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Habitat for Humanity reports Rock the Block cleanup; Troy to budget $25,000 for next year
Summary
Habitat for Humanity presented results from Troy’s inaugural Rock the Block neighborhood cleanup: 10 owner‑occupied properties improved, roughly $100,000 in community impact, and plans to hold the event again next May. City staff said $25,000 has been included in the upcoming budget to support the program.
Scott Barr, executive director of Habitat for Humanity (Miami County/Troy area), updated Troy City Council on the nonprofit’s inaugural Rock the Block neighborhood improvement week and outlined results and plans for the next year.
Barr said the May 5–9 effort mobilized 177 unduplicated volunteers who provided about 1,575 volunteer hours, working on 10 owner‑occupied properties. Habitat began the week with a roughly $17,500 budget and estimated the value of volunteer time, donated materials and contractor work returned to the neighborhood at just under $100,000.
The work included siding and window donations coordinated through Habitat’s national supplier relationships, deck and porch repairs, garage and gutter work, fence replacement, power washing, mulching, trash and yard‑waste removal, and minor structural repairs. Barr said many homeowners served were fixed‑income seniors and that the effort produced a neighborhood “ripple effect” as neighbors began cleaning and improving adjoining yards.
City staff involvement included logistical support, mobile restrooms and trash removal; Barr singled out city staff (identified in the presentation as Austin and his team) for leadership in planning and execution. After the presentation a council member stated the city has placed $25,000 in the draft budget to support Rock the Block next year.
Why this matters: The project targeted vulnerable owner‑occupied properties, leveraged volunteer labor and in‑kind donations, and generated near‑term improvements in an older neighborhood while building partnerships among nonprofits, businesses and city departments. Council members discussed coordinating the city’s spring cleanup cycle with Rock the Block week to smooth logistics.
What Habitat reported
- Volunteers: 177 unique volunteers during the week. - Volunteer hours: about 1,575 hours (as reported by Habitat staff). - Properties served: 10 owner‑occupied homes, prioritized for long‑term owners and fixed‑income residents. - Project budget and impact: initial project budget of about $17,500; estimated community value just under $100,000 from donated materials and labor. - Notable in‑kind support: donated siding and windows through national Habitat partners; multiple local sponsors and partners.
A city staff member announced the City of Troy has placed $25,000 into the draft budget to support Rock the Block next year; council members and Habitat said the nonprofit plans to hold the program again May 4–8 next year.
Quote
"We relaunched our home repair program and brought Habitat Rock the Block to Troy," Scott Barr said. "We started with a modest budget and leveraged volunteers and partners to produce significant value for homeowners and the neighborhood."
Next steps
City and Habitat leaders said they will coordinate planning for next year’s Rock the Block, explore aligning city spring cleanup services with the event, and return to council with logistics and budget details as the May 2026 date approaches.
