Federal grant to buy, demolish homes in flooded Dearborn Hgts. neighborhood

DEARBORN HEIGHTS, Mich. (WJBK) - Flooding is causing major problems for one Dearborn Heights neighborhood. It's so bad, the city is offering to buy and tear down some of the homes.

The Ecorse Creek runs behind a neighborhood off Hanover Street, and the water continues to rise when it rains. The flooding has been a concern in the neighborhood for years.

Many of the homes flood, so the Federal Emergency Management Agency is in line to give a $2 million grant to the city of Dearborn Heights to buy back some of the properties. By buying the homes back, they will wreck them and turn them into green space to create a buffer zone of sorts in the flood area.

Fifteen homes are in question.

"It's a very good neighborhood; everybody is so nice and we've lived here a long, long time, and the school districts are awesome," says Kelly Lynn. She says it'd be hard to say goodbye to all of that.

Nobody is being forced out; neighbors will be given the option to stay if they'd like.

This is a developing story. Stay with FOX 2 for updates.