Detroit solar program paying dividends for nearby homeowners

DETROIT (FOX 2) - An ambitious plan to turn vacant property in Detroit into land housing solar panels to help power city buildings is paying dividends for residents.

One homeowner living near the project received thousands of dollars in energy upgrades to her home.

Local perspective:

Haley Henley has lived in the same Detroit home for almost 50 years.

The city has changed a lot over the decades and the latest one will further modernize Detroit's infrastructure while taking advantage of the vacant land in the surrounding neighborhoods along Woodward and south of State Fair.

The project gives homeowners opportunities to either relocate with a buyout option by selling their property to the city or receiving energy efficiency upgrades to their home.

Henley had no plans of relocating, which meant the latter option.

"I started thinking about all the things that I needed doing to my home in order for me to stay, and I know I couldn’t afford it so I said ‘why not? Why not take the chance?’" she said.

What came next was $15,000 in upgrades with funding from the city and federal government.

Dig deeper:

That included new outlets in the living room, sconces around the walls, a new water heater, and a new furnace.

"This is part of the insulation they did and then they put a pipe here, installed a new pipe and all of these lights are new fixtures," said Henley, pointing to the upgrades.

This story is the one the Detroit Department of Neighborhoods envisioned when they rolled out their Neighborhood Solar Initiative.

"Our job is to make sure that everybody who is eligible for this upgrade is able to receive it," said Erin Harris, the department's director said.

The director said the city's goal was to prioritize renewable energy as it manages its infrastructure and looks for cleaner power sources.

Approximately 85 residents in the nearby neighborhood can expect energy upgrades to their home. 

"It will add value not only to their home but the whole neighborhood," said Harris.

Big picture view:

The city's goal is to generate 33 megawatts of solar energy with two-thirds of the power producing coming from arrays put up in phase one.

The neighborhoods selected for the first phase include Gratiot-Findlay, Van Dyke/Lynch, and Henley's neighborhood of State Fair.

The second round of panels that will be built include Greenfield Park/I-75/McNichols and Houston Whittier/Hayes. 

A total of 167 acres will be used. 

Depending on where people live, they either owned a home where the panels were planned to built - or adjacent to the arrays. Those in the first group were offered double the market value for their home as well as moving expenses for relocating.

Homes in areas next to the panels can expect upgrades between $15,000 and $25,000.