Pilot Stage Grant Recipient: Home Repair Clearinghouse
Doing Development Differently in Metro Detroit received a $186,696 Pilot Stage grant in July 2023
Lead Organization: Doing Development Differently in Metro Detroit (D4)
Collaborator(s): Rocket Community Fund, Wayne Metro Community Action Alliance, Michigan Building Trades Council
Contact Name: Sam Butler, Sam@MetroDetroitD4.org, 313-986-1726
Focus Area: Ecosystem repair
The Home Repair Clearinghouse is designed to directly address systemic challenges in the home repair ecosystem in Detroit, supporting Detroit residents to access timely and cost-effective home repairs. By connecting home repair needs to vetted contractors who then complete repairs in a sustainable manner, Doing Development Differently in Metro Detroit (D4) aims to build a home repair ecosystem that is supportive, effective and equitable for Detroit residents.
Highlights
Pilot Stage Objectives
During the Pilot Stage, D4 will test the core components of the Home Repair Clearinghouse model by providing home repairs for lower income Detroit homeowners in need in partnership with Wayne Metro. They will:
- Test the construction management practice designed to engage the organized skilled trades and to strategically package homes for bids.
- Test the homeowner advocacy processes to ensure that the home repair experience is comfortable and deemed successful by the homeowner.
- Provide support to Wayne Metro, skilled tradespeople and the homeowner throughout the application and home repair process.
- Refine the Home Repair Clearinghouse model to be effective and scalable across the City of Detroit.
Research Questions & Evaluation
As part of their Pilot Stage grant, the Home Repair Clearinghouse project is participating in a third-party evaluation conducted by University of Michigan’s Poverty Solutions. This evaluation process is designed to help project leaders measure the success of their pilot, consider learnings from the implementation process and apply those learnings to their plans for growth. Among several questions to be explored during the Pilot Stage are:
- Are union contractors completing home repairs on time, at reasonable cost and of good quality?
- What about the Home Repair Clearinghouse process allows contractors to complete more/less repairs on time, within budget and of good quality compared to Wayne Metro’s other home repair programs?
- What elements of the piloted model will adapt easily to larger scale and what changes will be necessary to operate the Home Repair Clearinghouse at a larger scale?
Findings will be shared at the end of the Pilot Stage (September 2024). Come back soon to read about early learnings from implementation.
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