LANSING, Mich. — Friday, efforts continued to ready four Lansing homes as part of the addiction recovery housing program. In the coming months 24 people will be living in the newly remodeled homes as a stepping stone in their recovery.
Eric Elliston has been currently using the Addiction Recovery Housing Program. He is 23 months sober and attributes that success to the help he has received from Mid-Michigan Recovery Services (MMRS.)
Elliston said, “Before I would just want to drink over it and now I’ve learned different. I’ve got different tools and different pathways I can use to cope.”
The four additional houses will be able to help more people like Elliston in their recoveries. Currently, MMRS has two homes on Lansing’s west side but with the four new additions there will be six homes in total that will be able to assist people in their recovery efforts. Each resident can live in the home for six months before they need to find other housing. They use that time to get help in starting over.
Executive Director for Mid-Michigan Recovery Services, Patrick Patterson said, “It’s the next step of care you’re working to for the rest of your life. Jobs, housing, more relationships that help sustain your recovery.”
The homes are getting a needed facelift with new paint, furniture, electrical work, and appliances. One home has four bedrooms and is ADA accessible, which the other three homes have three rooms. There will be two people living in each room. Some people will be able to pair up with the maintenance coordinator for MMRS to experience hands on work.
Aarne Riutta MMRS maintenance coordinator said, “They’ll come train with me, get some background and some life experience, and some trade-type work, and maybe find some avenue for them to take and start a new life.”
Riutta said there is a lot of electrical work needed for the homes. They’re several decades old and FD Hayes Electric Company is donating labor and materials for the project. A new HVAC system is being installed along with insulation, lights, and everything in between.
President of FD Hayes Electrics Megan Doherty said, “We’re just doing this, giving back to an organization that really helps our community.”
The home that is ADA accessible will be the first home finished. Crews are hoping to have it done by Oct. 16, with the other three homes finished shortly after.
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