DETROIT (WXYZ) — "Vacant lots a lot changed but the neighborhood is still the same to me. The love is still there," said Michael Battle.
Michael Battle was born and raised in the Detroit neighborhood we visited today, and out of all the transformations he has seen in the last 50 years this is one of his favorites.
WXYZ’s Glenda Lewis asked, "Do you feel like it's going fast enough?”
“It's gonna take a while. Time didn't happen overnight, but I think the mayor’s doing a pretty good job of trying to get it done," said Battle.
Georgia Dillon lives next door. She left Louisiana to come to Detroit and likes what she sees.
"What do you think of the progress?” asked Lewis.
“I think everything's going well,” said Dillon.
“Are you happy with it?” asked Lewis.
“Yes ma'am,” said Dillon.
The alley at Ash and 18th is under transformation. All part of the city's ongoing effort to improve neighborhoods and part of the 10-step plan Mayor, Mike Duggan will outline tonight in his State of the City address.
“More focus on blight. More resources for blight clean up sidewalk repairs, and illegal dumping a stronger focus on all illegal dumping,” said Ray Solomon, Director of the Department of Neighborhoods for the City of Detroit.
“There was such an emphasis on demolition, but rehabilitation has been a focus,” said Lewis.
“Yes, we moved in a different direction. We actually rehabbed more houses this past year than we demolished so that is good as more families are moving into homes, moving into neighborhoods strengthening the neighborhood,” said Solomon.
"This is what we consider a light alley. So, the piles get bigger and longer, so this is not that bad compared to what we've seen, " said Juan Colon, Project Manager.
Just brush and light trash, filling this backhoe compared to other projects.
"From abandoned vehicles, tires, you know you get basically everything, torn down houses toilets everything we bring everything out these alleys," said Lorenzo Colbert, Project Manager.
“The response we get from residents, you know, it's fulfilling in a like, you, know when people come out in a congratulation us, thank us, you know and it makes you feel good inside to know that we’re helping,” said Colbert.
“They want to keep coming back every year. They want us to know do a lot more slowly we're trying to do everything that the residence you don't need done," said Colon.
