The rise of water main breaks, extreme weather events and flooded streets in Detroit have become far too common. 

In August 2023, historic rainfall combined with aging pipes and sewage systems left thousands of metro Detroit basements flooded and backed up with storm and sewer water. Five thousand of those homes were in Detroit.

Wayne County was one of nine counties in Michigan to receive emergency designation from FEMA. This meant affected residents could apply for federal aid to repair the damage but not the city of Detroit. 

However, a recently announced $346 million grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development awarded to the city of Detroit aims to improve the community's climate resilience. Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan says some of the grant money will be used to repair collapsed alley drains and old sewer infrastructure that can lead to broken water mains and flooded homes. Detroit also plans to build flood-resistant affordable housing with the funding to reduce the chances of flooding during extreme weather events.

The city has up to 120 days to create an Action Plan to determine how specifically the funds will be used. 

Nick Schroeck, professor of environmental law and interim dean of the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law, joined The Metro on Thursday to discuss why Detroit homes are so vulnerable to flooding and how the new HUD Block Grant can help.

Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.