A new home repair and energy efficiency program is launching on Detroit’s east side and in Highland Park, aiming to help low-income residents reduce their utility bills and improve their living conditions at no cost to them.
With $8 million in legal settlement funding, the Whole Homes, Whole Community initiative will provide free energy audits, home repairs, weatherization upgrades, and eventually solar installations to residents in the 48203 and 48214 ZIP codes.
“Our hope is that at the end of this program, this support gets to those who need it the most. Period,” Mama Gloria, executive director and founder of We Want Green Too, said.
The program is a collaboration between We Want Green Too, Soulardarity, and Elevate, a national nonprofit focused on climate and housing equity. The initiative stems from a legal case challenging DTE Energy’s long-term resource plan before the Michigan Public Service Commission. As part of the legal settlement, the funding was secured by a coalition of advocacy groups, including Abrams Law Clinic, Vote Solar, the Ecology Center, and the Union of Concerned Scientists.
The program is designed to serve predominantly Black and low-income communities that have long faced disproportionately high energy costs and aging housing infrastructure. Organizers say the upgrades will not only lower bills but also improve comfort, safety, and air quality inside the homes.
“We believe that the right of clean, just, and affordable energy lies in the hands of communities and this program is a path to further that in a big way” Shimekia Nichols, the executive director for Soulardarity, said.
The initiative is now accepting applications, with energy audits expected to begin in the coming weeks. Eligible residents can learn more or apply at hpdetroitwholehomes.org or by emailing hpdetroitwhwc@gmail.com.
Organizers say the first phase will lay the groundwork for broader investments in energy equity and sustainability in Detroit-area neighborhoods.
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This article appears in Jul 9-22, 2025.