Consumers Energy Foundation Announces $250,000 Grant Award to Upgrade and Sell Vacant Homes
Flint, Mich. – The Consumers Energy Foundation is backing a plan to provide new housing opportunities in Flint with a $250,000 grant award that will be used to upgrade and sell over three dozen vacant homes to first-time homebuyers in Flint.
Metro Community Development will provide new housing opportunities in the north part of Flint through the grant, which is part of the Foundation’s first-ever Prosperity Awards. Officials with the nonprofit organization, the Consumers Energy Foundation and the Genesee County Land Bank announced the award on Tuesday, Nov. 12 at Mount Tabor Missionary Baptist Church, near the first home that will be renovated.
“We are excited to play a role in the revitalization of Flint, which is part of Consumers Energy’s commitment to people, the planet and Michigan’s prosperity,” said Brandon Hofmeister, president of the Consumers Energy Foundation. “Our Prosperity Awards represent that commitment in action, working with great organizations to help Michigan continue to be a great place to live, work and innovate.”
“This funding will enable us to strengthen neighborhoods by transforming abandoned houses into affordable and attractive residences for first-time homebuyers,” said Brian Glowiak, CEO of Metro Community Development. “It is literally the gift that continues to give as we will leverage the proceeds from each home sale to purchase and renovate additional homes. This will multiply the momentum for cultivating pride, ownership and reinvestment in our community.”
The $250,000 grant will support the organization’s Acquisition and Rehabilitation Program by facilitating the purchase and rehabilitation of vacant homes into safe, affordable housing for resale to income-eligible homebuyers. The program will support up to 37 homes over the next decade.
Metro Community Development and other community leaders are working to improve housing and create housing and employment opportunities for Flint residents. The new program will work with a local building contractor and deploy young people from Metro Flint YouthBuild, a national workforce readiness program funded through the U.S. Department of Labor, to rehabilitate homes.
“The Genesee County Land Bank is pleased to partner with Metro Community Development to see abandoned tax foreclosed structures transformed into safe and affordable homes for Flint families,” said Michele Wildman, executive director of the Genesee County Land Bank.
“I applaud this partnership to help strengthen neighborhoods in Flint and ensure that first-time home buyers have access to affordable housing,” U.S. Rep. Dan Kildee said. “I thank the Consumers Energy Foundation and Metro Community Development for their partnership on this project, which will hire Flint residents and bring new economic investment to our city.”
The Consumers Energy Foundation will contribute $500,000 to Michigan nonprofits through its Prosperity Awards, which are the second of three $500,000 grant allocations this year totaling $1.5 million. Planet Awards winners were announced in April, and applications for People Awards that support job readiness are being reviewed.
