True or False?
True or False? Homeownership rates among Black Americans are higher today than they were in the 1980s.
Contact Us
The Black Legacy Advancement Coalition
PO Box 32088
Detroit Michigan 48232
(313)327-1449
[email protected]
The Problem As We See It
If you responded True for statement 1 and False for statement 2, you have a strong pulse on the state of systemic inequity and anti-Black racism in the United States of America.
Our Solution
The Ground Up Project is a large-scale effort to revitalize property in one of Detroit’s historic African American neighborhoods, promoting new construction and restoration development within the Dexter/Linwood and LaSalle Gardens communities. Through this initiative, we intend to expand substantial access to secure quality housing, retain and restore Black ownership, and build a culture of generational wealth communally. We intend to see 1,000 families and 1,000 homes impacted by the Ground Up Project. This vision has already started taking root in the Coalition’s headquarters city, one of the nation’s most significant historically Black metropolises – Detroit, Michigan.
The Ground Up Project is committed to renovating homes and renovating lives through the following ventures:
- The Ali Legacy House
- The Legacy Builders – Leadership Development Program
- The Black Legacy Advancement Center
- The BLAC Real Estate Commission
LEGACY BUILDERS LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM
Built for Impact
THE ALI LEGACY HOUSE
2420 Virginia Park
Detroit, Michigan 48206
“A Haven of Hope”
The Ali Legacy House is a residential property on Detroit’s West Side named in honor of the late Ishmail Ali. Ishmail is the original inspiration behind the Coalition’s male mentoring group, The Man to Man Project. Man to Man was founded in 2010 by the Coalition’s President, Dexter Sullivan, shortly after Ishmail’s passing. Since that time, hundreds of young people have been impacted nationally through the organization’s work.
The Ali Legacy House now serves as our first residential affordable housing solution for Detroit’s rising young adult population. The space is also used to serve our Legacy Builders leadership development program. By providing this affordable housing resource, we accelerate opportunities for young people, empowering them to engage their future with the tools needed for success.
The Ali residence is located in direct proximity to the future Black Legacy Advancement Center, creating an additional layer of residential support for our growing geographical footprint.
The Ali Legacy House is the first project in Detroit’s real estate rehabilitation effort, and Detroit is the first pilot project in a comprehensive ten-city plan. The next phase of Detroit’s Ground Up Project is a commercial building, the Black Legacy Advancement Center, which will be housed less than one block west of the Virginia Park residence. This center will be activated as a transformative business incubator – run both by and for Detroiters.
THE BLACK LEGACY ADVANCEMENT CENTER
Within the next few years, we plan to erect The Black Legacy Advancement Center. This space will serve as the main site of our work as well as a community center, living quarters and Black-owned businesses. It will be a physical manifestation of our commitment to and partnership with the city of Detroit. People will come to The Black Legacy Advancement Center to acquire tools and resources to improve the quality of their lives. They will also come to the space to learn, build community and nourish themselves mentally, physically and spiritually.
On the grounds, we will also have a community garden, which will be an organism that allows us to educate the surrounding community about food sustainability and sovereignty. The will also be a mural that is a tribute to the people of the city of Detroit and our rich historical and cultural legacy. From the inside-out this physical project will be rooted in the principles of empowerment, accountability and community. Together, we will continue to build our vision for renovating homes and renovating lives.