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Make it Home

Make It Home is more than a tax foreclosure prevention project—it’s a promise to Detroit residents: housing stability, generational wealth, and empowerment through ownership.

Join us in making Detroit a city where everyone has the opportunity to call their house a home.

About Make it Home

Make It Home (MIH) is an innovative affordable homeownership project dedicated to helping Detroit residents secure the homes they live in. Through a unique partnership with the City of Detroit, UCHC exercises the city's right of first refusal to purchase tax-foreclosed properties before they are auctioned. This allows tenants, former homeowners, and multigenerational households to buy their homes at an affordable cost, preventing displacement and promoting housing stability.

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Launched in 2017, MIH has assisted over 1,600 Detroiters in becoming homeowners, fostering long-term stability and equity-building opportunities for low-income residents. Participants receive personalized support throughout the process, including financial counseling, home inspections, and access to financing options like 0% interest loans from a partnership with Rocket Community Fund.

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By turning tax-foreclosed properties into homes that families can own, MIH builds stronger communities, protects generational wealth, and ensures that Detroit remains a place where everyone has the chance to thrive.

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Program Highlights:

  • 2017: UCHC launched Make It Home as a pilot in partnership with Michigan Legal Services (MLS) and the Rocket Community Fund (formerly Quicken Loans Community Investment Fund). That year, UCHC purchased 80 tenant-occupied homes at an average cost of $4,000 and resold them to tenants at cost.

  • 2018: The program team expanded eligibility to include low-income former owner-occupants and purchased 520 homes to prevent displacement.

  • 2019: UCHC introduced a pilot home repair initiative, funded by the Rocket Community Fund, to help Make It Home participants maintain safe and livable housing.

  • 2020–2021: UCHC paused Make It Home in response to the COVID-19 foreclosure moratorium, which temporarily halted tax foreclosure proceedings.

  • 2022: The team relaunched the program and purchased 249 homes, offering a pathway to ownership and stability for dozens of families.

  • 2023: UCHC supported 104 families in becoming homeowners through another strong year of purchases.

  • 2024: The organization secured 96 homes for residents at risk of losing their housing. Although the number of purchases declined, this shift reflects a broader success: fewer homes appeared on the tax foreclosure petition, thanks in part to the long-term impact of outreach and prevention efforts.

 

Make It Home continues to provide Detroit residents with a pathway to long-term housing stability and an opportunity to build generational wealth through homeownership.

Make It Home Eligibility

To participate in MIH, you must meet the following requirements:

  • The property must be your primary residence, and you must continue living there.

  • The home must be tax-foreclosed by the Wayne County Treasurer.

  • The property must pass a home inspection to confirm livability.

  • You cannot own other homes.

  • You must pass a criminal background check.

  • You must complete the MIH enrollment process, including attendance at required workshops and appointments.

  • You must save enough funds to cover the purchase cost of the home.

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Important Notes

  • DO NOT pay the property taxes. Doing so will not grant you ownership and may disqualify you from MIH.

  • Keep your utilities active and limit major repairs until after purchase.
     

Prepare for MIH Project Enrollment

If you’re interested in the 2024 program, follow these steps:

  • Contact UCHC: Call our Tax Foreclosure hotline at (313) 725-4560 to speak with a counselor and begin enrollment.

  • Save for Your Purchase: Open a personal savings account or set up a Tenant Withholding Account (TWA) with UCHC.

  • Prepare Required Documents:

    • Photo ID for all purchasers.

    • Proof of Occupancy (utility bill, bank statement, or official mail).

    • Proof of Relationship to Property (lease, land contract, residency statement, etc.).

    • Proof of Household Income (pay stubs, W-2s, unemployment, SSI/SSD, etc. for all residents).

 

All program requirements, including submission of an Earnest Money Deposit, must be completed by July 1, 2024.

Make It Home Eligibility

To participate in MIH, you must meet the following requirements:

  • The property must be your primary residence, and you must continue living there.

  • The home must be tax-foreclosed by the Wayne County Treasurer.

  • The property must pass a home inspection to confirm livability.

  • You cannot own other homes.

  • You must complete the MIH enrollment process, including attendance at required workshops and appointments.

  • You must save funds for the purchase of your home and deposit them into a UCHC Tenant Withholding Account.

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Important Notes

  • DO NOT pay the property taxes. Doing so will not grant you ownership and may disqualify you from MIH.

  • Keep your utilities active and limit major repairs until after purchase.
     

Prepare for MIH Project Enrollment

If you’re interested in the 2025 enrollment process, follow these steps:

  • Contact UCHC: Call our Tax Foreclosure hotline at (313) 725-4560 to speak with a counselor and begin enrollment.

  • Save for Your Purchase: Open a personal savings account or set up a Tenant Withholding Account (TWA) with UCHC.

  • Prepare Required Documents:

    • Photo ID for all purchasers.

    • Proof of Occupancy (utility bill, bank statement, or official mail).

    • Proof of Relationship to Property (lease, land contract, residency statement, etc.).

    • Proof of Household Income (pay stubs, W-2s, unemployment, SSI/SSD, etc. for all residents).

 

All program requirements, including submission of an Earnest Money Deposit, must be completed by July 1, 2025.

Make it Home Enrollment

Enrollment for MIH 2025 is open now!

 

When enrollment opens:

  1. Register for the in-person Make It Home Course by calling (313) 725-4560.

  2. Meet with a UCHC Tax Foreclosure Prevention Counselor during the course to complete enrollment. Register here: https://uchcdetroit.timetap.com/#/

  3. Schedule a home inspection with UCHC.​

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For questions, email MakeItHome@uchcdetroit.org. 

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