Flint Proceeding With $45 Million Blight Demolition Program

Last spring, Flint residents ranked addressing blight and abandoned properties as one of their top priorities for investment of American Rescue Plan Act dollars.   $16 million of the ARPA funds have been earmarked for this purpose, with the total cost of the blight demolition program expected to reach $45 million.  The difference in cost is being covered by philanthropic donations, county ARPA funds, and general fund allocations.

The demolition project is slated to begin this fall.  There are approximately 2,200 houses on the demolition list, a fraction of the 19,000 properties on the Beyond Blight framework adopted by the Flint Planning commission in 2015. The cost to tear down each one varies depending on size and environmental factors, but is estimated at $12,000 to $16,000 per property.