Gary City Wide Development Corporation
Gary Citywide Development Corporation has been actively pursing its mission to revitalize the neighborhoods of Gary through residential and commercial development since 2003. In three years, Gary Citywide has transformed over a dozen vacant lots or buildings into homeownership opportunities for first-time homebuyers. Thanks to the hard work and clear focus of Megan Haller, CEO and Jeffrey Johnson, Director of Services, their current project, “Welcome Homes on Pierce Street” is drastically improving the 600-700 blocks of Pierce Street in Gary at this time. As a nonprofit organization, Gary Citywide is able to provide these homeownership opportunities at dramatically reduced prices via grant funds from government, foundation, and financial institutions. “While Gary Citywide has been around for only a short time, we are making a difference. After all, where else can you get a $150,000 new home for $97,000?” asks CEO Meg Haller.
A key component to Gary Citywide’s strategy is collaborating with local contractors to provide construction services. “Since our mission is to provide neighborhood revitalization, we believe that keeping as much of the investment in Gary as we can is critical. For example, we have resisted the temptation to use manufactured housing in order to avoid sending approximately half of the investment out of the City,” declares CEO Haller. Rather, Gary Citywide is striving for 100% participation by Gary based contractors.
Another example of collaboration is a supportive housing project build in partnership with a local mental health service provider. As a state certified community housing developer, Gary Citywide was able to access significant capital grant funds to reduce the cost of this development project by two-thirds. This project brought new construction to a declining area of Gary that has helped spur others to make investments in their homes and businesses. The future of Gary Citywide looks bright and promising as they continue to be an integral part of making the City of Gary a desirable climate for home ownership and business development.
|
