Local automotive companies Toyota Technical Center and Johnson Controls have partnered with Habitat for Humanity of Washtenaw County to renovate a foreclosed home and help to revitalize a house in the Nancy Park neighborhood in Ypsilanti. A kickoff celebration was held July 9.
Johnson Controls VP Jeff Williams (left), Toyota Senior Executive Administrator Bruce Brownlee, Toyota Technical Center President Shigeki Terashi, Johnson Controls VP Jeff Smith and Toyota VP Abbas Saadat attended the kickoff.
Photos courtesy of Habitat for Humanity Washtenaw County
Leaders from Toyota and Johnson Controls as well as Habitat attended and spoke at the kick-off celebration. Together, Toyota and Johnson Controls are bringing all the funds and volunteers needed to renovate the home at 1239 Hull St.
This is the third year that Toyota Technical Center will be partnering with Habitat and providing significant funds and volunteers. And last year, about 120 Johnson Controls employees volunteered nearly 1,000 volunteer hours in Habitat projects.
Habitat for Humanity will sell this home at a zero-percent interest mortgage to a local, work force family in need of safe, decent and affordable housing. The family will invest 300 hours of “sweat equity” per adult family member, take financial management and budgeting classes, and participate in home maintenance classes during their initial partnership with Habitat.
Once the family has purchased their home, they will make mortgage payments to Habitat, which the organization will then cycle back in to more affordable housing projects in Washtenaw County. The family can also take part in the Habitat Homeowners Association, which includes a number of supportive service programs, such as a Foodbuyer’s Club and leadership meetings.
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