Court Street Village Non Profit Housing Corp
2007 Accomplishments
1. New Grant for Grand Traverse Neighborhood
The City of Flint approved a HOME grant of $227,000 for Court Street Village to Purchase, ReHab and ReSell 3 homes in the south section of the Grand Traverse District Neighborhood Association area. Court Street Village has worked closely with the GTDNA Land Use Committee to purchase the homes, located at 1108, 1110, and 1114 S. Grand Traverse Street. When completed, the homes will be offered for sale to individuals or families with low to moderate income, with preference being given to participants in the Metro Housing IDA (Individual Development Account) Program. Participants in the program take personal finance & homeowner classes and have their savings matched in their IDA account for use as a down payment on a mortgage to finance the new home. Proceeds from the sale of the homes will then be used to purchase and rehab additional homes in the area. We are looking for qualified buyers immediately so they can assist in the renovation design decisions. If interested, please call Steve Wall at Court Street Village Non-Profit Housing Corp. 810 767-7008.
2. Berridge Hotel Renovation
The groundbreaking for the renovation of the Berridge Hotel, located in the Carriage Town Historic District, was held on October 22, 2007. We are partners with the Genesee County Landbank and received grants of more than 1 million dollars to re-develop the property into 21 lease-to-own loft apartments. 8 units will be reserved for families with up to 80% of the area median income, the rest will be market-rate rent. The property is being developed to preserve and promote Flint's history, improve local perceptions of the community, and encourage future reinvestment in the area. Recruiting will start soon to fill the 2 commercial units on the 1st floor with services such as a coffee shop, dry cleaner drop-off, or other similar office or consumer-needs operations. Amenities will include gated, reserved parking and a security system. Most units will be 2 story lofts with 2 bedrooms and 1, 1&1/2 or 2 baths, and much more.
As part of the project, the adjoining Tinlin Building will be converted into 4 apartments. The $5.5-million project is being financed with the assistance of Federal and State Historical Tax Credits which require the loft apartments to be rented for the first five years, after which they will be converted to condominium and sold. Construction is expected to be complete in late 2008.
3. A Success Story
Steve Wall, CSV Neighborhood Program Director, worked with the Community Challenge Visual Change Group to successfully engage a variety of community citizens from various sectors including neighborhood organizations, non-profit organizations, city and county municipalities and District Court, to identify issues and define strategies to address blight reduction and code enforcement.
A group of citizens dedicated to Visual Change worked with the City of Flint Attorney and the Building & Safety Inspection office to develop a Civil Infraction System that more effectively addresses code enforcement issues. They first developed a visual map to depict code enforcement processes and identify barriers in code enforcement issues. In May, 2007, in co-operation with the City of Flint, the group received funding and developed a brochure to raise awareness regarding Civil Infraction Ordinances. That brochure was then mailed to all city of Flint households. If you’d like a copy of this brochure, email us at: csvnp@sbcglobal.net or call our Neighborhood Program Director, Steve Wall, at 810 767-7008.
With help from community residents, the Visual Change group also lobbied for the demolition of the 10 worst eyesores in the City of Flint and sought to obtain successful disposition of these blight issues through the code enforcement process. That work is on-going and Court Street Village is proud of the accomplishments that Steve Wall made in collaboration with the Visual Change Group to make Flint neighborhoods better places to live and work.
3. New Housing Fund
The Edward J. Neithercut Housing Restoration Fund was established in 2007. The purpose of the fund is to improve the neighborhoods closest to downtown Flint by acquiring (through donation or purchase), restoring, and selling homes to be used as owner occupied dwellings. The new homeowners will be low to moderate income families who will be obligated to join, and participate, in that neighborhood homeowners association. Homes will be selected for their proximity to other revitalization projects so as to create a ripple effect by attracting and sustaining additional private capital. Home buyers will participate in local educational programs involving home ownership & maintenance, and a down payment match/assistance program.
The fund will be replenished by on-going fund raising. Sale price of the homes is anticipated to be less than the cost of the rehab until market values rise from improved neighborhoods. Private donations and Corporate Sponsors are needed to support the program.
4. BEST Project
BEST (Building Excellence, Sustainability and Trust) is a comprehensive, capacity building initiative in Flint. The BEST Project is an initiative of the Flint Funders Collaborative (FFC). FFC members include the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, the Community Foundation of Greater Flint, the Ruth Mott Foundation and the United Way of Genesee County. BEST brings together regional funders, consultants, technical assistance providers, and nonprofit agencies to achieve a more viable, sustainable and effective nonprofit community. We are pleased we were selected for participation in this program along with many other Flint non-profits including the IMA, YWCA, Boys & Girls Club and the Crim Fitness Foundation. BEST uses a two-phased approach to capacity building. First, organizations participate in a quantitative and qualitative organizational assessment. Assessments were conducted by consultants and took place over the course of three to four months. Then, based on consultant recommendations, organizations are eligible to apply for up to two years of capacity building grants.
In 2006, Court Street Village received a technology grant to replace our computer network and telephone system, giving us state of the art tools to help accomplish our mission, and a grant to engage a consultant to assist with the development of a new strategic and fund development plan.
In September 2007, the Board of Directors adopted both plans, and we have received a grant to help support the implementation of those plans. Court Street Village hired its first Development Director in November 2007. With support from our newly formed Development Committee, our first Annual Appeal was launched in December, 2007.
5. Central Park Neighborhood Association (CPNA) Investors Committee
More than 20 residents and landlords met recently at the Court Street Village Doris Sain Community House to organize a special “Investors Committee” of the Central Park Neighborhood Association. Participants are committed to taking action to help reduce crime and other undesirable activity in the Central Park Neighborhood. John Freeman, a local resident and landlord for over 30 years, was the moving force to organize the group and has been elected chairman.
The group hopes to identify practical ways to make the neighborhood better. Suggestions include better screening by landlords of new renters, marketing the neighborhood to students to make the area more like similar areas in college towns, promoting community involvement for all homeowners and renters and studying the need for a crime watch program.
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