Water Damage Restoration in Pontiac, MI

Detroit, Pontiac among cities to receive support for new homes

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced support for projects that will create more than 850 new housing units across the state.

“We are supporting projects to build more than 850 units of housing across Michigan so we can keep expanding our housing supply and driving down costs for buyers and renters,” Whitmer said in a release. “These projects will create more than 700 good-paying jobs and drive more than $65 million of private investment into Pontiac, Lansing, and Detroit, making each city a better place to live. Our housing strategy of ‘build, baby, build’ will keep moving forward so we can help more Michiganders find an affordable place to live and have a great quality of life. Let’s keep getting it done.”

Here’s where the new housing units will be located:

The Michigan Strategic Fund approved a $79.2 million Transformational Brownfield Plan (TBP) for Pontiac, that is reimbursable over 25 years.

The funding will support the following three buildings:

Supporting these projects will help reimagine the community, and Whitmer’s office says that 60 of the units will be affordable at 80% of the county’s area median income.

“We are extremely grateful for the support from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation and Michigan Strategic Fund toward Exchange Pontiac, a catalytic mixed-use development at M-59 and Woodward. Today’s approval of the Transformational Brownfield for this project is a testament to the vision, tenacity and optimism for growth and prosperity in the City of Pontiac,” said Developer Dennis Griffin. “Economic development is a people process. The encouragement, patience, and skillful dedication from so many people toward gaining needed incentives for this Project with the singular goal of making a positive impact on the City as a whole is humbling. Pontiac is a very beautiful city with a constituency of wonderful, talented and dedicated people. We hope others take note of the opportunities in Pontiac, ‘The Heart of Oakland County,’ and bring resources to help support its continued growth.”

The city is also supporting the project with the following:

Aria Warren Detroit, LLC. received approval for a performance-based loan of up to $2.4 million to rehabilitate the Arthur Murray Building in Detroit, which is one of the largest vacant commercial buildings in the area, according to the release.

The project will bring 32 new housing units between 60 and 100% of the area median income, and nearly 8,000 square feet of commercial space.

“We are deeply grateful to the Michigan Economic Development Corporation and the Michigan Strategic Fund for their support in making the Arthur Murray renovation project a reality,” said Developer W. Emery Matthews, co-founder and Managing Principal of Real Estate Interests, LLC. “The Michigan Community Revitalization Program loan is a vital tool in addressing the need for neighborhood-scale, attainable housing, and it plays a key role in revitalizing communities like ours. This project is a testament to the power of public-private collaboration in creating meaningful impact.”

In addition to these two locations, more than 560 housing units will be created in Lansing.

The city and New Vision Lansing, LLC. received approval from the Michigan Strategic Fund for up to $202.2 million, reimbursable over 30 years, for the housing project, according to the release.

The project includes the following:

“Lansing needs more housing options, and the New Vision Lansing project will change both the trajectory of our city and our skyline!” said Lansing Mayor Andy Schor. “It will provide important housing for those that want to live downtown and in Old Town, two key business corridors in Lansing. In the coming years, with hundreds more people living downtown, we have the chance to make downtown and Old Town even more active and vibrant. I appreciate that the MSF Board agrees with this vision and has approved the transformational brownfield plan for the Capital City.”

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Sara Powers

Sara Powers joined WDIV as a digital content producer in Oct. 2024 and has been covering Metro Detroit news since 2021.

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Pontiac Mayor Tim Greimel Won’t Be Seeking Re-Election

(Crystal A. Proxmire, Jan. 25, 2025)

Pontiac, MI – Pontiac Mayor Tim Greimel has announced that he won’t be seeking re-election.

Greimel began his single term in 2022. Prior to that he served as a State Representative from 2012-2018, and before that he was County Commissioner from 2007-2012.

