Flint, Michigan – After getting a $100,000 grant from the Rocket Community Fund, the Genesee County Treasurer’s Office is set to expand its efforts to help people avoid losing their homes to property tax foreclosure. The one-year incentive is meant to help qualifying homeowners who might be having trouble paying their property taxes or who don’t know about opportunities for relief.
The grant money will be used to contact more people across the county, making it easier for people to learn about programs that help people avoid foreclosure and get property tax exemptions. The Treasurer’s Office wants to focus on hands-on service, such as helping people fill out applications, giving housing counseling, and giving homeowners direct help with a process that can be complex or intimidating.
Officials from the Rocket Community Fund said that the investment shows their long-term commitment to stable housing. Executive Director Laura Grannemann said that the group has been working for more than ten years to prevent tax-related foreclosures and retain families in their homes. She added that the Genesee County award is the first step in spreading that work outside of Detroit, with the goal of making sure that more people in Michigan have access to permanent housing.
Sam Muma, the county treasurer, said that the money will help his office reach people who might not otherwise get help.
“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.”
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Rocket Community Fund has worked to stop foreclosures in Detroit and Wayne County in the past. The group helped bring about a huge decline in property tax foreclosures over the past ten years through programs like door-to-door canvassing and community education. County authorities want to use that approach as a starting point in Genesee County.
With the new funding, the Treasurer’s Office hopes to help homeowners understand the exemptions that are available, help them fill out the application, and connect qualified households with counseling and support resources. Leaders believe that the goal is not just to prevent foreclosures, but also to make neighborhoods and housing more stable in the long term across the county.