Housing Solutions for Northwest Michigan
This StoryMap highlights affordable housing projects in Michigan's northwestern lower peninsula.
Housing North is working with our community partners to address and alleviate the housing crisis in Northwest Michigan.
Housing North's 10-County Region Map
Housing Needs Assessment
In 2023, a Housing Needs Assessment was conducted to determine the demand for housing in communities throughout Northwest Michigan for 2023-2027 with support from the Frey Foundation and Networks Northwest.
The study found that the highest need for housing is in Grand Traverse County, but there is a need for housing across all Counties. The highest need for rental units is for for those making at or below 50% of the Area Median Income (AMI)- or 5014 UNITS. Each county has a different AMI ( Link to AMI chart ). The highest need for homes to purchase is 7325 units for those making 81-120% of the of the AMI for home owners. In general we need rental units less than $1,500/month and home prices less than $300,000. Additionally, the study found that the market could support 31,000 additional housing units through 2027.
Why is the demand so high?
The study takes into account homes that are available now, and what people are looking to buy and rent. Because NW Michigan's population has changed drastically over the years, we don't have the diversity of housing that many people are looking for, such as small homes, apartments, and other rental options.
Click the right graph to expand.
What is being done to help solve this issue?
Housing North partners with numerous local, regional, and statewide organizations that are working towards increasing affordable and workforce housing in NW Michigan. Efforts include building awareness, advocating for policies that support housing solutions, and building capacity and resources.
For more information, go to housingnorth.org .
Continue exploring the StoryMap to learn more about affordable housing projects within our region.
Highlighted projects in each of the 10 counties that are in progress or conceptual
Click on green icons or scroll down.
Antrim County: Bellaire Lofts
Antrim County: Bellaire Lofts. Click to expand.
MORE HERE SOON
Benzie County: Homestretch Project
Benzie County: Homestretch Project. Click to expand.
HomeStretch, a nonprofit developer of affordable housing, is pleased to announce that it has been awarded a $400,000 Affordable Housing Program (AHP) Grant from the Federal Home Loan Bank of Indianapolis (FHLBI) to construct 8 affordable rentals in the Village of Honor. The “Honor Village Apartments” will consist of two new construction buildings with four units in each building on Main Street in Honor, Michigan.
Charlevoix County: Beaver Island
Charlevoix County: Beaver Island. Click to expand.
Emmet County: Lofts at Lumber Square
Emmet County: Lofts at Lumber Square. Click to expand.
Located at 900 Emmet Street, commonly known as the Hanky Lumber Property, or the Gruler Property. The project is in the City Limits of the City of Petoskey. This building will include 60 units total, 15 one-bedroom apartments, 30 two-bedroom apartments, and 15 three-bedroom apartments. All units will be reserved for eligible low and moderate income households earning between 30% and 80% of the area median income. The estimated cost of the project is $15 million. The developer has purchase agreement on the property with a deadline of May 2022 to close.
Grand Traverse County: Flats at Carriage Commons
Grand Traverse County: Flats at Carriage Commons. Click to expand.
The Traverse City Housing Commission and the Bay Area Transit Authority are engaged to co‐develop a property that will include a transit‐oriented development (TOD) project that will include all of the operations of BATA and a large multi‐family “workforce” housing project. This collaboration is unique in many ways, but most significantly it is one of the largest TOD projects attempted in rural America. This project will be an ideal support system for several of this region’s economic engines: tourism, agri‐business, and light manufacturing.
Kalkaska County: Old Municipal Garage Site Redevelopment
Kalkaska County: Old Municipal Garage Site Redevelopment. Click to expand.
From the Antrim Review by Linda Gallagher: "...on Monday, Sept. 13, the Kalkaska Village Council approved two resolutions that will help to promote tourism in the area, and authorized a Brownfield plan for the site of the village's former municipal garage.
Leelanau County: Habitat Project in Maple City
Leelanau County: Habitat Project in Maple City. Click to expand.
The following text is from a Leelanau Ticker article by Emily Tyra: After more than two years in the planning, August marked the start of Habitat for Humanity’s Maple City Crossings development, with the team from Kal Excavating now preparing the two-acre parcel as a homesite. The development is at the corner of Maple Street and Western Avenue — where a Dollar General had once been proposed — is and walkable to all Maple City amenities. Thomas Kachadurian, communications and marketing manager for Habitat for Humanity - Grand Traverse Region (Habitat GTR) shares that the development will provide permanent housing for six families in three buildings. The individual residences will share only an outside garage wall in a townhouse configuration.
