For years, Greg Brown called the house he lived in on Detroit’s west side “our castle.” It wasn’t just a place to live; it was where his children grew up, where neighbors watched out for one another, and where Greg quietly invested his own time and labor, fixing small things whenever they broke. But despite years of paying rent, the idea of owning that home felt out of reach. “We had been renting the house we’re in now for a long time,” Brown said. “I call it our ‘castle’ because I really love it. We love the neighborhood, the school zone and everything for our children.”
Like many Detroit residents, Brown’s family lived in a kind of in‑between housing reality that dominates the city’s market: long‑term rental but no clear path to mortgage financing. When his landlord decided to sell, Brown tried to buy the house but quickly ran into a familiar barrier. “My credit wasn’t what it was supposed to be at that time,” he said. “The more you try to get these inquiries, the lower your score drops. I didn’t realize it. It was such a headache.”
Detroit, MI: A City Full of “Almost” Homeowners
Brown’s experience is not unusual. Detroit’s housing market is often described as affordable compared to other major U.S. cities, but affordability masks deeper structural barriers. While median home prices remain relatively low, the true cost of ownership is often far higher due to aging housing stock, deferred maintenance, insurance costs, and limited access to conventional credit.
Historically it was always like this. Detroit was once a city of homeowners. After the foreclosure crisis, it shifted to a majority‑renter city, and many properties were transferred through land contracts and informal rent‑to‑own arrangements, often without the protections of a traditional mortgage. Research shows that thousands of Detroiters purchased homes through predatory or unstable contracts during that period, frequently losing both their homes and accumulated equity when payments fell behind.
Even today, direct homeowner lending programs remain scarce, and access to fair mortgage credit is especially limited for Black borrowers, seniors on fixed incomes, and households with disabled family members.
Finding Help Where Banks Couldn’t
Brown’s turning point came not through a bank, but through community connection. A neighbor invited him to attend a meeting at a church on Puritan Street, where staff from Opportunity Resource Fund (OppFund), a Michigan‑based nonprofit lender, were presenting. “The way they presented everything gave me hope,” Brown recalled. “I said, wow—something is good here.”
At that meeting, Brown met Charles Turner from OppFund. What followed wasn’t just an application; it was a relationship. “He talked with us, talked with the landlady, and made everything a good relationship with all three of us,” Brown said. “He gave me all the information I needed.”
After months of uncertainty, the call finally came—late at night. “He called me about midnight and said, ‘Mr. Brown, you and your wife could go down to the title company—you’ve been approved.’ I shot up out the bed screaming,” Brown said. “We were so happy. Now we are homeowners.”
Equitable Funding for Home Repairs
For Brown, becoming a homeowner was only the beginning. Like many Detroit homes, the house needed major repairs—including a new roof and basement work. As a senior with a disability living on limited income, those expenses were impossible to cover out‑of‑pocket. “I’m a senior disabled,” Brown said. “Trying to save—between gas and food—we can’t get the roof done.”
Approximately one in five Detroit residents lives with a disability, and 43% of Detroiters with disabilities live below the poverty line. Accessible, safe housing is in critically short supply, particularly for seniors aging in place.
Greg Brown’s journey with OppFund didn’t stop at the mortgage. Staff helped Brown apply for a home repair grant, guiding him through bids and paperwork. The grant was approved months later. “Now I got a grant to get our roof done and our basement done,” he said. “And that right there—it’s God. OppFund is working with God. It’s so cool.”
Housing advocates note that these repairs are not cosmetic. Detroit’s housing stock is old (many homes are over 80 years old) and deferred maintenance is strongly linked to asthma attacks, fall‑related injuries among seniors, and other preventable health outcomes.
What stayed with Brown wasn’t just the financing; it was how service was provided. “It’s something different,” he said. “It’s like they knew us and wanted to help us. There was always a hug, even on the phone.”
That trust matters in a city where many residents still carry scars from foreclosure, predatory lending, and exploitative contracts. Studies have shown that distrust of financial institutions remains a significant barrier to homeownership and repair financing in Detroit, even when programs technically exist.
Advocating for OppFund
Brown became an advocate, referring his own brother, now also a homeowner through OppFund. “I was the lowest at the bottom,” he said. “Now I’m a homeowner. I would tell anybody who needs a home—go to OppFund,” Brown said. “They’ll take care of you. I don’t just talk. I live and witness.”
In a city still rebuilding from systemic housing harm, those small victories—one family, one roof, one trusted relationship at a time—add up to something bigger: a Detroit where more people can finally call their house what Greg always did, their own castles.
Blog: https://oppfund.org/a-rent-to-own-journey-how-a-detroit-household-of-senior-citizens-owned-their-castle/
Video on website: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1U2vlMBxJ6g