What do you think about when you think of where you live?

If you are like me, you think about how the rooms in your houses are arranged, and whether the lawn needs to be cut. You think about the lady who lives next door who grows the most beautiful roses, and about the little boy down the street who rides his tricycle on the sidewalk. In short, you think about your neighborhood, not just your house.

 For that reason, Genesee County Habitat for Humanity has joined with the Court Street Village Non-Profit Housing Corporation to help them revitalize the Grand Traverse District Neighborhood (GTDN.) We are in the second year of a three year commitment to the neighborhood, with the possibility of further assistance in the future.

This year we are planning on building six homes in the GTDN. Five of these houses will be new builds on land that is currently vacant. One will be a refurbishing of an existing homes that is structurally sound, but needs some tender loving care, and most importantly, needs to be brought up to code. All of these homes will be on Stockton and Oak Streets between Sixth and Seventh Streets in downtown Flint.

This particular area of the GTDN is especially good for Habitat housing. A large number of parcels along Stockton Street are vacant, and some of the existing structures are in poor repair. We were able to purchase the vacant land from the Land Bank of Genesee County for a very reasonable price. By building homes on this open land we are able to provide decent housing for area residents, and help prevent these parcels from turning into dangerous, trash-strewn vacant lots.

A home is so much more than just a house. It is a family, a neighborhood, a community. Genesee County Habitat for Humanity is committed to helping provide decent, affordable homes in the county. Will you join us?

In Partnership and Peace,

Margaret Kato, Executive Director