Transforming a Historic School into Affordable Senior Housing

The Genesee County Land Bank completed renovation of the Oak School in Flint two years ago this month. Originally a school built in 1856 and closed in 1976, the building was then used by Genesee County Community Mental Health for 20 years before becoming vacant and then part of the land bank’s inventory. The land bank partnered with HUD, MSHDA, LISC, the City of Flint, and neighborhood organizations to clean up the property, develop a site plan to transform the historic building into senior housing, and secure financing. Nearly 10 years after the property was donated to the land bank by Genesee County Community Mental Health, the property’s renovation was complete and residents were able to move into their new homes. The building is one of the oldest in Flint and now it is one of the newest options for housing the city’s seniors. Click here for more details on the Genesee County Land Bank’s historic transformation of the Oak School.