Jessica Mathews / news@whmi.com


A new attainable housing program is being launched for Livingston County.

Community Catalysts is a non-profit based in Howell. Founded in 2016, it supports seniors, veterans, the homeless, and other lower-income people through quality attainable housing and services.

Livingston County, like many regions across the nation, is facing a growing affordable housing crisis. The lack of accessible and affordable housing options has become a pressing issue for individuals and families alike. In response to the urgent need, Community Catalysts is taking a proactive stance by launching Housing Catalysts.

Community Catalysts Executive Director Eileen Zilch said they believe that everyone should have a safe and affordable place to call home and Housing Catalysts is their commitment to making that belief a reality for the residents of Livingston County. She said they’re excited to bring the community together to create and implement a work plan to bring more housing that people can afford to the county.

The goal of Housing Catalysts is to develop a S.M.A.R.T. (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound) work plan for the next 5-7 years that would lead to the development of significantly more affordable, attainable, and workforce housing in Livingston County.

Community Catalysts will host a kickoff meeting on October 17th to introduce both the need and plan for the project to the community. Over the next several months, the non-profit will be bringing together representatives from Livingston County municipalities, local employers, housing developers, funders, and other community members who want to take action to bring more housing that people can afford into the county.

The goal is to create an actual work plan that would within the next 5 to 7 years produce more housing in the County that people can actually afford. Zilch said the medium income in Livingston County is around $80,000 and there’s a lot of people who need housing of various forms.

Zilch noted many people in Livingston County fit the ALICE description – “Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed”. She says many in the community just don’t have the resources to buy a home or rent a home that’s $1,500 to $2,000 a month – which is very unaffordable for someone making less than $80,000 to $100,000 a year.

Community Catalysts' sister non-profit - Community Catalysts Development Company – opened up a transitional housing project in Howell Township this past May called Bethel Suites. That’s tailored toward people who have lost their housing through no fault of their own, such as their rent being increased significantly. Zilch says there are a variety of circumstances but it is for those who need someplace to go typically for a couple of months until they’re able to locate something they can afford to live in.

At the time of their grand opening in May, Zilch says they were filled immediately and have been consistently full with a waitlist of around two dozen people at any given time - which really shows “just what the demand is in the community and how much people need a place to land”.

Zilch noted they’ve received tremendous support from the community, and based on that, feel that the Housing Catalysts initiative will be successful and are very excited.

To that end and much further down the road, Zilch said they’re very interested in doing a tiny home community in Livingston County. She says they’ve located a community that has been very welcoming – Hamburg Township – which is the only one in the county that permits tiny homes to be built. Zilch said they’ve been in discussions and are currently looking for land that could be developed.

The project would cost less and give people an opportunity at a low cost to be a homeowner. She said they would like to sell a home outright but also have a rent-to-own program for those who aren’t in a position to afford a down payment but could afford the monthly payment. Zilch said over the course of a few years, they would take a portion of the monthly payment and put it in an escrow account to let someone accumulate a down payment that way - and then seamlessly transition from being a renter to an owner.

Zilch again stressed they have a lot of work to do including finding the land to do it but she said “it would be a great opportunity to be able to serve the community in another way”.

Zilch referenced various zoning issues and changes that preclude tiny homes and the fact that everything got bigger over the course of time such as the size of lots and homes. However, she noted it could be a fairly easy fix if a community was willing to make changes.

As they launch Housing Catalysts, Zilch said that will be among the talks and what communities can do in a fairly easy way to allow things to be built more affordably.

Zilch says the upcoming meeting at 2/42 Community Church is for anyone passionate about seeing affordable housing being developed - both rental and potential single-family homes or for-sale type housing. Even those who can't attend the meeting are encouraged to participate and get involved as it’s a long-term initiative. Zilch commented that they have a lot of “cheerleaders” but really need “doers” and would love the help. Those interested in attending should email ezilch@community-catalysts.org.

Zilch was a recent guest on WHMI’s Viewpoint program and discussed the new initiative. That’s available in the podcast section of our website. A link is provided.