Executives from the $29 billion State Employees' Credit Union and the city of Greenville, N.C., toured two formerly dilapidated homes the credit union renovated through its real estate management subsidiary, State Employees' Credit Union*Real Estate.

The renovated structures were the result of more than two years' partnership between the credit union and the city to identify economically troubled areas and distressed property for revitalization, mostly in West Greenville, the credit union said. It modeled its work in Greenville on a similar project in Durham, N.C., the credit union added.

Greenville Mayor Allen Thomas was on hand for the tour, along with Rose Glover, Greenville City Council member, Merrill Flood, City of Greenville's Director of Community Development, Niki Jones, City of Greenville's Community Development Senior Planner, Russ Taylor, SECU Senior Vice President of SECU*RE East, Sam Adams, SECU Senior Vice President of SECU*RE and Rich Hutson, SECU Senior Vice President of the Greenville-Charles Boulevard branch, SECU said in an announcement of the event.

“The goal is home ownership,” Greenville Mayor Allen Thomas said. “Home ownership creates pride in the community and that's the first step. Rather than renovating an individual home here and there, SECU*RE's strategy of renovating clusters of homes is, in essence, revitalizing and bringing new people into the neighborhood and community.”

SECU Senior Vice President of SECU*RE East Russ Taylor said, “What we are doing through SECU*RE is an extension of what we do with credit union foreclosed properties, but we can't do a project like this alone; we need the support of the community as well. SECU cares about helping people and creating permanent and positive change in North Carolina. By refurbishing distressed homes or purchasing vacant parcels for new construction, we're working to increase the number of quality affordable homes, initially for rent, but ultimately for home ownership.”

Thomas continued, “This is a model that we are proud to be part of and speaks volumes to SECU's forward thinking, innovation and approach about community.”