Greimel shared a letter to Pontiac residents on Facebook, stating:

Dear Pontiac Residents,

Serving as your mayor has been one of the greatest honors of my life. When I first took office, I could not have fully anticipated the challenges we would face together or the profound progress we would achieve. It has been a rollercoaster ride—a journey of highs and lows, difficult decisions, and milestones reached—but above all, it has been a privilege to dedicate myself to this city we all love.

Pontiac is a city defined by resilience, strength, and endless potential. Together, we’ve made strides to restore the vibrancy of our city. We’ve seen businesses return, neighborhoods grow stronger, and a renewed sense of pride take root in our community. From improving basic city services to investing in our youth, launching new housing initiatives, and bringing Oakland County government offices back to downtown, we’ve set the stage for a much brighter future. While there is more work ahead, I take pride in knowing that Pontiac is on a path to transformation.

To the residents who have inspired me with your passion and unwavering hope: You are the soul of this city. Each of you plays a vital role in shaping Pontiac’s story. The future of this city is in your hands—our collective strength, creativity, and commitment will carry us forward. We must continue to believe in Pontiac’s promise, celebrate its rich history, and remain steadfast in our vision for what this city can become.

After months of thoughtful consideration, prayer, and conversations with trusted people in my life, I have made the decision not to seek re-election. I look forward to beginning to focus on future endeavors and spending more time with my family. This decision has not come lightly, but I make it with a full heart and complete faith in Pontiac’s future.

This city’s success does not rest on one leader but on all of us working together. I am committed to continuing my work alongside community stakeholders over the remaining year of my term to solidify Pontiac’s place as the Heart of Oakland County and to ensure that our residents have the opportunities and high quality of life they deserve.

Thank you for trusting me with this great responsibility and for giving me the honor of serving this extraordinary city. I will forever be grateful for this chapter in my life. May God bless Pontiac and all who call it home.

With love and gratitude,

Timothy A. Greimel

Mayor of Pontiac

County Executive Dave Coulter shared his sentiments about the announcements, stating online “Your leadership has been instrumental in setting the stage for a brighter future in Pontiac. Thank you for your service and dedication to the residents of Pontiac, I look forward to continuing to build on the progress you helped achieve.“

Thus far Oakland County Times is aware of two people who have announced plans to run for the Mayor position in the 2025 election – Mike McGuinness and Kermit Williams. McGuinness is currently the Pontiac City Council President. Williams is a former City Councilperson who most recently served on the Pontiac Charter Commission. Those interested in running can reach out to the City Clerk’s office to obtain nominating petitions.

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A 43-year-old soup kitchen and social agency in Pontiac — one that serves more than 30,000 meals a year — may have to close in 2025, its leaders say. The problem?

Donations are dwindling, especially from modest donors, including those from a string of Oakland County churches whose parishioners have long provided the main income of the nonprofit Baldwin Center. Other nonprofits nationwide are feeling a similar pinch — part of a long-term ebb in charitable giving, national surveys show.

Here's a quick look at the trend:

People have the cash

Americans' slide in donations began around 2005, continuing through the economy's ups and downs, say researchers with Giving USA Foundation and other charity groups. Right now, the U.S. economy is one of the world's strongest. Americans spent 3.8% more this holiday season than last year — and in 2023, upped holiday spending by 3.1% over 2022, according to Mastercard SpendingPulse. In addition, Americans are betting record amounts on sports wagers and lotteries with billion-dollar payouts.

But more are giving less

Total charitable giving fell by 3.4% in 2022 to $499.3 billion — a sharp 10.5% decrease when adjusted for inflation, Giving USA found. That was when inflation hit a four-decade high. Giving bounced back slightly last year, but this year it remained well below the level of 2021, according to a study released in November by the Generosity Commission, a coalition of dozens of major foundations nationwide. The takeaway? The few mega-donors who give millions are keeping charities afloat, yet the vast majority of American households have been giving less and less for two decades.

Why the trend?

