Mayor Duggan’s new “Blight to Beauty” campaign, allocated $5.4 million in federal taxpayer funds, was originally intended to alleviate some of the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, including homelessness, but is now being used to commission “Art Alleys” that supposedly beautify the neighborhood.
The city’s Arts and Culture Director, Rochelle Riley, praised the endowment from the American Rescue Plan, a bill passed to help the nation through the coronavirus pandemic by, in part, allocating emergency funds to those experiencing homelessness, at risk of homelessness, or attempting to flee domestic abuse.
“Thanks to $5.4 million from the American Rescue Plan Act and $240,000 from the Knight Foundation, we’re able to transform nine alleys that were once dilapidated, overgrown, concrete broken into these beautiful spaces with lots and lots of beauty, flowers and art,” Riley told local news station WXYZ.
The other sponsor of the project, the Knight Foundation, is an investment organization that champions DEI, as can be seen on their website. The Knight Foundation funds an array of projects that support “the development of engaged, inclusive, and equitable communities toward a more effective democracy.”
The funding source for these alleys raises serious questions. The American Rescue Plan Act, passed in 2021, was said to “provide additional relief to address the continued impact of Covid-19 on the economy, public health, state and local governments, individuals, and businesses.”
Subtitle B of the bill draws specific attention to providing “funding for rental assistance, homelessness assistance, housing counseling, and housing assistance related to the Covid-19 pandemic.”
Specific provisions in the bill included allocating funds to aid states and local governments in assisting “low-income households that are at risk of homelessness and are experiencing unemployment or financial hardship.” This redirection of funds stands in contrast to the scale of Detroit’s homelessness crisis.
Detroit certainly had its fair share of homeless hardship stemming from Covid-era lockdowns. According to the City of Detroit, 6,221 Detroiters experienced homelessness in 2022.
The problem became so severe that the city commissioned a specific plan to address the issue. On August 15, 2024, the city announced a five-year improvement plan to tackle the growing homelessness crisis.
City of Detroit Housing and Revitalization Department Director Julie Schneider praised the plan and promised a renewed effort to ensure a respite from homelessness.
“No Detroiter should go to sleep at night without a roof over their head and a safe, quality place to call home,” said Schneider.
The current approach to addressing the homelessness crisis appears to include the use of graffiti in neglected alleyways.
If there was any wonder at what kind of art was being used to “beautify’”these ugly alleys, one may look no further than a train car.
The Detroit Arts, Culture, and Entrepreneurship website lists nine “Art Alleys” that have either been completed or are nearing completion.
The Art Alleys feature a mix of graffiti and murals that seem to contribute more to a hipster aesthetic than to any meaningful improvement in the city.
One installation on Manistique Street depicts an African American man playing a guitar, with musical notes emanating from him and words like “sensitive” and “equal” scattered throughout the space.
Such artwork may be interpreted more as a political or cultural statement than as a practical effort to address pertinent issues affecting the city.
While many of the Art Alleys feature intricate and thoughtfully crafted artwork, it is fair to question whether the initiative justifies the $5.4 million in funding awarded by Duggan.
Considering that a portion of this funding was originally intended to address homelessness, one might ask whether it could have been more effectively allocated toward that purpose, particularly in a city where poverty remains widespread.
Duggan’s “Blight to Beauty” initiative controversially redirects funds intended to alleviate poverty in Covid-impacted communities toward a trendy art program that offers limited tangible benefit to residents.
Ray Hilbrich is a contributor to Michigan Enjoyer and former minor league baseball player. He is an avid enjoyer of sports, America, and a good cigar.
