"This project truly celebrates partnerships, both across the aisle and among the many organizations and associations and individuals," said Jansen, event co-chair. "What a great example of collaboration effecting change."

Jansen helped secure the frame for a storage crawl space on Habitat for Humanity’s first condominium project to be built in Michigan, the Dawes Condominium Project located near the intersection of 28th Street and Kalamazoo SE in Grand Rapids.

The event is the culmination of a summer-long partnership between legislators and an array of community groups statewide who invited legislators to work with them on a neighborhood improvement project in or near their district this summer.

According to Habitat for Humanity of Michigan CEO Ken Bensen, 80 percent of the invited legislators chose to take part in Legislative Build 2008. To participate in the "Build," legislators committed to work four hours or more on a community improvement project in or near their district.

Nearly 50 organizations hosted work days for legislators throughout the summer. Projects ranged from rehabbing a downtown apartment complex with a housing commission, to planting trees at a neighborhood park with a community economic development group.

"We need to have strong neighborhoods and thriving downtowns if we want to successfully attract the businesses and companies that offer good paying jobs," Jansen said. "People want to live in communities where they feel safe. By building these homes we are building up our communities."

The seven groups sponsoring Legislative Build 2008 are Community Development Advocates of Detroit, Community Economic Development Association of Michigan, Habitat for Humanity of Michigan, Michigan Coalition Against Homelessness, Michigan Community Action Agency Association, Michigan Association of Home Builders and Michigan Housing Council. For more information on Legislative Build 2008, visit