Darren A. Nichols / The Detroit News

Detroit— Bank of America is donating 10 houses for the city's project to lure city officers back into city neighborhoods and will tear down 100 vacant properties under a partnership with the city, Mayor Dave Bing announced this morning.

The Project 14 program — named for the police code for "back to normal" — offers housing assistance on tax-foreclosed homes. Under the initiative announced this morning, city officials will look at Bank of America inventory to identify homes that will be used for the project.

"When you look at the kind of support we're getting from the business community, we have a unique time in terms of good alignment in the city," Mayor Dave Bing said. "We obviously know a lot of the issues we're confronted against in bringing this city back, but because of the support we're getting from the business community and others, we've got a real chance to change the city."

Under Project 14, 200 tax-foreclosed houses are being offered to officers in Boston-Edison and East English Village for as little as $1,000 down, plus up to $150,000 in grants for renovations. The city has said about 200 officers have expressed an interest in the program, which comes with a monthly housing payment of $500 to $1,000.