Q&A With Paris Wilson

In this edition of Q&A, we talked with Paris Wilson, a Senior Program Manager on our Housing Stability team. Paris highlights how his passion for stabilizing housing in Detroit comes from his belief that safe and stable housing is absolutely foundational for a person to achieve success in life, as it opens up pathways to other opportunities. Through his work for the Mayor’s Office in Baltimore to his advocacy for renter’s rights here in Detroit, Paris’s efforts have helped us grow our housing partnerships to help more residents. When he’s not working, Paris is trying his hand (and often excelling) at a variety of hobbies both new and old, including rugby.

Q: Could you describe your role as a Senior Program Manager on the Housing Stability Team and how your work directly impacts Detroit residents?

A: As a Senior Program Manager on the Housing Stability Team, I keep Detroiters in their homes through programs like the Detroit Tax Relief Fund, the Detroit Eviction Defense Fund, and our “Keeping Your Family Home” probate program. As a native Detroiter, it’s an honor to cultivate relationships with like-minded partners, nonprofits and community organizations that are aligned with our mission to stabilize housing in Detroit.

I’m grateful for the impact I’m able to create through our programs and investments, which have positively altered the trajectory of 25,000+ Detroiters. This is an achievement that I do not take for granted and I am grateful to be part of a team that drives such meaningful change in Detroit.

Q: What motivated you to focus your career on housing stability issues in Detroit specifically?

A: As I mentioned, I am a native (Westside) Detroiter, but I started my career in Baltimore, Maryland, shortly after graduating from Michigan State University. Although I was doing amazing nonprofit and governmental work in Baltimore City, I always had the desire to move back home to provide Detroiters with the skills and resources I was providing to Baltimoreans. When I transitioned from nonprofit to government, I was working in Homeless Services for the Mayor’s Office. When you work with a demanding population like those experiencing homelessness, you realize that housing is chief to an individual’s quality of life.

I began to understand just how foundational stable housing was for an individual’s success in life, learning how access to safe and stable housing can transform a person’s life in ways that they did not believe was possible. But there are so many barriers to safe housing in Detroit. There are serious housing issues here: high rent, inadequate and unsafe housing conditions, lack of affordable housing, to name a few. I believed that coming home to Detroit to work on these challenges on the Gilbert Family Foundation’s Housing Stability Team was the best path forward for me.

Q: Housing instability is a complex issue with many contributing factors. From your perspective, what are the most critical challenges facing Detroit renters and homeowners today?

A: I tend to look at housing instability as a knot with many strands. At the onset, it looks impossible to unravel because the knot might have tightened or there are too many strands to figure out which one to pull that will loosen the knot, but if we keep working on the knot, then eventually a strand becomes untangled and the knot will unravel.

That’s how I look at the complexity of housing instability. There are so many factors that contribute to its complexity – high rental costs, job loss, lack of affordable housing, eviction histories, discrimination, health issues, heirs’ property issues, criminal records, etc. – that it becomes overwhelming. As social net programs are ending, we’re looking to attack these challenges by being more proactive and understanding the root causes of these issues to best understand how we can solve for them. That involves working closely with partners, the City, and residents in the community. Together, we work towards creating programs that will have positive ripple effects on Detroit residents.

Q: Looking ahead, what gives you hope about the future of housing stability in Detroit, and what new initiatives are you most excited about?

A. I think the Gilbert Family Foundation and the Rocket Community Fund have a ripe opportunity to make significant and impactful positive changes for Detroiters when it comes to housing stability. With today’s social, economic, and political climate, we have a blank canvass to reimagine what stable housing looks like – not only in Detroit, but in cities with similar housing challenges.

As a philanthropic organization comprised of dedicated leaders who love the work and are truly committed to helping people, we walk in lockstep with our partners and operate with a shared vision for a stronger Detroit. This mindset guides our investment strategy to be more direct, impactful and intentional. The intentionality gives me hope, because we have team members who are dedicated to not only stabilize housing but create more opportunity for all Detroiters.

Q: You’re passionate about a lot of very different things – learning, sports, and just challenging yourself to grow both personally and professionally. What are some of your interests, and how do they benefit you?

A: We all have heard of the phase, “A jack of all trades is a master of none, but oftentimes better than a master of one” and I live by this mantra. I love learning, gaining knowledge, and acquiring random skills on my life’s journey – even if it’s for a season. As I age, I am learning that life isn’t about getting to a specific place or goal, but it’s about constant and consistent evolution – and I believe that the only way to do that is to just try all the things that interest you.

For example, I started playing rugby, but I came to the sport later, in college at Michigan State University. Despite the fact I was very new to rugby, I was dauntless, fell in love with the sport, and had the opportunity to play in multiple cities with different men’s clubs, coach teams in Baltimore and Detroit, and become certified as a USA rugby coach. I live by trying new things because I want to explore and try new things that make me happy and brings me joy – and you will never know what you enjoy until you just try it! In the summer I am going to learn how to juggle and in the fall I plan to join a ping-pong league…just because!