Looking for a specific grant?
Page Tools
Roger Mims
For 20 years, Roger Mims struggled to maintain the roof over his head. He hoped to eventually purchase the rambling, 20-room building he called home near downtown Flint. He steadfastly refused to move out, assuming the cost of repairs and buying locks when his landlord refused to fix a gaping hole in the roof or provide basic security.
The stress of living in the crumbling building eventually landed Mims in the hospital, where neighbors brought him a letter from the Genesee County Land Bank, informing him that they had taken ownership of the property through tax foreclosure.
“I called the land bank from my hospital room,” Mims said.
Land bank staff verified that his long-time home now was in their possession and they were concerned about the safety and soundness of the building.
“They promised they would visit me and a few months later, they did,” Mims said. “I was pretty suspicious when they told me they had some nice rental properties they wanted me to look at. I didn’t want to jump into something that would leave me back where I started.”
Because he lives on a fixed income, Mims did not believe he could afford a nicer place and remained hesitant about leaving his beloved neighborhood.
But he agreed to accompany a land bank representative on a tour of several houses that had been rehabilitated and managed by the agency.
Mims now is living into a cozy, two-bedroom bungalow on Flint’s west side, surrounded by neighbors he appreciates more each day. The minute he set eyes on his new home, he knew he was in the right place.
“I was at peace,” he said of his first glimpse of the house. “Two dogs came trotting up, welcoming me to the neighborhood, just like we were old buddies. Since I’ve been out raking leaves, I’ve gotten to know several of the neighbors. At night, when I’m in my yard, I can see the stars. I feel invigorated.”
Because of its sound structure and location within a stable neighborhood, the house is one of more than 50 buildings that are targeted for preservation by the land bank.
The land bank is “a great shot in the arm for Flint,” Mims said.
He has become one of the most vocal advocates for the land bank, taking every opportunity to tout its benefits for other people, including being interviewed by a local television station.
“There are too many other families like me, too proud or too ashamed to admit that they might need help. I want them to know what the land bank can do for them and for Flint,” Mims said.
“I feel so good about the opportunity I’ve been given. I feel as though I’ve been handed a rope to climb a wall and now that I’m over, I want to throw it back to help others.”