The
Arab American and Chaldean Council, a nonprofit human service organization serving southeast Michigan, is partnering with Penrose as they build 48 new houses between Seven and Eight Mile near Woodward in an area known as Chaldean Town. They are the lead partner agency in the Penrose Village II development with other partner organizations. The homes fall under the section 8 statute, and are available to those who qualify including the homeless, those with special needs or disabilities, and domestic abuse victims.
This is the second stage of the ACC's and Penrose's development efforts, with third and fourth stages already planned. They previously built 36 homes in the same area. "As we're procuring properties and getting approval from the state and funding, we're buying more and more property as we go," says Bob Ghannam, Director of Special Projects for the ACC, of the ACC's and Penrose's collective efforts.
The ACC is the lead service agency on Penrose Village II and provides services for many of the people who qualify. They provide healthcare services and help clients find jobs. They also help transition their clients into being effective home owners. "For many of them it's their first time living in a home and being responsible," Ghannam says. "We take them through the nuances of running a household, like paying the bills on time, keeping the house clean and the landscaping (looking nice), all of the things it takes to run a house."
The ACC has been in the area for 15 years and in that time has committed $16 million in funds and built a four-building campus to provide a wide variety of services to their clients. They've made a transformative difference in the neighborhood, making it a safe place to walk down the street.
"To help the community we must be a part of community," Ghannam says. "Our purpose is to develop retail for the neighborhood and get (retailers) to move back and get clients to move back. We need to make it vibrant again."
They hope to have all of the Penrose Village II houses completed by September.
Source: Bob Ghannam, Director of Special Projects for the ACC
Writer: Nicole Rupersburg
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