About us

A builder's track record, turned toward mission.

The Hope Grows at Home Foundation is a Pennsylvania nonprofit housing developer, established in 2025 to bring safe, quality, affordable homeownership within reach for working households in the Pittsburgh area.

Where we come from

Nine years of fixing houses taught us what neighborhoods need.

Before there was a foundation, there was a construction company. Over nine years, JL HomeBuilders worked with community development organizations on roughly one hundred single-family home renovations, more than $6,000,000 of investment in Pittsburgh-area communities. House by house, the crew saw the same pattern: a vacant property renovated well does more than shelter one family. It steadies the whole street.

In 2025, founder Justin Livingston established the Hope Grows at Home Foundation to turn that operation toward mission: buying vacant and distressed houses, renovating them to move-in-ready condition, and selling them at or near break-even to families earning 60 to 80% of Area Median Income. JL HomeBuilders continues to back the foundation with funding, operational support, and construction expertise.

That relationship is our biggest practical advantage. Most housing nonprofits have to hire out their construction. Ours is in-house, which means projects move faster, budgets hold, and the quality standard belongs to the same people who set the mission.

Close-up of a carpenter's hands planing a cedar board with a hand plane

The team

The people doing the work.

Executive Director and Founder

Justin Livingston

Justin founded the organization with a commitment to improving communities through quality construction and responsible redevelopment. Over a 25-year career he has led more than 5,000 projects valued at over $30 million, with experience spanning project planning, estimating, construction management, quality control, and client relations. That range gives him a practical understanding of every stage of the development process.

Justin holds a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering (1995) and a Master of Science in Engineering Management (2012), both from Point Park University.

Construction Manager

Mike Madden

Mike's career has been built in the field: 12 years of hands-on construction experience managing projects from initial planning through final completion, with more than 2,000 projects and a combined value exceeding $10 million behind him. He oversees day-to-day construction operations, keeping projects on schedule, within budget, and up to spec.

His attention to detail and practical problem-solving are a big part of why our homes are ready for the families who move in.

Pre and Post Construction Manager

Blair Kossis

Blair brings more than 20 years of experience across nonprofit management, construction management, property operations, and real estate development. Blair has managed multimillion-dollar construction and rehabilitation projects, overseeing grants, contractors, schedules, and compliance so that projects finish efficiently and within budget.

Blair's training includes the NeighborWorks Training Institute, and Blair holds an active Pennsylvania real estate license. Blair is also the person you will most likely talk to first when you reach out.

Vice President, Board of Directors

Dan Sullivan

Dan brings 25-plus years in community development and affordable housing to First Commonwealth Bank's mortgage team. During the foreclosure crisis of the 2000s he co-created the Allegheny County Save Your Home program, the county's first foreclosure intervention program, which helped more than 5,000 homeowners stay in the place they call home. He also played a significant role in creating the Penn Hills Homebuyer Assistance Program and the 1st Home Allegheny Program, which together have helped hundreds of families secure their first home.

Dan has worked with local, state, and federal officials on policy and programs focused on homeownership and asset building for low to moderate income households across Southwestern Pennsylvania. He is a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh.

Governance

The foundation is governed by a board of directors: Justin Livingston, President, and Dan Sullivan, Vice President. Board oversight covers program eligibility standards, project selection, and finances.

See what the team is building

Our programs page lays out how the housing work runs, from acquisition to closing day. Our projects page shows the houses.

Our programs