top of page

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.

​

Launched in 2017, MIH has assisted over 1,300 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.

​

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.

​

Program Highlights:

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

  • 2018: Expanded eligibility to include low-income, former owner-occupants, with 520 homes purchased.

  • 2019: Introduced a pilot repair program, funded by the Rocket Community Fund, to assist participants with home repairs.

  • 2020-2021: The program temporarily paused due to a COVID-19 moratorium on property tax foreclosures.

  • 2022: Program resumed, with 249 homes purchased.

 

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.

​

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 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.

​

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 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, 2024.

Make it Home Enrollment

Enrollment for MIH 2024 is closed. To participate in future programs, watch this page for updates.

 

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.

  3. Schedule a home inspection with UCHC.​

​

For questions, email MakeItHome@uchcdetroit.org. 

bottom of page