Researchers list these factors: As U.S. manufacturing went offshore, many families have had flat or declining household incomes. Those in the millennial generation, now in their 30s and early 40s, give less than their parents did — maybe because they were late to get married, start families, and buy houses. Declining church attendance removes the weekly invitation not only to give to a church but also to affiliated causes. Also, many Americans are thrilled by their connection with needy persons through crowdfunding, preferring that to traditional giving. Finally, U.S. tax laws changed in 2017, during the first Trump presidency. Suddenly, on income tax returns, big increases in the standard deduction eliminated the allure of donating, and then saving receipts, to reduce income taxes for millions of Americans.

"We noticed that," said Liz Longley, executive director of Baldwin Center, referring to a drop in donations after the change on tax returns. Baldwin Center, housed in a former Methodist church, needs about $50,000 a month to maintain its many services, including about 200 hot meals for all comers on three days a week, plus another 60 or so meals that staff and volunteers send literally across the street to the nearby Hope Shelter, a nonprofit that provides cots, clothing, and counseling to homeless individuals. Baldwin Center house also gives away clothing — new coats, hats, gloves, socks, and more.

It's a "low-barrier facility," meaning that no one is asked for proof of need. Anyone who walks up, or drives up in a battered car, qualifies for whatever he or she needs. The agency recently handed out more than 100 Christmas food boxes, each containing either a turkey or ham plus a family’s worth of “sides.” The agency also has youth programs that are supported by General Motors, Longley said.

"GM is very generous with our after-school youth programs. We have an engineering club, tutoring, performing arts — entirely free — serving about 40 youth" who arrive after attending local schools, she said. About 40% of the center's budget is covered by grants and corporate support. But the bulk of Baldwin Center's income, about 60%, comes from donations by individuals, said Asalyn Coachman, of Lake Orion, the nonprofit's president for nine years, now its treasurer.

"We recognize that various churches kept Baldwin Center viable for many years," Coachman said. As those traditional donors aged, and church memberships fell, "and also people began seeing more places to donate to, we found that our donations were dropping," she said. A proliferation of television commercials hyping national charities and inviting instant donations via cellphone has probably hurt, she said.

"We don't feel we should be paying for slick promotional advertising and running media campaigns when that money could be going to help feed someone or pay a staff person to provide services," Coachman said. At Baldwin Center on Dec. 30, people who picked up meals said they were surprised that the agency feeding them might close in the new year.

"I've been coming here at least two, three years," said Chris Burns, 40, a Pontiac resident who picked up a hot meal with girlfriend Kristin Welch, 33. Monday's menu was the same for all comers — ham, stuffing with gravy, baked beans, mashed potatoes, and a fruit cup. Cooked on-site by a staff chef, the meals are placed in takeout trays by an assembly line of volunteers.

Ladling the baked beans was retiree Terry Heller, of Rochester Hills, attired in a Detroit Lions pullover. Heller is a member of St. Paul's United Methodist Church in Rochester, whose members are longtime donors and volunteers at Baldwin Center. He and a half-dozen others from his church have been volunteering for years, Heller said.

"Before COVID, it was a sit-down meal. Since then, it's been a carry-out. People like to take meals home to their family," Heller said. Out in the parking lot, 68-year-old Johnnie Pickering was positioning his meal on the seat of his walker, preparing to make his way "a little more than a mile" to home, he said. Sporting a cap that called out his military service, Pickering said he had served in air defense artillery, "at the tail-end of Vietnam," in 1975. He has been visiting Baldwin Center "off and on" for 20 years, he said.

"They've been helping out around here for a long time," Pickering said. Baldwin Center's board members will meet on Jan. 11 "to come up with funding ideas," said board member Jim Bologna, a retired hospital human resources manager and a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church in Lake Orion.

"There's just so many headwinds we're facing," Bologna said.

To donate to Baldwin Center, go to BaldwinCenter.org or send a check to Baldwin Center, P.O. Box 420700, Pontiac, MI 48342.

Contact Bill Laytner: blaitner@freepress.com.