New Affordable Housing Coming to MorningSide
Mayor Mike Duggan is joined by elected officials and developers of the new affordable housing investment coming to the former St. Matthew school. Image courtesy of The Detroit News
A big investment in MorningSide made big news all over town last month. As you may have seen on Channels 2, 4 or 7, Mayor Duggan and other state and city officials announced on June 23 the approval of funding to convert the former St. Matthew School into 46 units of affordable housing. The two school buildings, located behind the church at Harper and Whittier have been empty for over ten years. Led by a collaboration between Catholic Charities of Southeast Michigan, St. Matthew Parish and Ascension Michigan, the project will take two years to complete.
Health-related services for the new residents will be provided in the former gym by Ascension St John. Services will also be available to members of the surrounding communities, including MorningSide.
St. Matthew Parish has maintained the buildings since closing the school. The church, which will remain open, is proud to find a new way to revitalize the site, according to its pastor Fr. Duane Novelly.
“The Residences at St. Matthew” is a $17 million investment that includes funding from the Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA) and the City of Detroit. This funding will ensure that residents of half the units pay no more than 30 percent of their income in rent. The remaining units will be targeted for individuals classified as low/moderate income.
At the June 23 event on Audubon outside of St. Matthew, Mayor Duggan stated, “As our city comes back, the most important thing we can do is to make sure the Detroiters who stayed can still afford to live in the neighborhood of their choice, and today’s announcement gives that commitment a big boost.”
Councilmember Latisha Johnson added, “Today is a great day in District 4, as we are announcing not only announcing affordable housing but also a home for those who need it most, as well as new life for a building that has been a MorningSide landmark for almost 100 years.”
Several Audubon residents joined the Mayor, Councilmembers Johnson and Mary Waters and developer representatives at the announcement ceremony. President Eric Dueweke represented MorningSide.
Other partners on the development include Ethos Development Partners and Cinnaire Solutions, who will provide project management, logistics, and technical support. For more information, visit the Catholic Charities website https://ccsem.org/residences/.
