A year-end fund-raising campaign to strengthen the initiative of providing quality and affordable housing was launched by the Greater Lansing Housing Coalition today in Lansing.

The housing coalition, a nonprofit housing developer, will top off its campaign with a free holiday open house at two of its restored Lansing historic homes from 4:30-6:30 p.m. Wednesday at 737 and 803 W. Shiawassee St.

Many Lansing neighborhoods are filled with vacant houses unfit for healthy living and often families pay too much to live in substandard rentals, coalition leaders said. Since 1995, the coalition has rehabilitated 85 homes and 211 apartments, as well as helped 165 families purchase a home.

For more information or to request a free holiday house invitation, call the Greater Lansing Housing Coalition at (517)372-5980.