INSIDER
New effort will bring quality, affordable housing solutions to North Corktown
Read full article: New effort will bring quality, affordable housing solutions to North CorktownWhen Detroiters think about the long-term health and stability of their communities, quality housing is always at the top of the list. But as housing prices increase throughout the city, some residents are concerned about affordability and accessibility.
Ann Arbor is officially one of the top โbest citiesโ in the United States
Read full article: Ann Arbor is officially one of the top โbest citiesโ in the United StatesAlthough it has slid in the rankings Ann Arborโs eclectic personality, college town vibes, football weekends and year-round events have kept it on the list.
Habitat for Humanity of Huron Valley begin annual campaign on International Womenโs Day
Read full article: Habitat for Humanity of Huron Valley begin annual campaign on International Womenโs DayStarting at 9 a.m., teams will build up the walls of a project at 966 N. Prospect Rd. in Ypsilanti for a future buyer.
Ann Arborโs Avalon Housing names new executive director
Read full article: Ann Arborโs Avalon Housing names new executive directorโIโm energized to build on the tremendous growth that Avalon has experienced in the past by leading the organization through this next critical stage of its mission,โ Cooper said in a release.
Proposed development aims to bring mixed-use buildings to Ann Arborโs southside
Read full article: Proposed development aims to bring mixed-use buildings to Ann Arborโs southsideThe development, when completed, is anticipated to have around 1,000 residential units, business spaces, parks, a hotel and three parking garages.
Nonprofit hosting week-long festival about housing in Ann Arbor
Read full article: Nonprofit hosting week-long festival about housing in Ann ArborEducational talks, activities, meetings, workshops and an open house will discuss housing in Ann Arbor and topics including housing conditions, planning policies and rentersโ rights.
Ann Arbor organizations receive tax credits for new affordable housing in Kerrytown
Read full article: Ann Arbor organizations receive tax credits for new affordable housing in KerrytownThe Catherine Street property will consist of 62 one-bedroom apartments and one two-bedroom apartment in the historic Kerrytown district.
Hereโs a look at average home values in Metro Detroit, how many houses are being sold
Read full article: Hereโs a look at average home values in Metro Detroit, how many houses are being soldFewer Metro Detroiters are selling their homes this year compared to recent years, data shows. Here's a look at the data.
Ann Arbor police warn students, community members of subleasing scams online
Read full article: Ann Arbor police warn students, community members of subleasing scams onlinePolice are urging community members and students to use caution when looking for housing after a young man was scammed out of $500.
Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners commits $3M towards homelessness crisis
Read full article: Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners commits $3M towards homelessness crisisOn April 5, the Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners approved a proposal to allocate $3 million to bridge funding gaps in human services.
City of Livonia faces lawsuit over rejected housing plan on former Wonderland Mall lot
Read full article: City of Livonia faces lawsuit over rejected housing plan on former Wonderland Mall lotA well-known local development company is suing the city of Livonia for what they claim was an unfair process over proposed housing on a part of the old Wonderland Mall property.
Single Detroit moms evicted from rentals after living in โdeplorable conditionsโ
Read full article: Single Detroit moms evicted from rentals after living in โdeplorable conditionsโA local lawmaker is stepping up to help some Detroit families fight evictions as they claim their housing is in โdeplorable conditions.โ
Historic Detroit apartment buildings reopen in Jefferson Chalmers after lying vacant for decades
Read full article: Historic Detroit apartment buildings reopen in Jefferson Chalmers after lying vacant for decadesFor the first time in 40 years, two historic apartment buildings in Detroitโs Jefferson Chalmers neighborhood have reopened -- and theyโre newly renovated.
Devin: How a stranger helped a Detroit woman keep her home after paying a fake landlord
Read full article: Devin: How a stranger helped a Detroit woman keep her home after paying a fake landlordIโm still stunned by the strange and beautiful turn of coincidences that put me square at the intersection of June Walker and Jerry Gumbert.
House fire survivor installing smoke alarms throughout Detroit homes to prevent possible tragedies
Read full article: House fire survivor installing smoke alarms throughout Detroit homes to prevent possible tragediesMia Radosavac lost her entire family to a house fire in 2018, and she is determined to prevent another family from experiencing a similar tragedy.
Michigan looks to fix the stateโs affordable housing problem
Read full article: Michigan looks to fix the stateโs affordable housing problemMembers of the Resilient Homes Michigan coalition are looking to attract workers back to the state and modernize rental properties for low-income families to live in homes with clean air and nontoxic materials by proposing $1.6 billion in state spending.
WATCH | Episode 2: Solutionaries tackles affordable housing crisis
Read full article: WATCH | Episode 2: Solutionaries tackles affordable housing crisisEpisode 2 of โSolutionariesโ tackles the lack of affordable housing across America and highlights the people and organizations who are working to solve the crisis.
