Being a homeowner is a dream for many. For some, though, it doesn’t seem feasible.
Housing Forward, an initiative of the Midland Business Alliance (MBA), uses a holistic approach to implement solutions of development and rehabilitation of attainable workforce housing.
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Jenifer AcostaJenifer Acosta is the lead consultant with Housing Forward, and works on the community-based initiative to help implement solutions, develop and rehabilitate housing all throughout Midland County. Acosta works alongside builders, developers, emerging investors, stakeholders, and with partners in the community to expand advocacy efforts and communication.
Housing Forward began in March 2023, and is funded through the
Midland Area Community Foundation and the
Charles J. Strosacker Foundation, under the economic development umbrella of the MBA.
Acosta says one of the biggest housing issues Midland faces is an inventory deficit and a lack of housing for working families.
Recent data shows Midland has a deficit of 2,800 housing units, and a deficit of 4,300 housing units in the Great Lakes Bay Region.
“There’s a really big demand for housing that could be anywhere from $200,000 to $400,000 but construction costs have made it more expensive to build,” she says. “What we’re seeing is that our current companies as well as companies interested in expanding or locating in Midland can’t find enough housing starts to be here. There is a really big supply and demand program, and our goal is to create more quality housing at attainable prices.”
Acosta says that supply and demand issues also correlate to a larger supply of bigger homes versus smaller, starter homes in the area. The average household size for Midland County is about 2.39, but the majority of the homes are three or four-bedroom homes.
“We need more starter homes, smaller condos, some more apartments, more rentals, and things like that,” she says.
In order to better understand the local data, the Region G Regional Housing Partnership Plan, part of the Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA) Statewide Housing Plan, just got a housing study funded for the area.
“This study will give us exactly what those supply and demand issues are,” she says. “It will tell us exactly how many for-sale units and how many rental units we need, and at what different price points. It will help tell us what we need to do now, and what we need to do for the next five years.”
For many families, the COVID pandemic made it even harder to reach the ‘American dream’ of becoming homeowners. As construction and labor costs increased exponentially, the prices of homes also went up. Acosta says that competition in the market also is a piece of the puzzle. Many first-time home buyers can’t compete with all-cash offers from competitors, and the recent higher interest rates create even more barriers.
In order to help provide solutions for these housing issues, Housing Forward has many resources available.
“We have a
free online resource lab that anyone can sign up for,” Acosta says. “The lab has information and data that’s very easily accessible. We have data summaries, best practices in building, and information for emerging investors on how to analyze or consider a real estate development project. We just published a rural housing toolkit for smaller communities to proactively create housing strategic plans.”
Earlier this month, Housing Forward hosted a Housing Development Day, with 25 investors and developers examining case studies of recently completed projects and opportunity sites in Midland.
On Oct. 9, Housing Forward co-hosted a Hot Takes on Housing event at the Grace A. Dow Memorial Library. Special guest keynote speaker and author Charles Marohn of Strong Towns discussed the root causes of the country’s housing crises and community-driven solutions.
Acosta says most of the events they host are typically free and open to the public, in order to better understand the housing issues within Midland County.
Looking ahead, Acosta hopes future steps can be taken in order to continually address the housing shortage locally. She hopes to help play a part in showcasing the Midland area as one worth investing in.
“There are a few things I think really help,” she says. “As someone who’s been a developer myself, I often reiterate that money is going to flow to the least amount of risk. One of the biggest things I focus on is how to de-risk our communities so that builders and investors can build housing that normal families can afford.”
Through local partnerships, statewide initiatives and incentive programs, Housing Forward continues to work on making the dream of being a homeowner a reality for generations to come.
“I always look to create ways for citizens to do well for themselves by doing good, and a lot of that comes from looking at all the different systems, and the ways we can de-risk it,” she says.