Detroit Turns to Food Trucks to Serve Residents Displaced by Water Main Break Amid Meal Complaints

DETROIT — Ten days have passed since a big water main break caused flooding in a southwest Detroit neighborhood. Recovery is tough, but steps are being taken to improve the situation.

Currently, about 450 people are living in hotels provided by the city. They receive three meals a day, but some residents are unhappy with the food options. Doran Smith, a displaced resident now in a Southfield hotel, expressed disappointment: “They’re giving us hot dogs for dinner and macaroni and cheese. My kids won’t eat it.”

Smith has had to either rely on donations from volunteers or spend money on takeout. He mentioned, “I’ve been spending a lot on DoorDash. There are great people bringing tamales and tacos, but without our neighborhood, it’s tough.” Social media has shown images of the meals served, with simple foods like hot dogs and sandwiches drawing criticism.

Julie Schneider, Director of the City of Detroit’s Housing and Revitalization Department, responded to the concerns. She noted, “We saw the photos and realized changes were needed.” The city had initially switched from food trucks to using hotels to provide meals, but the quality was not meeting expectations. Schneider acknowledged that they didn’t have a plan for the sudden demand and apologized for the inconveniences.

The city will now partner with local food trucks to provide better lunch and dinner options for residents, as they did in the first few days after the crisis. Jessica Ramirez, who founded Detroiters Helping Each Other, believes the city wasn’t prepared for such a large-scale emergency but is doing its best. “Every person helping out is amazing,” she said, emphasizing the importance of communication in the response efforts.

So far, workers have cleaned out about 64 basements, with plans to address around 200 in total. Ramirez noted that collaboration has been effective, as she received prompt responses from city officials about residents’ complaints.

For those living in hotels, the promise of improved meals is welcome news. “A little late, but better late than never,” Smith said. Ramirez hopes the city will gather feedback from the community afterward to improve future responses.

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