One of the biggest challenges with providing “affordable housing” is that the provider is only providing housing which does not necessarily mean success, independence or sustainability for the occupants residing in the homes.  By just providing housing for the residents and not educating, supporting or encouraging our residents to reach for higher levels of living physically, emotionally and spiritually, often results in high delinquency, lease violations, criminal acitivity, turnover and in many cases the community suffers from a negative reputation and image.  It is important to understand that for an individual to reach independence and success-sustainability, many areas of their lives must be touched upon in addition to housing to ensure full success.  Creating “Placemaking” within an apartment community or around you community is the first step in this plan. 

Amin Irving, the President of Ginsosko Development believes “The future of affordable housing will address change by changing the dynamics of the address to enhance the social well-being of the residents and the community at large.  The new affordable housing community will be viewed as an economic and social benefit to the area rather than a location that bundles the economically disadvantaged”.   Renaissance Village Apartments, located in Northwest Detroit, Michigan, is an excellent example of Mr. Irving’s vision.  I have had the privilege and honor in assisting Mr. Irving and his team with creating and implementing his plan resulting in such a community.  At Renaissance Village, we believe that when a new resident moves in, they don’t just change their address… THEY CHANGE THEIR LIVES.  

Renaissance Village, built in the 1940s, is an “affordable community” that has just recently completed a 30 Million Dollar renovation that resulted in 2 and 3 bedroom open floor plan apartments and townhomes with beautiful finishes, new appliances, flooring, electrical, plumbing and so much more.   By providing resources, support and activities that improve participants’ minds, body and spirit through referrals, community activities and one on one care to address each individual residents’ needs  we have created our own “Placemaking” at Renaissance Village.  

In order to achieve Placemaking within Renaissance Village, we have created numerous outdoor living areas encouraging family, fitness and appreciation of nature including an Urban Farm and amphitheater to hold concerts and other performances for the residents.  Within our community building we have a large activity room, fitness center, computer/business center and a romper room for the children to play in while their parents are working out or taking a computer class. We also have the “Neighborhood Network”, which is a group of offices for local organizations, agencies and nonprofits to use free of charge to serve our residents and the surrounding neighborhood, extending and creating our community far past the property lines.   The Neighborhood Network offices are overseen by our two primary non profit strategic partners who assist in maintaining the reservations for these free offices and working directly with the residents touching many areas of their lives and providing a truly holistic approach to living.   

Urban Link Village, one of the two strategic partners, is a community based organization with the mission to improve the life opportunities of at-risk youth using a comprehensive approach aimed at developing their capabilities. They link together the necessary tools needed to teach, equip and empower our youth and provide the resources necessary to assist in stabilizing their family and influence change in their community.  Urban Link Village aspires to influence transformation that will effectively impact the lives of inner city youth.  To effectively reach youth, they teach preventive methods and provide social awareness.  In an effort to avoid educational underachievement, low self-esteem, poor health, antisocial and behavioral problems, they provide a comprehensive, accessible, personally developed curriculum using a multifaceted strategy design for youth that adapts to their needs, interests and provide FUN!!!

Ways to Family Self Sufficiency, Inc., a strategic partner of Renaissance Village, is a group of committed people empowering people to "break the cycle of poverty" with a clear vision in the success of their participants through self-sufficiency and to strengthen communities.  Their vision is to cultivate strong, cohesive families and to foster leadership in the community and they accomplish this by a number of programs including Employment Case Management, Family Investment Program, Financial Education/Coaching and Emergency Application Assistance and advocacy with programs such as: Food Stamp, Medical or MiCafe',  WIC, Utility assistance and child care. 

For this community and the Placemaking efforts to be successful, the due diligence included a lot of research, planning and finding out what our residents wanted.  We had to be sure that we not only asked our residents but listened to what amenities, activities and resources they said were important, would use and saw value in.  We did a number of resident meetings, surveys and one on one resident meetings, including them in this process every step of the way.  The full, final, and specific objective was not just to provide safe and decent housing; rather it was expanded to social and economic empowerment for our resident and the homeowners and occupants of the neighborhoods surrounding Renaissance Village.