For years, Jorain Hardman was homeless and battling a heroin addiction. Her travels took her past a shuttered apartment building called Swayze Apartments, a decrepit place that couldn’t provide decent shelter from the cold. Even after she got sober her options were limited.

“I was right here, looking at this building, wishing it could be fixed up and provide me with a place to live. I prayed to God for a roof over my head,” says Hardman, one of the first tenants of the newly renovated Swayze Court Apartments in the Grand Traverse District neighborhood.

Thanks to Communities First Inc., a Flint based nonprofit community development corporation, 36 apartments have opened for people like Hardman. Twenty eight of the units serve those who are homeless or have special needs. The remaining eight units are for a mixture of income levels. A ribbon cutting celebration recently took place with nearly 100 people present to witness the official opening of Swayze Court Apartments.

The mission of Communities First Inc. is to build healthy, vibrant communities through economic development, affordable housing and innovative programming. The organization was started in 2010 by Flint natives Glenn and Essence Wilson.

Through housing developments like Oak Street Senior Apartments and Swayze Court Apartments, Communities First, Inc. has provided more than 200 jobs for local residents and secured funding for large scale projects. Over the past seven years, the organization has grown to include community events like an outdoor movie series called “Movies Under the Stars” and environmental education forums for community residents.

There about 400 known homeless in Genesee County, but the numbers are likely far greater.

“Swayze Court helps address many community needs,” says Glenn Wilson, president and CEO of Communities First Inc.

Communities First Inc. has spent three years planning and securing funding to renovate the Swayze building and erect another building on the site. The $8.3 million development provides a beautiful home with supportive services for Hardman and many others.

Partners in the development project include: Michigan State Housing Development Authority One Stop Genesee, Genesee Health System, The Disability Network, Local Initiatives Support Corporation, Chase Bank and many others.

“The most difficult part of doing something like this,” says Wilson, “is being able to persevere when things get tough. There are many roadblocks to projects like this and it is critical that we maintain our focus and commitment to those that we serve. Seeing the end result of our work – a safe and quality place to live for our residents – makes all of the tough times worth it.”

“Funding is always very difficult and the competition for resources is significant. We have an upcoming development that needs additional funding to move forward to construction and we are looking for donors and foundations that will support our efforts to revitalize the city of Flint,” Wilson adds.

Thanks to Communities First, Inc. and the supportive services they offer, Hardman can engage in a variety of opportunities. Sober eight years and celebrating life each day, she plans to obtain a GED, is taking financial literacy sessions at the apartment building and learning gardening skills to manage the onsite community garden.

Providing housing and services for those in need is important to Wilson: “It is critical that we not only provide housing for Flint residents but that we connect them to resources which will allow them to be productive members of society. Giving a person a place to sleep is very different than giving them a home and investing in their future,” he says.

Inside her apartment, Beverly Stewart says her fellow tenants are some of the best in the world. Especially coming off a period of homelessness and thyroid dysfunction, she is at peace holding a key to a place of her own.

“I’ve been able to take advantage of therapy to help me stand on my feet,” says Stewart. “My sisters in the building have shared food, clothing and resources. I’m just happy to have a safe place, clean and secure.”

  Beverly Steart, Communities First, Essence Wilson, Flint, Glenn Wilson, Swayze Apartments

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