Inspiring Conversations with Faye Baker of Empowerment and Development Housing Resource Center

Today we’d like to introduce you to Faye Baker

Hi Faye, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I started in real estate by owning my first home at 21. After going through a divorce and wanting to purchase a second home I learned about equity. I converted my first home into a rental property and took the equity out of the home to buy my second home. Homeownership gave me the freedom and the comfort of having somewhere my kids and I could feel safe and not be overly concerned with housing cost increases. I later took equity out of the second home and turned that into a rental and purchased my third home. Having a house made it easy to save for a down payment because the house was saving money while I slept. Fast forward to 2008 when the housing market crashed, and employment was uncertain I leveraged my 401K and my kid’s 529 plans and I began to buy homes that were meager cost. I was able to turn those homes into rentals and those rentals were able to put three kids through college.
I later became a realtor to have access to the MLS and earned commission on the homes that I purchased. While doing that I met some people who desired homeownership, and I began to help others find homes to purchase. I noticed some significant challenges with people in the community who wanted to be first-time home buyers or re-enter the market after losing a home. There were challenges with budgeting, credit, and understanding the homebuying process. I then started the nonprofit organization, Empowerment and Development Housing Resource Center (EDHRC) to address those needs. We mainly focus on financial literacy, home buyer’s education, self-sustainability, and post-purchase education.
Upon assisting a potential homebuyer in becoming mortgage-ready, it was discovered they were competing against investors buying homes for cash. The nonprofit then began acquiring and rehabbing properties to sell to first-time home buyers. We are working to increase our impact in the community by preparing to build 48 single-family detached homes in the city of Warren for low to moderate-income families. Our goal is to build wealth through homeownership by putting it in the hands of those who never thought it possible.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
There have been many obstacles along the way, but I’ve come to view them as learning opportunities. Running a nonprofit presents unique challenges, especially when it comes to financial constraints. Assisting low-income individuals is incredibly difficult without sufficient grant funding. Additionally, marketing becomes a crucial part of the work—without it, no one knows about your organization or your efforts, which limits access to funding. Yet, spending too much on marketing leaves fewer resources for staff, creating a delicate balance that’s hard to strike.

Moreover, adapting the nonprofit’s business model to address the shifting needs of the communities we serve often means adding new services, which can be costly. Attracting and retaining the right talent to help run the organization is also a challenge, particularly when you’re operating on a shoestring budget.

These hurdles have helped shape our strategy and sharpened our resilience, but they remain ongoing challenges that require careful consideration and thoughtful planning.

We’ve been impressed with Empowerment and Development Housing Resource Center, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Our organization, Empowerment and Development Housing and Resource Center (EDHRC), focuses on addressing the barriers that low- to moderate-income families face in achieving homeownership. We specialize in financial literacy, homebuyer education, and providing sustainable housing solutions to underserved communities. What sets us apart is our holistic approach, which not only equips individuals with the financial tools they need to become homeowners but also assists them post-purchase with ongoing support and resources to ensure long-term success.

We are most proud of our commitment to bridging the gap between renters and homeownership. Our nonprofit’s mission goes beyond just building homes—it’s about building generational wealth and providing people with the stability and pride that come with owning a home. What differentiates us is that we don’t just teach people how to become mortgage-ready; we acquire and develop affordable housing for them, ensuring that low- to moderate-income families are not priced out by investors.

Our current project is particularly notable as we are developing 48 single-family homes in Warren, Michigan, targeting families earning 60%-100% of the Area Median Income (AMI). This project is unique in that we are creating pathways to homeownership in a community where affordable, quality housing is scarce. In addition to building homes, we provide wrap-around services such as financial coaching, repair education, and homeowner sustainability programs.

Readers should know that we are not just a typical housing developer. We are deeply rooted in community engagement and are passionate about creating long-term opportunities for families who may have thought homeownership was beyond their reach. We are building more than homes; we are building futures.

What do you like and dislike about the city?
What I like most about our city is the fresh energy and direction under new leadership. The mayor is actively involved and genuinely committed to increasing housing, especially in South Warren. Her support for our community engagement efforts has been invaluable, and it’s refreshing to work with leadership that understands the critical need for affordable housing.

However, Warren has a long history of not having a focused affordable housing agenda, which makes progress slower than we would like. But with the current administration’s openness to change, I am optimistic that we are finally moving the needle in the right direction.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.edhrc.org
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EDHRC/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hmUgpgc_k0E