Trending
MARQUETTE -- The Michigan State Housing Development Authority announced lead agencies to Regional Housing Partnerships across the state. The agencies will work with local governments, nonprofits, developers, businesses, local health departments, grassroots organizations, philanthropic organizations and other partners to create and implement action plans that address the housing needs of their regions in alignment with Michigan's Statewide Housing Plan.
The Statewide Housing Plan, launched in 2022, is a strategic planning process aimed at increasing the stock of affordable housing and ensuring every Michigander who needs it has access. The lead agencies of the Regional Housing Partnerships will ensure each region of the state can address its unique housing needs by creating original action plans, which will be submitted to MSHDA in the fall.
The lead agencies will receive $175,000 in grant funding for plan creation, with the grant term ending May 31, 2025. The Community Economic Development Association of Michigan and the Michigan State University Extension have partnered with MSHDA to assist with plan creation and provide training and capacity building services for each region's needs.
Local lead agencies are:
≤ Western Upper Peninsula housing partnership lead Jerald Wuorenmaa, executive director and grant administrator, jwuorenmaa@wuppdr.org, 906-4082-7025 ext. 111, Western Upper Peninsula Planning and Development Region;
≤ Central U.P. housing partnership co-leads Ryan Soucy, senior planner, Rsoucy@cuppad.org, 906-399-1371, Central Upper Peninsula Planning and Development, and Michelle LaJoie, executive director, mlajoie@communityactionam.org, 906-250-2506, Community Action Alger Marquette; and
≤ Eastern U.P. housing partnership co-leads Jeff Hagan, CEO, jshagan@eup-planning.org, Eastern UP Regional Planning and Development Commission, and
Chippewa-Mackinac-Luce Community Action Agency.