Friendship between nonprofits’ officials leads to new affordable housing

What began as a friendship between two dads has grown into a partnership between two Grand Rapids nonprofits working together to make homeownership possible for families who might otherwise be priced out of the housing market.

When David Morgan, director of operations at Resonate Global Mission, told his friend Matt Szuminski, a land acquisition and development analyst at Dwelling Place, that his organization planned to sell several duplexes it no longer needed, Szuminski saw an opportunity to turn a real estate sale into a community solution.

“Our kids are best friends and in the same class,” Szuminski says. “So we got to know each other as parents first. When David mentioned that Resonate had some duplexes they were thinking of selling, it definitely seemed like something that could fit into our Community Land Trust. It’s a win-win.”

Underutilized property

Resonate Global Mission, the missions arm of the Christian Reformed Church, has owned the Englewood Avenue duplexes — located near 28th Street, between Kalamazoo Avenue and Breton Road — for about 25 years. 

The organization purchased the properties to house missionaries returning to Grand Rapids for furloughs and training. But as Resonate’s mission evolved, its staff became more globally dispersed. As a result, the homes were used less and less. 

“We owned these houses as a place for missionaries to stay when they were in Grand Rapids, which made a lot more sense back then,” Morgan says. “Now, our missionaries are from all over the East Coast, the West Coast, and even internationally. We just weren’t using the houses enough to justify holding onto them. And owning rental housing isn’t really what we do.”

Resonate, which merged its North American and international mission arms in 2017, focuses on supporting churches, ministry leaders, and community development in about 40 countries. Its work ranges from training pastors and supporting Christian schools to building local partnerships that strengthen communities.

Recognizing that affordable housing has become one of the most pressing challenges in West Michigan, Morgan wanted the sale of the duplexes to have a positive community impact.

“If we were going to sell them, we wanted to make sure it was something good,” Morgan says. “Not just whoever paid the most, but an organization that would do something meaningful with them.”

Effective housing model

That’s where Dwelling Place came in. Founded in 1980, Dwelling Place is one of West Michigan’s largest nonprofit developers and property managers of affordable housing. 

The organization owns and operates more than 1,300 rental units, serving individuals and families with a range of income levels and needs, from permanent supportive housing for people transitioning from homelessness to workforce housing.

“For the past 45 years, Dwelling Place has mainly provided affordable rentals,” Szuminski says. “But we also realized there’s a huge gap in opportunities for people to move from renting to owning. The Dwelling Place Community Land Trust is our way to bridge that gap.”

The Community Land Trust model, established by Dwelling Place in 2019, creates permanently affordable homeownership opportunities. 

Under the model, the nonprofit retains ownership of the land beneath the homes while selling the buildings to income-qualified buyers. The homeowners lease the land through a 96-year renewable agreement, ensuring the homes remain affordable for future generations.

“These homes will be affordable for nearly 200 years,” Szuminski says. “It’s a really great way to offer people a way into homeownership, start building equity, and create generational wealth.”

When Morgan brought the duplex opportunity to Szuminski, the fit was clear. The properties were in excellent condition, thanks to a long-time property manager who had maintained them for two decades. 

Each of the three duplexes has two spacious three-bedroom, two-bathroom units with large backyards, shared garages, and family-friendly layouts. 

Dwelling Place plans modest upgrades such as flooring, painting, and concrete repairs before offering them for sale at below-market prices.

“Dwelling Place isn’t making money or losing money on this deal,” Szuminski says. “We’re making a little bit for our time, but the majority of the savings are passed on to the home purchaser.”

Long-term vision

Buyers will need to meet income qualifications and complete a homeownership education course, typically offered through Dwelling Place’s partners such as ICCF Community Homes. 

The process helps prepare first-time buyers for the responsibilities of owning a home and ensures long-term stability.

Szuminski says Dwelling Place already has a waitlist of qualified buyers, but anyone interested can still reach out to learn more about future opportunities. 

“People absolutely can reach out,” he says. “We might not have a house that works for them right now, but we’re always looking to identify new opportunities.”

For Morgan, the Community Land Trust model was a big selling point when pitching the idea to Resonate leadership and donors.

“The whole Community Land Trust thing was so appealing because it means the homes can’t just be flipped later for profit,” Morgan says. “Not only are we selling them for affordable housing, but they’re locked into this trust program for 100 years. It’s a legacy, something we can point to and say, these homes will keep helping families long after we’re gone.”

Creative solution

That long-term vision aligns with both organizations’ missions, even though housing isn’t Resonate’s primary focus.

“Our mission isn’t affordable housing, but it is helping communities however we can with what we have,” Morgan says. “In this case, what we had were these six units. Partnering with Dwelling Place, which are experts in housing, just made sense.”

The partnership illustrates how relationships and creative collaboration can create affordable housing solutions.

“I’m really happy and proud of this project,” Szuminski says. “It’s identifying and trying to solve the housing crisis in West Michigan. Whether you rent or own, everyone sees how housing has become so unobtainable. This is a way to give people a chance to own a home and build a better future.”

The project also demonstrates how the ripple effect of small connections like a simple friendship can grow into a citywide impact.

“Our goals don’t exactly line up,” Szuminski says, “but when it gets down to it, we’re both here to help people and make life better. And that’s what this is about.”

Both organizations hope the partnership can serve as a model for other organizations, showing how nonprofits can collaborate creatively to maximize community benefit.

As Morgan puts it: “It was a lot easier than Googling who does affordable housing. I just reached out to a friend. Sometimes, that’s how the best ideas start.”

Photos by Tommy Allen

This story series is made possible through the support of Dwelling Place, a nonprofit housing leader committed to building inclusive, resilient communities. Through this partnership, Rapid Growth Media explores how local solutions to housing, equitable access, and creative placemaking can shape broader national conversations from West Michigan.