Leelanau County: New Waves Community Project
Leelanau County: New Waves Community Project. Click to expand.
A priority goal for this 20 acre property for the years 2020-2024 is the creation of affordable housing that meets the needs of vulnerable populations in a beautiful environment that is safe, inclusive, and welcoming for all.
Manistee County: Hillcrest Village
Manistee County: Hillcrest Village. Click to expand.
Hillcrest Village will add high-quality workforce housing options to the Manistee, Michigan market. The mixed-income development will create 50 new one, two, and three-bedroom apartments and stacked flats for households earning less than 30% and up to 120% of area median income.
Missaukee: Lake City
Missaukee: Lake City. Click to expand.
Lake City
Wexford County: Cadillac Lofts
Wexford County: Cadillac Lofts. Click to expand.
This four-story, new construction building is located at 207 South Mitchell Street, on the corner of South Mitchell Street and East Cass Street in beautiful downtown Cadillac! The building is constructed of highly durable steel and brick. The first floor contains retail/ restaurant space with large glass storefronts and a shared patio space. Residents have a main entrance from the rear parking lot that leads to the lobby elevator and indoor mail room. There are 42 apartments in the building, with 14 apartments on each floor.
Antrim County: Bellaire Lofts
MORE HERE SOON
Benzie County: Homestretch Project
HomeStretch, a nonprofit developer of affordable housing, is pleased to announce that it has been awarded a $400,000 Affordable Housing Program (AHP) Grant from the Federal Home Loan Bank of Indianapolis (FHLBI) to construct 8 affordable rentals in the Village of Honor. The “Honor Village Apartments” will consist of two new construction buildings with four units in each building on Main Street in Honor, Michigan.
The development will be located on two parcels donated by the Benzie County Land Bank. The Village of Honor will be donating an additional lot for tenant parking. Two of the units will be set-aside for households at or below 30% of AMI (Area Median Income), 2 units at or below 50% of AMI and four units for households at or below 80% of AMI. All eight units will contain two bedrooms with one and a half baths. The greatly needed apartments will be the first in the Village.
Thomas Cronin of Traverse Real Estate LLC and HomeStretch Vice President of Board states, “Affordable housing is a definite need in our area and Traverse Real Estate is very excited and honored to be part of this new housing development! HomeStretch continues to excel at providing modern, yet economical housing options for our growing community, as well as resourcing local based businesses throughout the building process. Traverse Real Estate also supports that principle and strives to offer personable, yet professional residential realtor and appraising services.”
The FHLBI application is a competitive one and is determined through a scoring process. Of the 50 applications received, 35 were selected. The highest score for rental developments was 66; the Honor Village Apartments and its sponsor bank, Honor Bank, earned a total score of 57.61. Additional funding is being sought from other project partners. Honor Bank will provide the permanent financing for the rental development.
HomeStretch is a Community Housing Development Organization (CHDO) and Rental Property Manager as designated by the State of Michigan and serves the five-county region surrounding Traverse City. HomeStretch is also a General Contractor which provides for cost savings and quality control.
To learn more about this nonprofit, please visit their website: homestretchhousing.org or call 231-947-6001.
Charlevoix County: Beaver Island
Emmet County: Lofts at Lumber Square
Located at 900 Emmet Street, commonly known as the Hanky Lumber Property, or the Gruler Property. The project is in the City Limits of the City of Petoskey. This building will include 60 units total, 15 one-bedroom apartments, 30 two-bedroom apartments, and 15 three-bedroom apartments. All units will be reserved for eligible low and moderate income households earning between 30% and 80% of the area median income. The estimated cost of the project is $15 million. The developer has purchase agreement on the property with a deadline of May 2022 to close.
Grand Traverse County: Flats at Carriage Commons
The Traverse City Housing Commission and the Bay Area Transit Authority are engaged to co‐develop a property that will include a transit‐oriented development (TOD) project that will include all of the operations of BATA and a large multi‐family “workforce” housing project. This collaboration is unique in many ways, but most significantly it is one of the largest TOD projects attempted in rural America. This project will be an ideal support system for several of this region’s economic engines: tourism, agri‐business, and light manufacturing.
