Eastbrook Cares Initiative

At Eastbrook Homes, we believe building your dream house is just the first step in creating the lifestyle, stability, and welcoming home your family deserves. That’s why we make it our mission to build not only exceptional homes, but robust, thriving communities throughout West Michigan and the Greater Lansing Area. We intentionally invest in and partner with local non-profits to create far-reaching resources with long-term benefits for community members from every area of need. 

In our latest effort to invest in our community, we are excited to launch the Eastbrook Cares Initiative, an offshoot of Eastbrook Homes that seeks to join two critically connected populations: home construction professionals and families and individuals throughout West Michigan who need them. 

Eastbrook Cares Initiative Beginnings

The Eastbrook Cares Initiative began with an expressed need from local non-profits: they required more affordable housing to help families and individuals develop stability and opportunity. Our CEO and visionary, Mick McGraw, understood from the beginning that Eastbrook Homes could help bridge the gap between the construction sector and the nonprofit world. He began to have conversations with local housing experts, non-profit partners, city staff, and other private companies who do similar work, gaining incredible insight into the scale and scope of this initiative.

From his research, Mick and the Eastbrook team designed a collection of home plans that meet the needs outlined by non-profits. The best part? Eastbrook’s team can build these homes at a much lower cost due to our industry connections and streamlined building process. 

The Eastbrook Cares Initiative formally began in 2022 with the start of two projects, one with Mel Trotter and one with ICCF. These projects ensure our West Michigan community members obtain quality housing when they need it most. 

Eastbrook Cares Initiative and ICCF

Built from the foundational, core belief that everyone deserves a safe, clean, affordable place to call home, ICCF Community Homes is a Grand Rapids-based nonprofit with a mission of providing equitable, affordable housing opportunities in thriving neighborhoods. Together with the Eastbrook Cares Initiative, ICCF is developing two new home-building projects specifically aimed at providing homes for low-income households. 

Baxter Homes

Located on three sites directly across from Baxter Community Center and Joe Taylor Park in Baxter Neighborhood, the Eastbrook Cares Initiative and ICCF have begun development on newly-built homes for income-eligible buyers at or below 80% AMI (area median income). Long-term goals of the Baxter Homes phase include placing each newly built home into ICCF’s Community Homes Land Trust (CHLT), an ownership model that allows homes to remain affordable across generations. These homes were specifically designed to create complementary density in the existing Baxter neighborhood, foster community within the single development, provide new opportunities for homeownership in a restrictive Grand Rapids’ housing market, and create permanently affordable housing solutions in a creative way.

La Grave Homes

Close to newly-developed neighborhood resources and local amenities, this second project is located just blocks from the Grand Rapids Children’s Museum in Southeast Grand Rapids on La Grave Avenue. Development is underway on three newly built single-family homes for low-income families. Two vacant lots were combined to create incremental and complementary density to the existing residential neighborhood. Each home will be sold to households earning at or below 80% of the Kent County AMI. Like the Baxter Homes project, ICCF hopes to place all three newly-built La Grave homes into the ICCF Community Homes Land Trust to preserve the homes as affordable in perpetuity.

Eastbrook Homes is excited to embark on the Eastbrook Cares Initiative as we work alongside local non-profits like ICCF to provide affordable housing throughout the area. Our dedication to building stability beyond a home’s four walls allows us to assist our communities in strategic, impactful ways while continuing to craft long-lasting memories for generations of West Michigan and Greater Lansing Area families. To learn more about building your dream home with an experienced builder who supports and cares about your local community’s long-term stability and success, connect with one of our Eastbrook Homes sales agents here.