Flint, Michigan – On March 2, the Community Room at the new Genesee County Administration Building in downtown Flint was filled with a message of cautious hope. Local authorities and housing advocates came together to announce additional support targeted at keeping residents in their homes.
The Genesee County Treasurer’s Office said that Rocket Community Fund has given them a $100,000 grant for one year to help more homeowners qualify for property tax exemptions and make it harder for them to lose their homes. Legal Services of Eastern Michigan also got $90,000 to help people who are having trouble with their housing.
The money will be utilized to reach out to more people, handle more exemption applications, give housing counseling, and aid individuals directly as they navigate the system. The goal, according to Treasurer Sam Muma, is simple but important: get individuals the help they need and remove the obstacles that often get in their way.
“We’re grateful to Rocket Community Fund for this investment in our community,” Muma said.
“This grant helps us meet people where they are by recognizing the challenges that many of our residents face. When we bring assistance directly to the community, we can help more homeowners stay in their homes, stabilize families, and strengthen neighborhoods. We want to play an active role in community development across the county, and this is one major step in that direction.”
Laura Grannemann, the executive director of the Rocket Community Fund, said the investment is based on more than ten years of work to stop tax foreclosure. Since 2013, the group has focused its attention on Detroit to help with the problem of property tax foreclosures. Foreclosures in Wayne County fell from 28,323 in 2015 to 2,111 in 2024 because to programs including direct contact efforts.
Grannemann added that the new awards are an early step toward expanding that work more widely across Michigan, with an emphasis on making sure people have secure housing and long-term success.
Local leaders, such as Flint Mayor Sheldon Neeley and Genesee County Board of Commissioners Vice Chairman Gary Goetzinger, came to the event to show their support.
Low-income households are still at risk of losing their homes to property tax foreclosure. Michigan’s property tax exemption effort, which is called the HOPE program in Detroit and Flint, is one example of a program that helps qualifying residents lower or get rid of their tax loads.
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County officials said that with the extra cash, they can now do more to raise awareness, help residents fill out applications, and give them real help. The message given during the event was apparent for many families who were unsure: aid is here, and there is hope.
For more information, contact Robin Teeples in the Office of the Genesee County Treasurer at (810) 257-3481.