you are not in a position to donate right now, please share this fundraiser link with everyone you can think of!

With much love and gratitude,

The Field Street Block Club