SOUTHGATE – Meadowlark Energy will partner with the Michigan Suburbs Alliance in the Green Anchors project to manage the construction portion of a pilot project in Southgate, Michigan, to rehab abandoned or foreclosed properties and make them as energy efficient as possible.
The program involves an intensive rehab of several neighborhood homes to bring their energy and water usage to a minimum. The goal is to demonstrate that even homes built in the 1950?s can be models of sustainability ? and of low energy bills.
The over-arching idea is to have the residents of these rehabbed homes trained as neighborhood ?coaches? who can act as ambassadors of sustainability and connect their neighbors to resources that will help them undertake energy/water-saving measures in their own homes. These coaches will become part of the fabric of their local community, supporting community efforts such as establishing rain gardens and bike lanes.
To date, two foreclosed homes have been purchased for this project and are currently under construction. One home has been vacant for more than three years and is in need of significant structural repair. ?These homes need some work, but with a bit of imagination and a grant from Wayne County?s Neighborhood Stabilization Program and the City of Southgate?s HOME funds, we are looking forward to transforming these vacant homes into strong anchors for this wonderful neighborhood,? notes Energy Programs Manager Jennifer Young of the Michigan Suburbs Alliance.
It is the hope of the project administrators that Green Anchors will be a model for neighborhoods that are sustainable and desirable, and will not only build a sense of community, but will also draw people into the neighborhood ? growing the community, helping to retain property values and having a significantly smaller carbon footprint.
