Marc Craig believes that diverse communities that include people of all backgrounds are stronger communities. As the founding president of Community Housing Network, Marc has spent more than 20 years building on his vision of helping disenfranchised members of society attain the dream of living in a safe, affordable home of their choice. Marc founded Springhill Housing Corporation in 1990, and then Community Housing Network in 2001.
CHN has grown from focusing primarily on property management to developing affordable housing across Michigan, launching Michigan’s largest Housing Resource Center, and providing a one-stop resource for people facing a housing crisis.
Under Marc’s leadership, the talented and dedicated staff at CHN is now a leading provider of homeless prevention resources and programs in the community, including housing counseling, foreclosure prevention counseling and financial education.
In the last 20 years, CHN has also developed nearly 900 units of affordable housing and has become the largest provider of permanent supportive housing in both Oakland and Macomb counties.
Throughout the years, Marc and his team have leveraged more than $122.3 million in resources to create and maintain the stock of affordable housing in metro Detroit, maintaining offices in Oakland and Macomb counties. He has provided fiscal, strategic and operational leadership to reduce indebtedness, create growth and improve operating results. In addition, Marc has created internal procedures and controls, organized/allocated staff, and implemented best practices and performance monitoring systems in support of continuous improvement. In 2018, Community Housing Network received a 3-year accreditation from CARF. CARF accreditation signals a service provider’s commitment to continually improving services, encouraging feedback, and serving the community.
Past and Present Community Engagement:
- Member of the Oakland County Community and Home Improvement Division Advisory Council
- Past Chair and Past Vice Chair of the Alliance for Housing, Oakland County’s Continuum of Care
- Vice Chair and Loan Committee Chair and Treasurer for Opportunity Resource Fund
- Past Chair of Federal Home Loan Bank of Indianapolis Advisory Council
- Past President of Community Economic Development Association of Michigan Board of Directors
- Graduate of Leadership Oakland Class XV
- 2013 “Leader of Leaders” award recipient
- Past Scoutmaster, BSA Troop 1034
Notable Accomplishments Under Marc’s Leadership:
- CHN named as a Finalist for Crain’s Best Managed NonProfit Award, placing CHN among the leaders and strongest financial stewards in Southeast Michigan’s nonprofit community.
- CHN named one of the Detroit Free Press Top 100 Workplaces in Michigan in every year since 2012
- CHN named one of Crain’s Detroit Business Cool Places to Work in 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2014 and 2012
- Providing supportive housing programs, housing more than 536 adults and children with disabilities who had been homeless
- Fielding more than 1,000 calls a month to the Housing Resource Center from people in a housing crisis
- Serving 292 individuals and families with gifts and basic necessities through the Adopt A Family program during the 2017 holidays
- Managing leases for 671 properties and houses, approximately 2,172 people in residences for people with disabilities in Oakland, Macomb, Wayne and St. Clair counties
- Creating more than 888 units of affordable housing, including supportive housing units
Marc is licensed as a Michigan Real Estate Broker and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Michigan State University as well as a Master of Science in Administration from Central Michigan University. He has completed additional management courses, including the Strategic Perspectives in Nonprofit Management program at the Harvard Business School. He is an instructor in Oakland University’s Nonprofit Management Certificate Program, teaching a course on Nonprofit Financial Management and Accountability.
Marc was also instrumental in advocating for the passage of Michigan SB 641, which allows nonprofits to pay the Homestead property tax rate on qualifying properties for individuals with disabilities.