Wayne County's
Economic Development Growth Engine (EDGE), under the leadership of Chief Development Officer, Turkia Awada Mullin, has enjoyed many recent successes in attracting new business to the region. This includes, among others, landing the dynamic battery-manufacturer
A123Systems in Livonia, and attracting
General Electric to Van Buren Township where they will open an R&D center dedicated to the development of wind energy technology.
Yet Mullin, who is also Director of the
Wayne County Land Bank, would point to the good stories EDGE is generating in the area of community and neighborhood development as examples of the County's dual focus on job creation and healthy communities. "Our economic development design is holistic in nature," Mullin said. "It's important to understand helping people who are struggling in this economy is a vital component of economic development."
Recently, the Land Bank teamed up with the
Detroit Recovery Project (DRP) to transform a dilapidated house into a safe haven for men in long term recovery from alcohol and substance abuse. The Detroit Recovery Project (DRP) is a non-profit organization that helps individuals in recovery prepare to reenter society as sober, productive citizens.
The partnership began when Mullin and the Executive Director and CEO of DRP, Andre Johnson, struck up a conversation at a DRP event. The Wayne County Land Bank owned an abandoned, shuttered, two-story house which was awaiting demolition. The property was no longer on the tax rolls.
"The house was pretty much a wreck," said Johnson. "Everything was stripped from the home; the wiring, the plumbing, plumbing fixtures, the siding, the garage door, the furnace. There were squatters living there."
The Wayne County Land Bank then granted $4,000 to the project and transferred control of the house to DRP in November 2008. DRP put $25,000 into its rehabilitation. Most of the money was spent on materials because most of the labor was donated.
The result of this partnership was the Bray Recovery Home for Men, which opened last month with a formal ribbon-cutting. Guests included Highland Park Mayor
Hubert Yopp, Wayne County Executive Robert Ficano, and Detroit Mayor Dave Bing.
DRP's Executive Director Andre Johnson, who has been in recovery himself since 1998, emphasized the importance of providing a fresh, new environment for people recovering from alcohol and substance abuse problems. "You put someone just out of prison or a substance abuse program back into the same area they came from, an area that breeds drug activity, breeds illegal activity, breeds crime, they will relapse," Andre said. "A place like the Bray Home reduces relapses and promotes recoveries."
DRP currently has four locations located throughout the city of Detroit and the surrounding region. Each location is near major freeways and bus routes. All four facilities are equipped with a computer network, wireless Internet access, a fax machine and telephone system.
The Bray Home mandates weekly meetings and a 12-step recovery program, and provides daily support groups for the residents. All residents must remain drug-free during their stay, which can last from one to three years. The program also offers, among other things, supportive services like job training and skill development, GED preparation, transportation and clothing.
Johnson hopes to create a second home nearby to provide transitional housing for women. "I envision rebuilding
Highland Park's neighborhoods one house at a time," he said. "The public needs to see that persons in recovery can be productive neighbors and seek the quality of life we all want."
The Land Bank-DRP partnership reflects Wayne County's cooperative approach to community and human development. "By supporting our non-profit community, we help make a safe living environment for our citizens most in need so that they can realize their full potential to contribute to our society," Mullin said.
Pat Dostine is a Community Development Manager with the Wayne County Economic Development Growth Engine (EDGE).
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