A new tradition of excellence has been created by HUD's Grand Rapids office with the presentation of its second annual "Wall of Fame" recognition awards. Throughout Western Michigan, it is a welcome salute to housing and community development excellence, and the men and women who are "Making a Difference."

Once again this year, honors and recognition were given for a wide variety of programs and projects planned and undertaken by organizations and local governments that want to make a difference for the people and neighborhoods - and often entire communities - in West Michigan. Each of the groups honored (left, with HUD's Grand Rapids office director Louis Berra) had furthered HUD's mission - by increasing homeownership, preserving affordable housing or revitalizing neighborhoods. Customized certificates were created and presented to each of the seven organizations involved, and a permanent record of their participation and the names of their projects was engraved on the 2002 Wall of Fame plaque displayed in the HUD office.

This year's award recipients and a brief description of their unique efforts include:

Operation Rejuve-Nation - A project embarked upon to spur neighborhood redevelopment in an area that many felt could not be revitalized. The three homes built have been an impetus for other residential development in the area as well as commercial redevelopment. The City of Muskegon Community & Neighborhood Services was the award recipient.

(Before) A house under demolition to make way for a new home (After) under the Operation Rejuve-Nation program through the City of Muskegon Community and Neighborhood Services division.

Summer Place Townhomes - A HUD 236 property in Lansing formerly known as Cranbrook Manor that had experienced problems with declining REAC scores, increasingly poor financial conditions, problem tenants and high vacancy rates was rehabilitated under a creative financing arrangement involving multifamily staff, the Michigan State Housing Development Authority and Trilogy Development and the efforts of a new strong management agent, Medallion Management, Inc.

Lafayette-Highland Revitalization Initiative - Inner City Christian Federation (ICCF) of Grand Rapids built homes in a neighborhood long suffering from vacant lots, neighborhood blight and a high crime rate. This residential development has had an extraordinary physical impact upon this inner city community by increasing property values, reducing criminal activity and generating pride among its residents.

Construction underway in the Lafayette-Highland Revitalization area, supported by a combination of grants and loans from the Michigan State Housing Development Authority, City CDBG funds, and ICCF's Housing Capital Revolving Fund, an internal pool of funds used specifically to finance affordable housing. [Right] One of the completed homes in a southeast neighborhood in central city GR. ICCF also teaches future homeowners important skills of home maintenance and household management.

Peck Street Development Home Ownership Program - The City of Muskegon Heights initiated a new home construction program and a housing rehabilitation program to jump-start the local construction and mortgage financing sectors of the local economy. This initiative will stimulate the development of 20 market rate homes for moderate-income residents and under partnership with MSHDA to renovate ten vacant housing units to sell to low-income families at an affordable price. PWB, Inc., the developer also received an award.

Crippen/Buck Creek Floodway Reclamation - A project to acquire land and remove homes from a hazardous flood-prone area. This effort helped families economically move by providing them with fair market rate prices for their homes, increased recreational land in the City of Wyoming while lessening the need for federal funding to be spent on continuous repair of properties as a result of flooding. City of Wyoming Community Development received the award.

Flooding continually occurred in the area, devaluating private single-family home prices and preventing families from relocating. The city of Wyoming purchased the properties at fair market prices, demolished them and increased recreational land for the community. The result [right] was a triple win - helping families move from a hazardous flood-prone area; increasing land for recreational uses; and eliminating the need to spend federal and other funds to repair properties after the frequent floods.