Community House sale center of controversy

By David Hohendorf

The announcement at the start of November by officials from The Community House (TCH) that the iconic institution would be replaced by a community foundation and its downtown Birmingham building would be sold has sparked considerable backlash in the community from residents in general, other local nonprofit groups and from elected officials who have reportedly now launched a legal review of the original founding documents of the nonprofit organization.

The Community House on Monday, November 3, announced plans to evolve into the Birmingham Area Community Foundation to carry on the original mission of the community group, and the closure and sale of its building on 380 Bates Street in the city effective July 1 of 2026. The new foundation would provide grants and mentoring to nonprofits within a 10-mile radius of Birmingham, along with scholarships to students.

In terms of the current building for The Community House, officials said the Early Childhood Center will complete its current session, which concludes in May 2026, and events scheduled now through June 30 of next year will continue. The new owner of the building will take over the facility at that time. 

TCH board President Camille Jayne and Alison Gaudreau, President of The Community House Association, made the announcement, adding that the current business model for the community organization was no longer sufficient to continue current operations and sale of the building would allow for retiring current debt and provide seed money for the new community foundation, which would continue carrying out the mission of the original organization.

While concern about the TCH announcement was immediate and widespread, it increased even further when days later local resident Kathleen Devereaux forwarded historical documents to city commissioners questioning whether TCH officials could legally sell off the downtown building.

Devereaux researched the original trust creating The Community House and the 1930 deed for the land and building, along with ownership documents updated in April of 1990 after TCH officials appeared in the court of Oakland Probate Judge Barry Grant to dissolve the original trust and transfer ownership to The Community House Association.

In the original and updated ownership documents, certain restrictions were placed on the building, which included the following:

“WHEREAS it is the desire of the Donors that the said property and the building to be erected thereon and any and all future buildings erected thereon by the Settlor [The Association] shall be used only for the purposes or purposes set forth in its Articles of Association, and that in the event of the dissolution of the said corporation following the abandonment for any reason of the purpose or purposes for which it was formed, then all of the said land and the improvements thereon be quit claimed and conveyed to a charitable, benevolent or educational organization in the said Village of Birmingham, now existing or organized in the future to be selected by the Trustees herein or their duly elected or appointed successors or leased by them for a nominal rental to the said Village of Birmingham or its successor municipality to be used by it for a community center for the benefit of the public,…”

This deed restriction has now become the center of debate in the city. Although city commissioners have not publicly discussed the issue, unconfirmed reports suggest that a number of commissioners are opposed to the sale. City legal counsel is now examining all issues related to the sale.

Newly-appointed Birmingham Mayor Clinton Baller, who said he is speaking in a personal capacity and not representing the city, has now taken up the charge of attempting to keep the current building for the TCH association as a community center for local nonprofit groups, calling the newly proposed plan contrary to the founders’ intent.

Baller issued the following prepared statement to Downtown:

“I have long been a strong supporter of the Community House. When I saw it veer off course, I spoke out for change. When Camille Jayne returned from California to help stabilize the organization, I welcomed her involvement. But now, her plan to sell the Community House to pay off debt and seed a foundation has left me — and many in this community — deeply concerned.


“I am a Birmingham City Commissioner (recently appointed Mayor), but I speak here as a private citizen. If the city takes action in the matter, it will only be on the direction of the city commission as a whole. 

“Its founders’ intent could not be clearer: The Community House was meant to remain a center for civic, cultural, and social life in Birmingham. Ms. Jayne and her board have a moral — if not legal — duty, under the property's deed restrictions, to transfer it to another nonprofit or to lease it to the city at a nominal price.


“The value of The Community House property cannot be measured in dollars. It is a public trust. The organization has had its ups and downs over the years. It may be in its deepest trough ever. But selling its property to seed a community foundation is not the answer. A community foundation is certainly an admirable endeavor, and we understand Jayne's frustrations in kick-starting the organization and her benevolent intentions in setting sail in this new direction. But if the cost of setting sail is giving up our house, the ship will very likely hit high seas. When William Seklar occupied the house, I assured him and the community that his occupancy was only temporary — that it was and forever would remain our house.

“I will do everything in my power to see that it remains so, and thankfully, Jayne and her board are willing to listen and consider other options.”

In response to the current community concern, Jayne and Gaudreau issued the following prepared statement:

“For more than a century, our organization has evolved to meet the changing needs of the Birmingham community while remaining steadfast in our original purpose of providing social, civic, and philanthropic support. That mission has never been tied to any one building or name. When we were founded in 1923 as the Birmingham Community House, our work quickly outgrew our original space. In 1927, our board voted to relocate and adopt the name The Community House, ensuring our identity reflected our broader reach while carrying forward the same core mission. Today, we are at a similar moment of evolution.

“Our charitable purpose is not, nor has it ever been, defined by our address. Our articles of incorporation underscore that fact. What matters is our commitment to offering philanthropic, civic and social activities that serve the community. We can continue this mission under a new name — the Birmingham Area Community Foundation —and from a new location designed to welcome residents, support collaboration, and enable us to serve more people effectively.

“As a charitable organization, we have a responsibility to use our assets thoughtfully to advance our mission. After careful evaluation, it became clear that maintaining our current location limits our ability to sustainably give back to the community we serve. Transitioning to a community foundation model allows us to direct significantly more resources to serve the community and help others in need.

“We realize there are many opinions about what should become of the building. We welcome any fair market offers to purchase 380 Bates Street and we will consider their intentions for the space.

“Just as our name changed in 1927 to reflect our evolving role, our shift to the Birmingham Area Community Foundation positions us for the future and provides a platform to offer funding, mentorship and vital support to nonprofits and enhances our longstanding commitment to education. We have a legacy of providing scholarships via the nonprofits we support. Beginning in 2025, students will be able to apply directly to our foundation for scholarships to Michigan community colleges, four-year institutions and trade programs. These opportunities will remain a vital part of our educational pillar and the work community foundations are uniquely positioned to lead.

“We made the decision to evolve into a community foundation because it meets our mission and allows us to serve the community in a more meaningful way. We entered this process with full, clear understanding of the founder’s purpose as well as elements like deed restrictions. The evolution to the Birmingham Area Community Foundation allows the core mission of The Community House to live on in a way that honors our history while expanding our capacity to serve more people.”