Michigan’s first-ever Statewide Housing Plan was released in June 2022, almost three years ago. A little over the halfway point of the comprehensive five-year plan, stakeholders and collaborative partners look at just how critical regional housing partnerships are in their own communities — moving the needle forward across the entire state.
“A Holiday I Do” is a Michigan-made holiday movie showcasing familiar destinations and small businesses in Grand Rapids, Saugatuck, and Metro Detroit. The movie puts a unique, inclusive LGBTQ+ spin on the traditional Hallmark-style holiday love story.
Quality child care is necessary, but not always available or affordable. The MiLEAP Caring for MI Future: Facilities Improvement Fund has launched a $59 million fund to provide new and expanding home-based and center-based facilities across the state.
As part of the Region I Regional Housing Partnership, the Capital Area Housing Partnership and the Tri-County Regional Planning Commission are tasked with developing local action plans to address the housing crisis. City and state government, neighborhood developers including Forsberg Real Estate, and area nonprofits are working together to address homelessness in greater Lansing and to attract residents to Eaton Rapids.
Although headquartered in Indiana, the FHLBank of Indianapolis provides access to grant programs and resources for small businesses throughout Michigan. The Elevate Grant aims to generate more economic opportunity for all, and helps small businesses like Mushroom House Tours in Charlevoix and The Poke Bowl in Flint to level up.
Corktown Health has evolved and grown from offering end-of-life services during the HIV/AIDS epidemic to providing primary care for the LGBTQ community. Through financial support from IFF, and through partnerships with local organizations including MiGen, the health network continues to provide a life-changing impact on the patients it serves.
As part of the Make it in Michigan Strategy, the state of Michigan has new finance tools and opportunities to convert vacant land into housing via the Transformational Brownfield Fund and tax increment funding. The State Land Bank Authority and Michigan Community Capital are working with state, local, and federal organizations to develop attainable workforce housing in their communities.
Established by Governor Whitmer, the Growing Michigan Together Council works to develop a long-term plan of action to address many issues of concern across the state. Different goals include jobs, talent, and people; infrastructure and places; PreK-12 and higher education, and revenue. Block by Block spoke with the Executive Director of the Growing Michigan Together Council and Michigan’s first Chief Growth Officer Hilary Doe, and Melvin Henley at Community Economic Development Association of Michigan to hear about the council’s report.
As Kent County grows faster than the rest of the state, the community looks at ways to address its ongoing housing shortages. Through government entities, upcoming developers like Housing Next, and seasoned community development financial institutions like IFF, Grand Rapids has a collaborative plan in place to address the issue.
The FHLBank of Indianapolis provides impactful resources for communities in Michigan and provides home repair programs and additional resources to homeowners via lenders like1st State Bank in Saginaw and Metro Community Development Corporation in Flint.
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