The Need for Affordable Housing in Lowell

The following is the first in a series of articles from Flat River Outreach Ministries (FROM) which highlight the need for affordable housing in Lowell. This article was written by Jared Sweet.

“Unstable housing causes increased stress and anxiety, high rates of absenteeism, difficulty completing homework, and difficulty focusing when in school,” said Nate Fowler, Lowell Area Schools Superintendent.

FROM (Flat River Outreach Ministries) talked to Nate as a part of their Building Foundations, Building Hope campaign to bring affordable and supportive housing to the greater Lowell community. His words highlight the need for affordable housing in our community and how the lack of affordable housing is affecting students.

According to a recent survey of FROM program participants conducted by Datawise, one in three respondents had difficulty paying for housing, one in six selected housing instability as a top issue for their health, and 23% reported spending at least 50% of their income on housing. Additionally, MI School Data reported that Lowell Area Schools had 102 mobile students, many of whom were mobile because of eviction filings.

Nate supported these findings by saying “Recent increases in housing costs have put a strain on many families’ budgets.”

Last month FROM launched their Building Foundations, Building Hope campaign publicly. This project will help address the need for affordable and supportive housing in the greater Lowell community.

FROM plans to build 17 units across three new buildings that will be affordable and supportive. These buildings will be located next to their current rental house at 504 Main Street. These units are a combination of 1-, 2-, and 3-bedrooms which will house a single person up to a family of four, up to 40 people at any given time. The project will cost $3.3 million and to date the nonprofit has raised more than $2.8 million.

Nate stressed to us the positive change that could come about for students who can get stable housing from this campaign. “By having additional options for affordable housing, students who benefit may see consistent school attendance which allows students to participate fully in their education, a quiet place to study and complete homework, better physical and mental health, boosting their ability to learn, and more opportunities to build lasting friendships and community connections.”

To learn more about the Building Foundations, Building Hope campaign, click here. If you are interested in making a contribution, reach out to our Development Director, Arianne Hall by phone (616.897.8260) or email ([email protected]).