When Linda Smith drives by rundown abandoned houses and buildings, she doesn’t see eyesores. She sees opportunities.

“I see families being put back into them and children playing in the front yard,” said Smith, executive director of U-SNAP-BAC (United Streets Networking and Planning: Building A Community). “We can acquire them, rehabilitate them and put families back into them.”

Since forming in 1985, U-SNAP-BAC, a nonprofit housing organization located at 14901 E. Warren Ave., has been creating opportunities for homeownership and entrepreneurship. The organization’s boundaries are Morang on the east, Van Dyke on the west, East Seven Mile Road on the north and Charlevoix on the south.

Recognizing that there is strength in numbers and weakness without, seven neighborhood organizations and four business associations came together to rebuild Detroit’s east side. Member organizations include the Balfour Buckingham Nottingham Block Club, Chalmers Block Club, Chandler Park Neighborhood Association, Civic Center East Business Association, Mack Avenue Beautification Association, Mack Avenue Renaissance Alliance, Neighbors United, People Lending United Support, Southeastern Community Association, the Seca Merchants, and the Warren Conner Development Coalition.

“Our philosophy is simple: We collaborate to empower residential neighborhoods,” notes the group in its mission statement.

Over 500 homes have been repaired and 100 families have been empowered to move from being renters to homeowners thanks to U-SNAP-BAC.

“It makes it all worthwhile to see a family move from living in substandard housing to owning their own home,” said Smith. “We’ve built over 100 new homes. We have partnered with Habitat for Humanity and plan to build another 100 homes by 2011.”

Those movements on Detroit’s east side have not gone unnoticed.

Mayor Kwame M. Kilpatrick, in a past State of the City address, acknowledged U-SNAP-BAC’s efforts in helping to rebuild Detroit.

“Twelve hundred acres of our city - bounded by Jefferson, Conner, Mack and Alter are poised for an historic transformation,” said Kilpatrick. “Amid the area’s disinvestment and disrepair, we see growth, hope, and prosperity…. U-SNAP-BAC, a non-profit on the east side, has a strong track record.”

U-SNAP-BAC also has a strong record of helping people to stay on track by providing foreclosure prevention assistance, homeownership education, community leadership training and credit counseling.

The group has teamed up with Comerica Bank and other east side community groups to offer a series of financial education workshops to further empower individuals and businesses to become economically healthy.

“Even though Comerica has moved their headquarters, they have not taken away their commitment to the neighborhood,” said Smith. “They’re still there, supporting the community 100 percent.”

Those wishing to follow Comerica’s lead in supporting the community, are are asked to join a neighborhood association or block club.

While Smith is optimistic about the future of Detroit, she hopes others will not be discouraged by the sight of abandoned buildings but will see opportunities for change as well.

“I advise residents to stay because things are getting better,” says Smith. “For all of the good we’ve done, there’s still a lot more that we can do. But it will only happen if they stay and we work together.”