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The Grand Traverse region’s affordable housing issues havebeen well-documented by local organizations. The studies included here evaluate the need for affordable housing, what’s hindering its development, and how communities can most effectively respond. |
Grand Traverse Region Housing Needs Assessment: Prepared For: These are available as PDF files. Click the Headline to download the document.
A Housing Needs Assessment For Benzie County, Michigan Two major impacts on the housing market of Benzie County derive from its location. First, about 46% of the county's residents lived within 20 miles of Traverse City according to the 2000 Census. In addition, the area of the county that has seen the most household growth during the 1990s is located in the northwest corner of Benzie, nearest to Traverse City. Proximity to this regional economic and social center affects the county in many ways, from commuting patterns to the push for development of rural areas for housing. This latter trend is an important factor in the housing market of the county. The second impact of location is the natural setting of the county. With its extensive coastline, rural settings and large amount of undeveloped territory, Benzie is an important tourist destination. This amounts to a larger-than-average proportion of the housing stock reserved for seasonal use, especially in the forested eastern portions of the county.
A Housing Needs Assessment For Kalkaska County, Michican Two major impacts on the housing market of Kalkaska County derive from its location. First, about 65% of the county's residents lived within 25 miles of Traverse City according to the 2000 Census. Propinquity to this regional economic and social center affects the county in many ways, from commuting patterns to the push for development of rural areas for housing. This latter trend, while not as pronounced as it is in other, nearer areas, is still an important factor in the housing market of the county. The second impact of location is the natural setting of the county. With its extensive coastline, rural settings and large amount of undeveloped territory, Kalkaska is an important tourist destination. This amounts to a larger-than-average proportion of the housing stock reserved for seasonal use, especially in the forested eastern portions of the county.
A Housing Needs Assessment For Leelanau County, Michigan Two major impacts on the housing market of Leelanau County derive from its location. First, over one half of the county's residents lived within 15 miles of Traverse City according to the 2000 Census. Nearness to this regional economic and social center affects the county in many ways, from commuting patterns to the push for development of rural areas for housing. The second impact of location is the natural setting of the county. With its extensive coastline, rural settings and large amount of undeveloped territory, Leelanau County is an important tourist destination. This amounts to a larger-than-average proportion of the housing stock reserved for seasonal use.
A Housing Needs Assessment For Grand Traverse County, Michigan Two major impacts on the housing market of Grand Traverse County derive from its location. First, the largest city in the region, Traverse City, is located mostly within its borders. While the city itself has not seen much growth over the 1990s, it is still the region's governmental, economic and employment center, and the focus of an important commuting field. In addition, the area of the county that has seen the most household growth during the 1990s is located in the northwest corner of Grand Traverse, nearest to Traverse City. Nearness to this regional economic and social center affects the county in many ways, from commuting patterns to the push for development of rural areas for housing. This latter trend is an important factor in the housing market of the county. The second impact of location is the natural setting of the county. With its extensive coastline, rural settings and large amount of relatively undeveloped territory, Grand Traverse is an important tourist destination. This has two important effects on the county and its housing market. First, where seasonal housing is more common, units that could be utilized as shelter year-round are taken out of the market, and tend to push up prices where demand for seasonal housing is greatest. Second, the tourism industry does tend to supply the county with an abundance of relatively low-wage service jobs. Income levels derived from these occupations make it difficult to afford shelter in many parts of the county.
A Housing Needs Assessment For Antrim County, Michigan Two major impacts on the housing market of Antrim County derive from its location. First, about 42% of the county's residents lived within 25 miles of Traverse City according to the 2000 Census. Propinquity to this regional economic and social center affects the county in many ways, from commuting patterns to the push for development of rural areas for housing. This latter trend, while not as pronounced as it is in other, nearer areas, is still an important factor in the housing market of the county. The second impact of location is the natural setting of the county. With its extensive coastline, rural settings and large amount of undeveloped territory, Antrim is an important tourist destination. This amounts to a larger-than-average proportion of the housing stock reserved for seasonal use, especially in the forested eastern portions of the county. Special Reports
Regulatory Barriers to Affordable Homeownership To explore the issue of potential regulatory barriers to affordable housing in the Traverse City urbanized area, Traverse City Rotary Camps and Services contracted with the Northwest Michigan Council of Governments to conduct an analysis of master plans and zoning ordinances throughout Grand Traverse County and Elmwood Township (Leelanau County). This document includes a brief analysis of each master plan and zoning ordinance in the defined region, as they relate to affordable home ownership. Each analyses contains a table that briefly states the regulatory barriers and strengths of each jurisdiction, as well as maps of current zoning and potential affordable housing sectors.
An Affordable Home Ownership Initiative in the Grand Traverse Region: Community Action Plan and Implementation Strategy (GLCF study) In 2007, Community Housing Choices and Traverse City Rotary Camps and Services contracted with the Great Lakes Capital Fund to develop an action plan and implementation strategy that would address issues surrounding the region’s affordable housing issues. This study includes evaluation and recommendations regarding various actions and organizational structures that could effectively address the community’s housing concerns. |
