By Jeffrey Buck

Detroit is in the process of trying to reinvent itself by helping those residents in the city as well as doing what it can to attract those not living in the city consider taking up a Detroit address.

This past Sunday I got a glimpse of a collection of neighborhood associations that are actively changing their neighborhoods for the better. The Grandmont Rosedale Communities hosted their 6^th Annual Neighborhood Open House showcasing more than a handful of properties for sale within its four neighborhoods.

North Rosedale Park, Rosedale Park, Grandmont #1 and Grandmont are the four Detroit neighborhoods that are focusing resources to keep their neighborhoods safe, populated, attractive and clean.

The Open House was held at the North Rosedale Park Community House on Scarsdale from 1 to 5 p.m. Prospective homebuyers were able to get information on home loan options, tax abatement, community activities and associations and much more. Neighborhood bus tours were given to help those looking at homes to get a better understanding of the area from those residents who call one of the four neighborhoods “home.”

Homes from brick colonials to Tudors ranged in size from 1,600 sq. ft. to as large as 2,700 sq. ft and varied in price from $65,000 to $200,000. The amount of work needed to get the homes into move-in condition differed on a case-by-case basis.

I got a chance to see a majority of the homes on the list but wanted to share a few of my favorites:

18904 Bretton Drive
4 Bedrooms
1.5 Bathrooms
2050 Sq. Ft.
Partial Finished Basement
2 Car Garage
Listed at $139,000

Woodward Spine © 2011

Woodward Spine © 2011

Woodward Spine © 2011

18470 Lancashire
3 Bedrooms
1.2 Bathrooms
1900 Sq. Ft.
Finished Recreation Room
Listed at $89,000

Woodward Spine © 2011

Woodward Spine © 2011

Woodward Spine © 2011

15311 Glastonbury
4 Bedrooms
1.1 Bathrooms
3200 Sq. Ft.
Paneled Dining Room
Listed at “Make Offer”

Woodward Spine © 2011

Woodward Spine © 2011

Woodward Spine © 2011

The homes are all eligible for up to a 15-year tax abatement on their City of Detroit taxes. This is possible because of being located in a Neighborhood Enterprise Zone. Owners must make the home their principal residence, have purchased it after January 1, 1997 and commit to making $500 in improvements. Owners will save approximately 22% each year.

A handful of the homes were being offered by a community-based organization called Grandmont Rosedale Development Corporation. According to their website the GRDC has been serving the community for over 20 years with several services.

“The Grandmont Rosedale Development Corporation (GRDC) is a non-profit, community based organization dedicated to preserving and revitalizing the Grandmont Rosedale communities of northwest Detroit. We organize a wide range of community improvement programs designed to help our community prosper as a place to live, work and play.”

They offer a wide array of programs ranging from Home Ownership Counseling to Vacant Property Maintenance to Commercial Façade Improvement Programs. You can read more about what they offer at their website here.

This is a great event that I hope Mayor Bing, the Detroit City Council and other Detroit neighborhood associations are making note of. It’s this sort of positive attitude and imitative the city needs to help move it forward and in the right direction. It’s going to take organizations and people like these to make Detroit what it once was in the way of offering its citizens a safe and inviting environment.

I’m glad I got a chance to experience this event and found the people volunteering to be very helpful and upbeat about the possibility of having me and others around me as potential new residents of one of the Grandmont Rosedale neighborhoods.

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