Two big economic development projects in Birmingham may pay off for city neighborhoods. Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin announced a program Wednesday to spend $1 million on home renovations in blighted neighborhoods.
The program will improve 100 homes in 100 days. Woodfin says the money comes from the sale of two city properties: a downtown parking deck after the grocery delivery app Shipt expanded, and the site of a new data center planned near Sixth Avenue South.
Those sales generated $1.6 million, city officials say. Some of it will also go toward demolition and administration of the home repair program.
Low-income residents or senior citizens who own their homes can apply for assistance. Woodfin says the city will offer up to $10,000 for each approved home.
“Our plan is to bundle our work to transform entire blocks instead of renovating one home on a street, which would otherwise be surrounded by blight,” Woodfin says.
The program’s initial phase will focus on five neighborhoods. Woodfin says there could be similar programs in the future.
The city is partnering with Neighborhood Housing Services for the renovation program. Interested applicants should contact NHS at 205-328-4292 or via email at neighborhoods@birminghamal.gov. Laborers interested in working on the renovations should also contact NHS.