Brick + Beam to expand renovation workshop offerings in 2019

Navigating the process of renovating a home can be hit or miss in the Motor City. From weatherizing a house to finding a contractor to nabbing a side lot, there are many complexities that can be difficult within the city. But they don’t always have to be.

Brick + Beam has been offering multiple resources for home rehabbers in Detroit since landing a Knight Cities Challenge grant in 2015. Now, with more funding in tow, the group will expand their offerings in 2019.

Currently, Brick + Beam runs on volunteers and very limited program staff. The group recently snagged $150,000 in grant funding from the Quicken Loans Community Fund and the Knight Foundation, which will allow them to hire a full-time executive director, offer more home rehab classes, and improve access to resources it provides around building rehab in Detroit.

The group’s website has a variety of resources vital to anyone rehabbing a home. Rehabbers can ask or answer questions related to rehab here (current examples include finding the right sized door, removing lead, and rebuilding a front porch). They can also find answers to common questions in a resource library, a calendar of upcoming workshops, and a contractor list.

“Detroit’s older housing stock is an asset in so many ways, but access to repair resources continues to pose a daily challenge to Detroit families,” said Laura Grannemann, Vice President of Strategic Investments at the Quicken Loans Community Fund. “Brick + Beam provides the resources and connections that empower Detroit families to improve their own homes. Growing this capacity in our community will build upon the ecosystem of housing resources that is essential to ensuring equitable housing access.”

Brick + Beam is a collaborative effort among the Michigan Historic Preservation Network, Preservation Detroit, and Detroit Future City.