It’s been a big year for Lighthouse—one marked by major milestones, from breaking ground on Auburn Place and Beacon Place to add 94 units of high-quality affordable housing in Pontiac, to beginning the long-awaited rehabilitation of Detroit’s historic Lee Plaza for new senior housing. And in recent months, that progress has accelerated in truly transformative ways. In November, we broke ground on a once-in-a-generation Pontiac campus redevelopment project that will help alleviate poverty in our community, expand affordable housing, and deliver the resources families need to thrive. 

Watch our groundbreaking video or see coverage from WXYZ and Crain’s Detroit. 

Our new campus will be a one-stop-shop for local families in need. We’ll expand our family emergency shelter from 30 to 150 beds and surround people with dignity, stability, and hope in one convenient location. 

Designed as a community anchor, the campus will offer free food access, job training, economic support, and gathering spaces to ensure that when families walk through our doors they not only find help, but a clear path forward. 

This milestone and vision would not be possible without the extraordinary support and generosity of donors, partners, and community leaders who believe in a stronger, more equitable future for Oakland County and Southeast Michigan. 

Support for Lighting the Way is coming from every corner — private donors, public partners, regional leaders, and Lighthouse board and staff — a clear sign that this campaign resonates deeply and our greater community believes in what we’re building together. 

In recent months, Lighthouse has raised $3 million toward our $40 million Lighting the Way Campaign goal. This progress is a testament to the tremendous belief in our vision and the broad coalition driving it forward. 

In October, Lighthouse was awarded our first state appropriation of $1.5M thanks to bipartisan support from representatives Donni Steele (R-District 54) and Brenda Carter (D-District 53), and State Senator Jeremy Moss’ leadership. 

“This investment ensures more families in Pontiac and across Oakland County have access to the support and stability they deserve,” said Rep. Carter. “I’m proud to ensure we have safeguards in Michigan for people experiencing poverty.” 

Demonstrating the power of individual philanthropy, Emily and Henry Ford III, supporters of Lighthouse since 2019, made a significant pledge to the campaign. “What stood out to us was the care and thought behind this work. We’re grateful to support Lighthouse’s comprehensive approach to alleviating poverty,” said Henry Ford III.

The Federal Home Loan Bank of Indianapolis (FHLBank Indianapolis) granted $1 million to Lighthouse’s campaign as part of its broader investment in affordable housing through the Affordable Housing Program (AHP). Collectively, these grants will support 43 housing development projects across the region—with Lighthouse’s project standing out as one of just 18 funded in Michigan and the only AHP-funded project in Oakland County. 

“At its core, this investment is about people,” said Jackie Buchanan, FHLBI Board Member and President & CEO, Genisys Credit Union. “By supporting this project, we’re investing in stability, dignity, and the future of Oakland County.” 

Looking Ahead to 2026

With significant work still ahead of us, Lighthouse is entering 2026 with energy, clarity, and unstoppable momentum. The progress made this year,  and especially this quarter, moves us significantly closer to completing the campus that will serve as a beacon of hope, stability, and opportunity for families today and for generations to come.

We look forward to welcoming you to future ribbon cuttings where you can see our progress in action.

We are grateful to everyone who is making this progress possible, and we look forward to continuing this vital work in 2026. From all of us at Lighthouse, we wish you a New Year filled with hope, health, and possibility.

Join us in Lighting the Way by giving today and becoming a beacon of hope for local families in need.

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Genisys Credit Union announced a $600,000 commitment over the next three years to Lighthouse, a Pontiac-based nonprofit, for its “Lighting the Way” campaign.

The goal of the campaign is to expand Lighthouse’s Pontiac campus center for services and support, and affordable housing offerings, according to a press release.

“We are grateful to the wide variety of funders and supporters who are stepping up to help our community in such an extraordinary and meaningful way,” said Lighthouse CEO Ryan Hertz.

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Redevelopment work is now officially underway on a large and long-empty Detroit high-rise after several years of delays related to the project’s complicated financing.

The 16-story Lee Plaza, situated a mile west of New Center at 2240 W. Grand Blvd., originally opened as a luxury residential hotel in 1929 and has been vacant since the mid-1990s, when it last operated as low-income senior housing.

The building fell into disrepair during the years it was closed, much of it from vandalism. Vandals also made off with several stone lion heads on the plaza’s exterior facade, some of which were reportedly used as decoration at a Chicago townhouse development.

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Spring is a time of growth and renewal. At Lighthouse, it’s also time for building and construction. This season, we will break ground on several critical projects to address the affordable housing crisis in our region for low-income families and children, and expand supportive services to lift future generations out of poverty.

Read more in our Spring Newsletter:

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Lighthouse strives to alleviate poverty and build equitable communities.
On this episode of The Dave LewAllen Podcast, Ryan Hertz, the non-profit’s President and CEO discusses the $40 million campaign to support the expansion of its Pontiac campus. The plan calls for two new buildings to provide additional emergency shelter beds along with other services for people in need. Lighthouse plans to break ground on the first of the new buildings early next year. Learn more about Lighthouse, its history, the new expansion plan, and also how you can support the important mission.

