Opioid rehab apartments in Jackson get state funding restored after governor’s veto

BLACKMAN TWP., MI – Construction was delayed for eight weeks when Mike Hirst’s opioid rehabilitation apartment project got caught up in Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s budget vetoes last fall.

Eventually, he couldn't wait any longer.

Hirst and his team personally guaranteed the $750,000 that was in limbo from the state so construction on Andy’s Place Apartments in Jackson County could begin.

"We can't let people sit and die over money," Hirst said. "The financial risk, it's out there. But we thought saving lives was much more important."

While not all of Whitmer’s $947 million in vetoes were restored, the funding for Andy’s Place was.

The project has had bipartisan support, and Whitmer has been behind the project since her start, Hirst said. The veto was simply “a chess move in a big political game,” he said.

Construction is underway on the $13-million project at 2388 W. Michigan Ave., as the footers are in the ground for the first building, and concrete pouring coming soon, Hirst said. The building on the property, formerly the Odd Fellow and Rebekah Home for the elderly, has been demolished.

The 50,000-square-foot development includes 50 apartments – 39 one-bedroom spaces and 11 family units. It’s on pace to open in November or December, Hirst said.

People will be referred to the space from the drug courts and rent is based on their income. Long-term living space is needed, as 30-, 60- and 90-day programs often aren’t enough, Hirst said.

Hirst’s son, Andrew, died in 2010 of a heroin overdose at 24 years old. Since then, Hirst has fought the issue, starting the nonprofit Andy’s Angels to educate others about opioid addiction and support those suffering from it.

Now that funding for the construction is in place, Hirst is working on developing programs to help the residents tackle addiction. Delta Dental is the latest group to chip in, announcing last week it's giving $150,000 to the project.

Financial education and career connecting services are among the programming, Hirst said. He wants to connect people with jobs that excite them – going to a job you hate only encourages substance abuse, Hirst said.

"Instead of a drug being their addiction, it's this goal in mind, this job that they want, this business that they want to operate someday – let's get addicted to that," Hirst said.

Opioid addiction isn’t a problem the government or police departments can fix by themselves, Hirst said. He’s “excited as (he) could be” that others are joining in his passion.

“If we really want to solve this problem, then we need to get everybody involved,” Hirst said. “Unfortunately, (it’s) been a little easy because of the statistics. It really touches everybody.”