Wayne State University’s Center for Urban Studies receives grant to address air quality in Detroit homes

DETROIT — Wayne State University has received a $638,283 grant for the AmeriCorps Urban Safety Program (AMUS), an initiative of the university’s Center for Urban Studies.

The grant was provided by the Gordie Howe Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority and will be used by the Southwest and Delray Community Safety Program, which is part of AMUS. The grant will further the program’s efforts of improving air quality within homes, particularly near the new bridge, where issues like diesel smoke and industrial pollutants may become a factor.

“One of the big issues in southwest Detroit is small particulates in the air,” said Lyke Thompson, Ph.D., director of the Center for Urban Studies and professor of political science. “They are very dangerous for people to breathe. Part of this project is providing people with air purifiers, which take those particulates out of the air in the home, and dehumidifiers, which dry the air and reduce the possibility of mold.”

“The Delray Community Home Safety Program will provide home safety assessments, door locks, smoke detectors, energy efficient lights and carbon monoxide detectors,” said Ramona Washington, program director for AMUS. “Our indoor safety assessments will evaluate risk of safety, asthma and flooding. We can put things like air purifiers in homes, as well as humidifiers, dehumidifiers and furnace filters. We’ll also provide educational materials about protecting homes from risk.”

Thompson said that people spend approximately 80% of their time indoors, and poor air quality caused by external pollutants are a major concern if they go unmitigated within homes.

The Delray Community Home Safety Program also will be recruit youth between the ages of 17 and 24 to provide services in the neighborhoods where they are conducting the program.

“This project is an example of how Wayne State University is committed to empowering the health of our urban neighborhoods,” said Ezemenari M. Obasi, Ph.D., vice president for research at Wayne State University.  “Dr. Thompson is leading an effort that will help make substantial contributions to improving the air quality within homes in southwest Detroit.”

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Wayne State University is one of the nation’s pre-eminent public research institutions in an urban setting. Through its multidisciplinary approach to research and education, and its ongoing collaboration with government, industry and other institutions, the university seeks to enhance economic growth and improve the quality of life in the city of Detroit, the state of Michigan and throughout the world. For more information about research at Wayne State University, visit research.wayne.edu.