Over the last five years, my role leading Housing North has been guided by a clear vision: that northwest Lower Michigan can be a place where people of all income levels can find homes that are safe and affordable.
Taking on the mission of removing barriers to housing through communication, advocacy, and capacity building is no small task. I am deeply grateful to everyone who has listened, acted, and supported housing efforts across the region. I see you, and I appreciate you.
This work is not easy. It can be divisive, and it often requires showing up and speaking up when it is uncomfortable. As I reflect on the past several years, I am proud of the progress we have made. And I am confident that northwest Lower Michigan will continue to make meaningful strides — so long as housing remains a central focus of regional and local planning efforts. It is imperative that we keep having the difficult conversations and continue working together with openness and resolve. To the many advocates, partners, and practitioners in the housing arena: keep moving forward.
We have made progress toward meeting the housing needs identified in the 2023 Housing Needs Assessment, but there is still significant work ahead. Today, we are approximately 30% of the way toward the meeting the need if you count the 4,805 building permits issued since 2023 and we estimate almost 5,000 units are currently in progress. These developments span the income spectrum, but there is still a huge gap in units for those making less than $50,000 a year. The Regional Housing Partnership plans to update these figures in 2027 to better reflect current conditions and progress.
While there is no magic wand to instantly solve our housing challenges, there are several focus areas that can move us closer to ensuring everyone in northwest Lower Michigan has access to a safe and healthy home.
Support the Housing Ready (HR) Program. First, we should continue to support the Housing Ready (HR) Program and encourage more communities to become housing ready. This means helping local units of government understand and use the tools and resources available to support housing at all price points. What began here in our region is now a statewide initiative. Since 2020, the Housing Ready Program has helped at least 50 of the 187 communities in our region make meaningful progress. I encourage more communities to learn by doing — look at those making strides, learn from their successes, and take ownership of change. I also challenge each of us to become more informed about housing issues.
Learn about the needs in your own community and listen to the lived experiences of others. When you are securely housed, it can be difficult to fully grasp how hard stability is for many families and individuals. Don’t judge. Show up, connect, and help be part of the solution.
Another critical tool is the Northwest Michigan Housing Zoning Atlas (HZA). Eight of our 10 counties now participate in this interactive, digitized map that allows zoning to be viewed through a housing lens. The HZA helps streamline early decision-making around where housing can be built and visually highlights barriers to meeting demand. Northwest Lower Michigan is a growing, desirable region —and that is not going to change. The real opportunity lies in how communities use this tool to collaborate, manage growth thoughtfully, and protect our natural resources.
The atlas, available for free at zoningatlas.org, shows that while some communities are making significant changes, others still have work to do. Progress may not be immediate but allowing a duplex or a quadplex matter. The HZA also helps communities coordinate with partners such as trail and conservation organizations to create walkable, healthy neighborhoods where everyone can thrive.
Our region is motivated and connected. Don’t lose momentum. Our region is motivated and making strides —momentum matters, and we cannot afford to lose it. The region is fortunate to have a coordinated Regional Housing Plan (RHP) and continues to lead the state in many ways. Because we had a regional organization in place before the statewide housing plan, communities across Michigan now look to northwest Lower Michigan as a model for collaboration.
The RHP helps keep our region focused on shared priorities and ensures we can access funding, tools, and resources to move housing projects forward. More than 200 individuals are actively involved in advancing these goals. The Housing Zoning Atlas, for example, was identified as a priority in Region D’s RHP.
Develop more resources and long-term capacity. Consistent, reliable funding — including access to low-interest loans — is essential to advancing housing across the region. Growing the Rapid Response Housing Fund (RRHF) remains a key focus. While state legislative support is critical, there are also opportunities right now for local governments, businesses, and individuals to invest in this fund.
It is estimated that there is a $100,000 per-unit gap to make housing affordable for year-round area residents. Closing that gap will require creativity, collaboration, and shared investment—and the RRHF is one crucial tool to help do just that. Continued engagement with legislators to secure state budget support will also be essential.
Thank you to everyone who has stepped up, shown up, and listened over the past five years. I deeply appreciate you. This work has opened my eyes and my heart, and it has taught me so much. There is power in positive thinking, and I will continue to keep housing and transportation at the forefront as I move into my next role serving our community.