Affordable Housing Agency Brings Hope To Eastsiders
While we all slowly rebound during these pandemic times, there might not be a more appropriately named nonprofit organization than U-SNAP-BAC. Since 2005, United Streets Networking And Planning —Building A Community has been located at the corner of East Warren and Alter Road at the western edge of MorningSide.
Started by a collective of eastside block clubs and neighborhood associations in 1985 to attract home repair grants, U-SNAP-BAC has grown into a developer of affordable housing whose success is recognized in state and national circles. Its first major development, Morningside Commons, consisting of 40 single-family homes on Wayburn Street, welcomed new residents to MorningSide in May of 1998. Even more affordable were the 64 townhouse units built along Alter and Wayburn in 2003. Later developments included 27 single-family homes on Wayburn south of E. Warren, a tot lot near Mack Avenue and a passive park at the corner of Waveney and Alter.
Leaders of MorningSide and U-SNAP-BAC worked together to bring Habitat for Humanity-Detroit to our neighborhood in 2006 and over the following decade HFHD constructed an additional 100 homes. The resulting total of over 230 units provided MorningSide with more new affordable housing than any other Detroit neighborhood has gained during the past quarter-century. According to longtime Executive Director Linda Smith, U-SNAP-BAC has also facilitated over 500 home repair grants across Detroit during its existence. (Smith noted that home repair funding sources do not allow the agency to limit grants to a specific neighborhood.)
As a recognized community development corporation, U-SNAP-BAC is often approached to partner with other nonprofit and for-profit businesses. The agency even acquired its current home through a partnership with Bank One when the bank decided to close their E. Warren branch. Other examples of successful collaborations include working with DTE Energy to build the MorningSide Gateway Park, assisting Southwest Housing Solutions on developing townhouses along Ashland Street/Alter Road and helping Huntington Bank open a new branch at Mack and Alter. In 2007, USB assumed ownership of Lakewood Manor, a 30-unit building that offers permanent supportive housing in the Jefferson-Chalmers community.
Several exciting new efforts are on the horizon for 2021. Mayor Mike Duggan announced on May 6 that U-SNAP-BAC will be one of six agencies coming together to form the Detroit Housing Network, a program that aims to increase housing stability and affordable home ownership. DHN host organizations will offer services including financial counseling, utility assistance, home repair help and property tax foreclosure prevention. The initial focus of the DHN will be resources for homeowners but will later expand to serve renters. Residents will be able to apply for help through a central online portal at https://detroithousingnetwork.org/, however the launch date for the online enrollment is TBA. Until then, folks can call the U-SNAP-BAC office at (313) 640-1100 to make an appointment for an office visit.
One service that’s a U-SNAP-BAC specialty is homebuyer counseling. Despite the pandemic, homebuyer ed classes are more popular than ever, with over 300 Detroiters participating just since January. Most are looking to buy a home within the city. Another popular service is helping people apply for the 0% Interest Home Repair Loan program. The most requested assistance continues to be for owner-occupied home repair grants, for which very little funding is available. “When we started in 1987, the biggest need was for home repair dollars and that is still the biggest need today,” said Ms. Smith.
Currently the office is restricting walk-in clients and asks that people call to make an appointment. Business hours are 9-5 Monday thru Thursday and by appointment on Fridays. When you call (313) 640-1100, you’ll likely be greeted by our Bedford street neighbor Jawana Jackson. MorningSiders are truly blessed to have a citywide housing resource center located in our community.
