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Ypsilanti Opens Dorsey Estates, 46 Homes Built on Remediated Brownfield

One-time American Rescue Plan incentives that enabled the build are gone, limiting near-term replication.

Overview

  • The 46 two-bedroom homes include townhomes, duplexes and cottages, with half designated affordable and some sold via lottery to buyers at 40% of area median income.
  • Ypsilanti sold the city-owned parcel for $1 to ensure the site delivered attainable homes for essential workers.
  • Renovare Development says years of cleanup and lot-by-lot testing yielded a residential “no further action” environmental finding before construction.
  • Demand far exceeded supply, with roughly 400 people on the waitlist for the limited homes.
  • The neighborhood honors Mattie Dorsey, the city’s first Black councilwoman, and first-time owners describe pride in finally achieving homeownership.