Habitat for Humanity Detroit plans 'Pope Leo Village' project to honor U.S. pope

Catholic groups encouraged to volunteer to help build 14 new homes in northwest Detroit's Berg-Lahser neighborhood

DETROIT — This summer, local faithful will have the opportunity to build homes for families in need while honoring the first American pope. 

Plans are under way for the construction of the Pope Leo Village — 14 new affordable homes in Detroit’s Berg-Lahser Neighborhood, located at the corner of Telegraph and 8 Mile in the city’s northwest — thanks an anonymous donation received by Habitat for Humanity Detroit.

The project is part of a nationwide, 20-city initiative that plans to build 235 homes across the country.

“The Pope Leo Village is inspired by an anonymous donor who, about 10 years ago, was actually inspired by Pope Francis and helped 54 different affiliates across the country to build a Pope Francis House just to honor the pope,” Mary Ellen Kearney, director of philanthropy at Habitat for Humanity Detroit told Detroit Catholic. “This donor was so excited and inspired by the fact that we have our first American pope, and specifically the fact that Pope Leo so strongly believes in the service of others.”

Habitat for Humanity, along with partner Alliance Catholic Credit Union, held a ceremonial groundbreaking on the project April 22. Habitat for Humanity is working with the City of Detroit to finalize permits, with the hope that the first four homes will be completed by March 2027, the next five by March 2028, and the final five by March 2029.

The hope is that Catholic organizations across Metro Detroit will sponsor "buildout days" and provide volunteers to help build the homes, organizers said. 

In May, Alliance Catholic Credit Union provided Habitat for Humanity with a $5,200 grant to support its own buildout day in July.

“Alliance Catholic Credit Union and the Alliance Catholic Foundation are proud to partner with Habitat for Humanity on this important initiative,” said Andy Farnsworth, director of Catholic partnerships at Alliance Catholic Credit Union. “It’s a great opportunity for us to partner with Habitat for Humanity on a project focused on our Catholic community in honor of the first American pope.” 

Habitat for Humanity homes are typically about 1,100 square feet, one-story, three-bedroom, 1.5 bath homes built on a slab foundation, Kearney said.

“A lot of our work will be done by volunteers,” Kearney said. “We count on our volunteers, whether they are groups like Alliance Catholic Credit Union, our core volunteers who have been working with us for years, or members from the community who want to come and help us build homes.”

Habitat fpr Humanity Detroit will provide the tools, training, shirts, refreshments and social media promotion and will donate supplies to ensure a successful buildout day. 

“We’re currently planning out the next 12 months of our volunteering schedule,” Kearney said. “Most of our volunteer days are sponsored group days.”

Habitat for Humanity is working with Alliance Catholic Credit Union and others to find Catholic parishes, groups, nonprofits or schools willing to sponsor buildout days and provide volunteers for the project.

“It’s the task of Habitat for Humanity to get the volunteers and organizations, and we’re one of the organizations involved,” Farnsworth said. “Whether it’s a parish or a young adult group, they can sponsor a work day and actually spend the day building one of the houses with the Habitat for Humanity community team.”

Beyond recruiting volunteers, Alliance Catholic Credit Union will be involved in financial literacy courses for the people receiving the homes.

“A lot of people don’t know that the people who receive a Habitat for Humanity house have to procure it,” Farnsworth said. “They go through the home-buying process and get approved for a mortgage, and then Habitat walks them through that process and partners with the lender to give them favorable interest rates.”

Homebuyers can choose to partner with any financial institution they'd like to proceed with the home-buying process, Farnsworth said, adding Alliance Catholic Credit Union offers mortgage options such as a 3% down payment with no private mortgage insurance.

“One of the goals of credit unions is to make homeownership possible for workers and help them save,,” Farnsworth said, adding credit unions have Catholic roots. “So, I think this is a great way for us to live out that mission as a credit union.”

Kearney said Habitat for Humanity Detroit wants to be clear that while the Pope Leo Village project honors Pope Leo XIV, anyone — Catholic or not — can volunteer with the project or live in the village. 

Kearney, herself a parishioner at Christ Our Light Parish in Troy, said it is particularly meaningful to see the Church in Metro Detroit come together to support the project, sponsor buildout days, and live the Catholic social teachings championed by Pope Leo to recognize the dignity of every person.

“It’s very meaningful and personal for me as a Catholic who is very excited about having our first American pope to have people see the work that Habitat is doing, whether it’s here in Detroit or in other affiliates across the country,” Kearney said. “They know that it is making a difference in the lives of others, and that’s something special to see.”