MorningSide makeover

There is good news to report in MorningSide these days. The east side Detroit neighborhood has seen better days, like many other neighborhoods across the city, but residents are working to fix the place up a bit.

As part of the Vacant Property Campaign, a city-wide effort aimed at revamping neighborhoods across Detroit. MorningSide was one of several neighborhoods awarded a grant to clean up and spruce up homes and lots. I helped write the grant and we are using the funds to mow lawns, pick up trash, board up dangerous properties and paint murals on some of the eyesores. We can't do it all, but we hope to make a dent.



We have targeted 60 of the worst vacant lots and abandoned properties for clean up. We have teams that canvass the neighborhood and clean up throughout the month. The same goes for lawns, and eventually we'll have snow removal as well. The mural painting is a nice touch. They provide a ray of sunshine, and I only wish we had the money to do more. Hopefully, we will demonstrate enough success to be able to get additional funding to not only continue what we are doing, but to expand our efforts. I hope you'll pull for us.

I hope some of the Detroit City Council candidates take notice. We are inviting all of them to a forum at our next general membership meeting, which takes place Tuesday, Oct. 13, at Peace Lutheran Church on East Warren Avenue, between Alter Road and East Outer Drive. It begins at 7 p.m. We encourage everyone interested in the future of the city to join us.

I know I have a few things to talk to them about. How about you?