What is Neighborhood Revitalization?
Improving Neighborhoods
Habitat for Humanity is working in partnership with cities, businesses, and many volunteers to improve neighborhoods and provide decent housing for families. Habitat, through the Neighborhood Revitalization Initiative (NRI), works with families in our neighborhoods to improve homes, sidewalks, and parks.
Safe Routes to School
The City of Iron Mountain received a Safe Routes to School grant for North Elementary through the efforts of NRI. This grant will fund improvements to 5th and Kennedy Street, improving the safety of the students walking to school. As part of this grant each student received a bicycle safety class and were given a bicycle helmet. Through a series of incentives, students are encouraged to participate in our walk-to-school program.
Millie Mine Trail
Habitat, through NRI volunteers, was instrumental in pulling together members of the local community for installation of the trail, the viewing platform, the bridge, and for the design and installation of the interpretive signage. The trail was funded in large part through a Michigan DNR Trust Fund grant.
Home Repair
The NRI home repair program give interest free loans to eligible home owners to help them make repairs to their home. Usually less than $2500, these affordable loans can be used to make any repair that makes the home more energy efficient or livable. The labor is donated by the family or volunteers.
This NRI program partners with our city’s Department of Public Works and the Laborers Training Institute to offer an affordable way to replace residential sidewalks. In 2010, the cost to homeowners is $4.50 per foot of sidewalks.
