Dwaine Matthews is a father and a homeowner in Highland Park, Michigan. In 2023 the home he rented burned. His daughter was put into temporary foster care until he could find another suitable home.

Mr. Matthews bought his current home from a man who won the property at an auction held by the City of Highland Park. Mr. Matthews filed his notarized deed in Detroit at the Register of Deeds like any other new homeowner. In the two years since, he has made significant repairs to the house. His happy child thrives in their home environment.

The City of Highland Park recently decided without explanation that the city owns the house on Geneva. They put it on their one-day auction list for today, August 15, 2025.

When he found out the city meant to auction his home, Mr. Matthews tried to reason with the CED Department. He offered to re-buy the house. He explained all of the improvements he made to the formerly abandoned property. His five year old daughter has made friends up and down the block. City officials told him to have his lawyer call their lawyers.

Mr. Matthews has made repairs that should have more than satisfied the City's expectations from their original sale. Most auction buyers are speculators who let properties sink into the ground. Mr. Matthews' work was good enough for CPS, and recently passed the inspection of United Community Housing Coalition. But in a revealing moment that speaks volumes about how little regard Highland Park city officials have for community members, the City used Mr. Matthew's “occupancy” and the home improvements he has made as a selling point in their pitch to sell his house.

The United Community Housing Coalition of Detroit has sponsored this fundraiser in cooperation with Highland Park neighbors in support of Mr. Matthews. Your contribution today will help Dwaine Matthews buy and keep his home permanently. It will help his little girl to grow up on the block with her best friends. There will be at least one tiny sliver of housing justice alive and thriving in Highland Park.

Please do not delay!! This one-day auction is going on today, August 15, 2025 from 10am to 7pm. Since we don't know how much money we will need, we promise that if we raise more money than required it will stay with UCHC to be used in the future to help other Highland Parkers to keep their homes.

Thanks to the United Community Housing Coalition of Detroit for being the fiduciary of this housing justice project.

Most of all, THANK YOU. Thank you for caring about Dwaine Matthews and his little girl. Thank you for making a contribution from your heart, because it will help them to keep their home. Thank you for taking an action to strengthen the fabric of our society. We appreciate you. From Highland Park, and from our hearts, we appreciate you.

Donate to the Fundraiser here: https://giveahand.com/fundraiser/protect-highland-park-familys-home