A $500 House in Detroit

Rebuilding an Abandoned Home and an American City

By: Drew Philp

Narrated by: Jacques Roy

A young college grad buys a house in Detroit for $500 and attempts to restore it—and his new neighborhood—to its original glory in this “deeply felt, sharply observed personal quest to create meaning and community out of the fallen…A standout” (Kirkus Reviews, starred review).

Drew Philp, an idealistic college student from a working-class Michigan family, decides to live where he can make a difference. He sets his sights on Detroit, the failed metropolis of abandoned buildings, widespread poverty, and rampant crime. Arriving with no job, no friends, and no money, Philp buys a ramshackle house for five hundred dollars in the east side neighborhood known as Poletown. The roomy Queen Anne he now owns is little more than a clapboard shell on a crumbling brick foundation, missing windows, heat, water, electricity, and a functional roof.

A $500 House in Detroit is Philp’s raw and earnest account of rebuilding everything but the frame of his house, nail by nail and room by room. “Philp is a great storyteller…[and his] engrossing” (Booklist) tale is also of a young man finding his footing in the city, the country, and his own generation. We witness his concept of Detroit shift, expand, and evolve as his plan to save the city gives way to a life forged from political meaning, personal connection, and collective purpose. As he assimilates into the community of Detroiters around him, Philp guides readers through the city’s vibrant history and engages in urgent conversations about gentrification, racial tensions, and class warfare.

Part social history, part brash generational statement, part comeback story, A $500 House in Detroit “shines [in its depiction of] the ‘radical neighborliness’ of ordinary people in desperate circumstances” (Publishers Weekly). This is an unforgettable, intimate account of the tentative revival of an American city and a glimpse at a new way forward for generations to come.

Harrowing, inspired and beautiful

I couldn't stop listening to this quiet, determined story of one man's quest to rehab an abandoned home in inner city Detroit. With humility, courage, and a yearning to do better and find belonging, this story was utterly captivating. Through the microcosm of one once-great American city, Philp peels back the layers of propaganda, corruption, systemic racism and greed that pulled it down. It is a sobering, sensitive and hopeful look at humanity, our country and our impact on this planet. Wonderful, thought-provoking moments throughout. I will miss listening.

Compelling in so many ways

This is a beautiful story. Drew takes you on a tour through his thoughts, his struggles, and lets you see a glimpse of Detroit's history, hardship, and the communities that have survived. Touching everything from racial tension, to politics, to family, to art-- this story shares bits of pain and celebration that resounded with me and my experiences. I think everyone can find something in this book to relate to and to learn from. It's not just about a house.

could not stop reading!

this is a must read, not just for any young home owner, but everyone who has been impacted by race, social class, or even been in love! Philips has a unique writing style not matched by other non fiction writers. READ THIS BOOK!

well done

good book gives a lot of great background information. great story I love the experiences expressed. awesome discovery

Fantastic story of grit and determination

This book helped me look in the mirror and at how I live my life. I'll be working on making some changes and reexamining my way of life. Thanks for the unfiltered story of your drive to build your life.