LAKE LEELANAU - Leelanau Christian Neighbors and Homestretch are both hoping to bring more families in by creating housing people can afford.
This isn’t the first project they have worked on together.
“It’s difficult for businesses in the county to find help and it’s difficult for people who
want to work and live in the county to live here. And we’d like to have we’d like to be helpful in changing That,” Says, Mary Stanton, Executive Leelanau Christian Neighbors.
Leelanau Christian Neighbors is a nonprofit whose aim is to help people within their county, they have a food pantry, baby pantry and a thrift store, but with the help of their affordable housing funds they recently bought a home.
“When this house came up, we found out that it was going to be for sale. It hadn’t been listed. And so, we jumped on it right away because the last thing we wanted was another unaffordable home,” explains Stanton.
With difficulties for families in northern Michigan to afford to work and play both nonprofits want to change that.
" It’s unfortunate that we have to use grant money and philanthropic money to keep small communities intact and keep families intact and to have safe, affordable housing. That’s just the reality of where we are in a resort community with outside influences, says Jon Stimson, Executive Director of Homestretch.
With the new purchase of the single-family home, they have options on what they can do with it.
“There’s a workshop on this property that the gentleman who owned it had a lawn care repair business, and that actually is a structure that we could develop into an additional accessory dwelling unit and potentially house another family,” shares Stimson.
Both charities are hoping that other people will be inspired to continue to create affordable housing
“The family that we purchased it from is thrilled to think that it’s going to stay affordable housing. It’s near and dear to their hearts. And so we love that. We love that we purchase it from a family that cares and we care about our neighbors,” shares Stanton.
Leelanau Christian Neighbors is in the early stages of what the house will be, but it is expected to be done in 3 years.