This project consists of five (5) multifamily buildings for a total 210 apartments with the majority being one‐bedroom units. There is a possibility that each building would be built with different development finance packages and may be built in phases over two to three years – once funding is secured. Additionally there is plan to include up to fourteen (14) single‐family residential units. Total parcel size is approximately 30 acres.
The target population is workforce or households earning 50 – 80% of Area Median Income (AMI). This translates to those households at or about $14.00 to $22.00 per hour [$28k to $45k per annum / Grand Traverse AMI is about $58k per annum].
Kalkaska County: Old Municipal Garage Site Redevelopment
From the Antrim Review by Linda Gallagher: "...on Monday, Sept. 13, the Kalkaska Village Council approved two resolutions that will help to promote tourism in the area, and authorized a Brownfield plan for the site of the village's former municipal garage.
With a Brownfield plan, the village would be reimbursed by a Brownfield Plan/TIF Authority for needed environmental remediation of the site, explained DDA Director Cash Cook."
Preliminary plans include the development of a 36 unit multi-family complex with the possibility of commercial space.
Leelanau County: Habitat Project in Maple City
The following text is from a Leelanau Ticker article by Emily Tyra : After more than two years in the planning, August marked the start of Habitat for Humanity’s Maple City Crossings development, with the team from Kal Excavating now preparing the two-acre parcel as a homesite. The development is at the corner of Maple Street and Western Avenue — where a Dollar General had once been proposed — is and walkable to all Maple City amenities. Thomas Kachadurian, communications and marketing manager for Habitat for Humanity - Grand Traverse Region (Habitat GTR) shares that the development will provide permanent housing for six families in three buildings. The individual residences will share only an outside garage wall in a townhouse configuration.
Habitat GTR is building the affordable/workforce homes in Maple City in a partnership with the Leelanau County Land Bank Authority. In 2022, after Maple City Crossings is complete, Habitat GTR will begin building 14 homes with partner New Waves Church near the corner of M-72 and Bugai Road.
Leelanau County: New Waves Community Project
A priority goal for this 20 acre property for the years 2020-2024 is the creation of affordable housing that meets the needs of vulnerable populations in a beautiful environment that is safe, inclusive, and welcoming for all.
Community design will respect the land, with buildings clustered in a way that preserves sensitive environmental features and leaves open space for residents and guests to connect with the earth through community gardens, preserves, and trails that minimize impervious surfaces.
The 10+ acres dedicated to providing housing options will include 14 Live/work homes on separate lots in a diverse community atmosphere that include: 2-3 bedroom homes, 6 Habitat for Humanity homes, 7 low-income rental units, and renewable energy sources.
Manistee County: Hillcrest Village
Hillcrest Village will add high-quality workforce housing options to the Manistee, Michigan market. The mixed-income development will create 50 new one, two, and three-bedroom apartments and stacked flats for households earning less than 30% and up to 120% of area median income.
Responsive to the needs of area employers such as Munson Hospital and the Little River Casino and Hotel, Hillcrest Village will offer options for moderate income, middle class households.
The project will redevelop a former school site and residents will be within walking distance of Manistee’s historic downtown, shopping, parks, schools, and other services. Some units will have views of Lake Michigan, and on-site amenities will include carports, garages, in-unit laundry, and mid-range finishes.
Hillcrest Village was awarded an allocation of 9% Low Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC) by the Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA) in their April, 2019 funding round. The project includes a partnership between Hollander Development and The Little River Band of Ottawa Indians and will be the first in MSHDA’s history to include a development partnership between a LIHTC developer and a Native American Tribe.
Hollander Development is working toward a spring, 2020 groundbreaking with the intention of occupancy in the summer of 2021. Design and construction teams are targeting Enterprise Green Communities Certification for all buildings.
Missaukee: Lake City
Lake City
Wexford County: Cadillac Lofts
This four-story, new construction building is located at 207 South Mitchell Street, on the corner of South Mitchell Street and East Cass Street in beautiful downtown Cadillac! The building is constructed of highly durable steel and brick. The first floor contains retail/ restaurant space with large glass storefronts and a shared patio space. Residents have a main entrance from the rear parking lot that leads to the lobby elevator and indoor mail room. There are 42 apartments in the building, with 14 apartments on each floor.
Population and Housing Statistics per County (2020)
Scroll down for information on population and housing housing statistics for each county.
