Detroit Land Bank homeowner gets surprise renovations from contractor

DETROIT (FOX 2) - A Detroit mother who's been trying to fix her home for years is getting some final touches thanks to the Detroit Land Bank Authority and a local contractor.  

Devin Dupree bought the house from the Land Bank when she lost their home in Taylor in a fire. But soon after her purchase, she realized she faced costly repairs and upgrades. And during that process, materials she had bought were stolen and contractors backed out on their promises. 

She got her first break just before Christmas, when the Land Bank installed a new furnace for her. And now, thanks to the generosity of a contractor Devin will finally be able to say, Home Sweet Home. 

"Doors on bedrooms and bathrooms are helpful," says Scott Allen with CA Jones Construction. 

When he first came into Devin's home, their firm had planned to just help re-do the kitchen. But when he realized the house was missing some other essentials - like bedroom and bathroom doors - his company stepped up to do more. 

Late last year, CA Jones Construction approached the Land Bank looking for someone to help.

"They had a really successful year and wanted to give back and they reached out if we had any good candidates," says Alyssa Strickland, spokesperson for the Land Bank. Immediately, they thought about Devin and her son. 

"I was like, 'He picked me?'" Devin said. 

In addition to the kitchen and the doors, the company is also putting in new flooring. They're expecting all the work to be done by Friday. 

"I'm just so excited," Devin said. "I got more than I even expected." 

"It helps to give someone a nudge upwards," Allen says.