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Emergency shelter, food and assistance provider Lighthouse is publicly launching a $40 million campaign to support the expansion of its Pontiac campus, affordable housing and homeownership programs and runaway shelter units.

The nonprofit plans to break ground on the first of the new buildings on the campus in the area of Pontiac known as “The Loop” early next year as part of its larger strategy to alleviate the poverty leading to homelessness.

The bulk of the campaign will fund the expansion taking shape on the Lighthouse campus bounded by Woodward Avenue to the west, Cottage Street to the north and Center Street to the east.

Projected costs for the project have risen from $20 million to an estimated $32 million since it was announced in early 2023, with rising material and labor costs and additional space worked into the plan, Lighthouse President and CEO Ryan Hertz said.

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Lighthouse CEO Ryan Hertz is overseeing development of a $32 million campus expansion in Pontiac, a project that will add two new three-story buildings to the one there now, creating a “one-stop shop” for people in need.

The new space will house 120 new emergency shelter beds, a “social supermarket” with wraparound services, an economic opportunity center focused on income, employment and education and new community space including a cafe. McGregor Fund President Kate Levin Markel called it a “once-in-a-generation project.”

The post Lighthouse CEO Ryan Hertz is on a mission to solve homelessness – Crain’s Detroit Business appeared first on Lighthouse.

Lighthouse, a Pontiac-based nonprofit dedicated to building equitable communities that alleviate poverty, is pleased to announce it has secured $13M in lead gifts and funding for its campus expansion project. The plan includes redeveloping Lighthouse’s existing headquarters at 46156 Woodward Ave. in Pontiac into the Lighthouse Central Campus – a strong, centralized base of operations, and a “one stop shop” for Oakland County residents in need.

The campus spans two blocks between Woodward Avenue and Center Street, bordered by Cottage Street to the north and Park Place to the south. It incorporates several properties Lighthouse already owns and includes several key elements designed to address the most pressing emergency food, shelter, and community needs.

“This is a once in a generation project. The vision encompassed in this campus could not be more comprehensive, more bold, or more centered around the people it’s there to serve,” said Kate Levin Markel, President of the McGregor Fund. “We think this is going to be transformational for Lighthouse’s clients and partners and it calls for transformational level support. We are grateful for the opportunity to support truly extraordinary work.”

The following funding has been committed to date:

• $8M in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding Oakland County
• $1.5M in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA) contingent on completion of the Environmental Review/HUD NEPA
• $1M from each of the following: McGregor Fund, The Carls Foundation, Erica and Jeff Lawson Family Foundation
• $600,000 from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, the Lighthouse Board, staff and others

“We are grateful to the wide variety of funders and supporters who are stepping up to help our community in such an extraordinary and meaningful way,” said Lighthouse CEO Ryan Hertz. “The Lighthouse Campus is a truly game changing opportunity for us to provide a long-term, sustainable response to the poverty and inequity impacting tens of thousands of people in our community. This campus will help us better address the lack of affordable housing, food accessibility, and economic opportunities that threaten the health and vitality of our entire community and local economy. Our partners and supporters are helping to make this vision a reality.”

Lighthouse is also working to secure $8.5M in new market tax credits as part of its ongoing fundraising efforts. Construction for the estimated $32M+ project could begin late this year or early next year.

Affordable Housing Projects to Get Underway in Pontiac

Lack of affordable housing has become an increasingly serious problem nationwide, including in Michigan. According to the Resilient Homes Michigan coalition, Michigan is short 203,000 affordable housing units statewide. As more low-income families compete for a dwindling number of affordable rental units, it’s harder than ever for individuals and families to find housing, and they’re stretched thin paying rent.

In 2024, Lighthouse is helping to develop $75M worth of new affordable housing units in Pontiac alone. The projects include:

• Auburn Place: 454 Auburn, Pontiac, MI 

A brand new 5-story building with 54 units. The $29M project is expected to break ground this fall and will take about 18 months to complete.

• Beacon Square & Townhomes: 101 Mechanic Street, Pontiac

This $14M project is also expected to get underway this fall, resulting in 40 updated units, improving the quality of existing affordable housing. This is a redevelopment of properties currently owned by Lighthouse.

• Lighthouse Central Campus: 46156 Woodward Ave., Pontiac

This $32M project will permanently increase Lighthouse’s short-term shelter capacity from 30 to 150 beds, to serve an estimated 600 people each year in a more dignified way.

The project will also consolidate Lighthouse’s emergency food service program and establish a client-choice social supermarket; create an Economic Opportunity Center focused on income, employment, and educational needs of the community; increase the availability of on-site supportive services and redevelop the current administrative building to include an event space and cafe accessible to the public for social connections, special events, and neighborhood gatherings. The Wellness Plan and Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO) will be tenants, providing healthcare and workforce development onsite.

“Lighthouse’s projects contribute to the vision and priorities in the City of Pontiac’s Master Plan by strengthening neighborhoods, eliminating blight and vacant land, and fostering mixed use development along the Woodward corridor,” added Hertz. “The campus project, and our other affordable housing development projects, will benefit residents by providing access to low cost housing, shelter and other needed services within a neighborhood and walkable campus.”

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