Habitat for Humanity in Saginaw shifts focus to renovations over new construction

by Mary L. Lawrence | The Saginaw News
Wednesday June 11, 2008, 10:54 AM

Instead of a several-weeks-long summer building blitz, Saginaw Habitat for Humanity is focusing on renovating and refurbishing homes in a neighborhood near the Covenant HealthCare's Cooper campus.

David A. Sommers | The Saginaw News
Saginaw Habitat for Humanity is partnering with the Dow Chemical Company to push a new home improvement project that will replace this year's familiar Habitat building blitz. There are 235 homes in the area and plans call for working on 35 of them of which this is one of them at 1701 Stone.

Midland's Dow Chemical Co. is providing $80,000; another $10,000 each will come from the Saginaw Community Foundation and the now defunct Rebuilding Together Saginaw. The agency announced its new summer Neighborhood Improvement Program during a press conference this morning in front of one of the homes slated for exterior improvements and landscaping.

Homeowners in an area Union, Cooper, Michigan and Oakley surround are eligible to apply for outside refurbishing, including installation of security lighting, painting and other home repairs.

"We'll be back with the traditional building blitz in 2009," said Paul Warner, Saginaw Habitat for Humanity executive director.

Those interesting in applying for home improvements should contact Habitat for Humanity at (989) 753-5233.