Building Innovation for Homeownership
Award Winners: Michigan

PROJECT: Forest Grove, Royal Oak Township, Michigan

SUBMITTER: Diana Stahl, Venture, Inc., Pontiac, Michigan

PROJECT DESCRIPTION: In a distressed neighborhood that had not seen any new mortgage activity in 20 years, these new modular units are helping to raise property values while providing much needed affordable housing. The 1,100-square-foot modular houses with three bedrooms and two baths are offered at $41,000; six have been built on scattered sites around the neighborhood, while five more units are to be built next year. To create more of a sense of a suburban development, the houses are placed on two narrow, annexed lots. This allows more space around the units and allows these ranch-style homes to face the street. The nonprofit developer, Venture, secured federal HOME funds to subsidize the houses. Venture is the first nonprofit in Michigan to use modular units.

PROJECT PARTICIPANTS: Venture, Inc. (nonprofit Community Housing Development Organization), Robert Conaway (chair), Diana Stahl (president), Michelle Poeppe (program director); Oakland County, Michigan, L. Brooks Patterson (executive); Oakland County Community Development Division, Karry Rieth (manager); UNIPROP (contractor), Paul Zoltoff (president), Terry Winter (vice president); Township of Royal Oak, Michigan, Jerry Saddler (supervisor); Redman Homes, Topeka, Indiana (supplier).