Page 19 - LRCC March 2023 Focus

FOCUS MAGAZINE | MARCH 2023

Avondale Square was developed by the City of East Lansing in
partnership with Capital Area Housing Partnership.

Cinnaire acquired the old School for the Blind Site near Old
Town in Lansing, and working with an Indiana developer built
affordable housing units known as Walnut Park, as well as
senior citizen units.

Michigan Strategic Fund approval of $83.8 million in
grant funding across 22 statewide affordable housing and
community development projects around Michigan through
the Revitalization and Placemaking Program.

“Every family deserves a safe, affordable place to call home
so they have a strong foundation to pursue their potential,
but too many Michiganders do not have access to housing
in their communities that meets their needs,” said Governor
Whitmer. “We must work together to tackle Michigan’s
housing challenges head-on, and I am confident that this The Capital Area Housing Partnership exists with the goal of
multi-sector partnership will help us build more affordable developing neighborhoods with a focus on affordable housing,
housing, make Michigan an even more attractive place to homeownership and financial security in the mid-Michigan area.
raise a family and grow a business, close equity gaps, and
create good-paying construction jobs along the way.” and water, expanded use of Brownfield tax credits and
property tax breaks.
Locally, McDaniel says governments need to develop more
flexibility in building codes and zoning laws to allow for more Fleming says the region needs a comprehensive approach
density for housing units. involving local government and those involved in public and
private sector housing. He says the first step that needs to be
“You have to have flexibility around site plans and design,” said taken is to create a regional map that identifies where all the
McDaniel. “You have to have flexibility around doing more affordable housing and subsidized units are located.
planned-unit developments. A lot of things in the regulatory
area can be done to reduce the costs and promote having “We don’t even know where all our units are right now,” said
more of this housing done.” Fleming. “The first thing we have to do as a region is to figure
out what we have, where is it at and what kind of affordability
McDaniel also points to the need for financial support for is that housing. Then you can plan where you want economic
developers in the form of reduced hook-up charges for sewer development and where the best places are to build.” l

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