Archive for year: 2025

“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. We talked to Nate as a part of our 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 housing scarcity is affecting students.

As we head into this public campaign it’s important to know the numbers that motivated us to help tackle the housing struggles in Lowell. According to recent survey of FROM program participated conducted by Datawise, one in three respondents had difficulty paying for housing in the past year, 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.”

 
(3d Renderings, not real homes…yet!)

Our plan for the Building Foundations, Building Hope campaign is to build three new buildings that can be rented at an affordable cost. These buildings will be located next to our current rental house at 504 Main Street. The goal for the new buildings is to be able to house up to 40 people at any given time across 17 units. These units are a combination of 1-, 2-, and 3-bedrooms which will housing a single person up to a family of four. The project requires us to raise $3.3 million to construct the three new buildings but the investment is well worth it to take the first steps in addressing this need in our community.
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, visit fromlowell.org/buildinghope. If you are interested in making a contribution, reach out to our Development Director, Arianne Hall by phone (616.897.8260) or email (arianneh@fromlowell.org), or click here.

 

Faced with an unsafe living situation and the threat of rising rent, Mary knew she had to do something.

“I was like ‘I’ve got to do something,’” she said. “I’m not getting [anywhere]. I’m not paying any bills. I’m not helping my credit. I’m just losing money and making myself depressed.”

She was paying $700 a month to rent a small room where she couldn’t open the windows or leave the room without fear of a dog attacking her or her cat.

Mary had applied to live at FROM’s Main Street Housing in the past, but the available unit wasn’t a good fit for her. She decided to apply again, and this time, she was able to move in.

Moving to Main Street Housing has had a positive impact on her financially, as well as helping improve her mental health, and stay more positive.

“I’m actually watching my credit go up, I’m getting everything paid off, I’m able to help my dad,” Mary said. “If I was still in that spot, I would not be able to help my dad…I wouldn’t be able to do everything an adult should be able to help their parents do.”

She’s thankful for the positive impact that stable and affordable housing has had on her life and the foundation she is building, living in the community where she has support.

“I’m doing it on my own. I’m here in Lowell, that’s all I wanted,” she said.

When asked about why affordable housing is so important to the Greater Lowell community, Mary was quick to share.

“People deserve [affordable housing]. They deserve the opportunity, that’s what they deserve.”

FROM’s Current Main Street Housing

Mary is a current Main Street Housing tenant. She shared her story to raise awareness of the need of affordable housing and to encourage anyone who needs help to talk to FROM.
Learn more about FROM’s solution to the growing housing shortage in Lowell at fromlowell.org/buildinghope/