University of Michigan students arrive to The One housing center to discover townhomes not ready
Read full article: University of Michigan students arrive to The One housing center to discover townhomes not readyDozens of University of Michigan students were told they canโt move in yet when they arrived at The One student housing center on Tuesday (Aug. 24).
You paid HOW much over asking? Tell us your wild housing market stories here
Read full article: You paid HOW much over asking? Tell us your wild housing market stories hereWeโve all heard about it by now: Houses are selling like crazy (and they have been for quite some time), interest rates have been at all-time lows, and it seems like everywhere you turn, you learn of another wild real estate story.
Revenue from marijuana tax to be put towards equity programs in Washtenaw County
Read full article: Revenue from marijuana tax to be put towards equity programs in Washtenaw CountyThe Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners approved of a budget amendment committing the annual marijuana tax revenue, expected to be more than $200,000, to the equity issues in the county.
U-M: Eviction filings in Michigan fell 65% in 2020 compared to prior years
Read full article: U-M: Eviction filings in Michigan fell 65% in 2020 compared to prior yearsU-M researchers found that overall cases resulting in eviction orders decreased during the pandemic, boosted by Michiganโs Eviction Diversion Program.
HUD awards $2.3 million to Detroit Housing Commission to help families secure employment, higher-paying jobs
Read full article: HUD awards $2.3 million to Detroit Housing Commission to help families secure employment, higher-paying jobsOn Tuesday, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development announced a $28 million investment to 12 public housing agencies to help families increase their earned income and improve their economic mobility.
5 ways to make your home more environmentally efficient, sustainable
Read full article: 5 ways to make your home more environmentally efficient, sustainableThereโs often no place like home, although that sentiment can sometimes fade when a house starts to rack up energy bills and breaks down in places over the course of time.
A look at Metro Detroitโs hot real estate market
Read full article: A look at Metro Detroitโs hot real estate marketReal estate agents claim offers come flooding in within hours of a new listing. While sellers are reaping the rewards, buyers are having a hard time to get their foot in the door. RELATED: Metro Detroit real estate market: Buyers beware in spring-summer 2021For those house hunting, they already know the struggle. Dan Elsea, with Real Estate One, said itโs the best time to sell a home in Michigan in nearly 40 years. More: Real Estate news
Veteran resource center in Ann Arbor hopes to reach as many vets as possible
Read full article: Veteran resource center in Ann Arbor hopes to reach as many vets as possibleANN ARBOR โ The Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 423 in south Ann Arbor recently began operating as a veteran resource center in order to connect with vets in Washtenaw County. AdVeterans sit and talk at VFW Post 423 in south Ann Arbor on March 20, 2021. A veteran takes a pamphlet from a booth during the veteran resource center's open house on March 20, 2021. AdHe said the resource center provides a safe space to share stories and receive guidance and support. Vietnam veteran St. Larry Antoine attends an open house at VFW Post 423 in Ann Arbor.
Ann Arbor named sixth best city to live in within United States, according to Niche
Read full article: Ann Arbor named sixth best city to live in within United States, according to NicheANN ARBOR, Mich. โ Ann Arbor has proven that itโs more than just college town charm and football weekends. 6 spot on Nicheโs annual list of the best cities to live in America for 2021. In 2021, Ann Arbor received an A+ in the categories of public schools, nightlife, good for families and commute. In 2017 and 2018, it was the best city in America but dropped to be the second-best city in 2019. Find Check out Ann Arborโs profile here or view Nicheโs 2021 Best Cities to Live in America list.
Michigan lawmakers back bill aiming to help low-income neighborhoods
Read full article: Michigan lawmakers back bill aiming to help low-income neighborhoodsSeveral members of Michiganโs congressional delegation are backing a bill that would help neighborhoods rebound from the current financial crisis. The bill, introduced Thursday by Rep. Marcy Kaptur and Rep. Rashida Tlaib, is large and sweeping. It would be one of the largest bills aimed at fixing blight and keeping low-income neighborhoods together. โWe donโt want to tear down our neighborhoods anymore, we want to invest in them,โ Tlaib said. The only GOP official to co-sponsor the bill is also from Michigan, Rep. Fred Upton.
Property values go up in nearly every Detroit neighborhood
Read full article: Property values go up in nearly every Detroit neighborhoodDETROIT โ Officials with the city of Detroit announced Thursday that property values increased an average of 8% for the city. Still, there are those who think the assessing process is weighted against the cityโs poorest, and Duggan is challenging those claims. โProperty values in the city went up 8% last year,โ Duggan said. Duggan presented a map of Detroit where green areas meant increased values and red meant decreased. Detroit is a unique market and you canโt get those nuances simply from a sales study.โThe official data from the city of Detroit can be found here.
Washtenaw County community furnishes over 25 apartments for those exiting homelessness
Read full article: Washtenaw County community furnishes over 25 apartments for those exiting homelessnessItโs hard to furnish just one apartment but groups from around Ann Arbor and Washtenaw County have furnished over 25 in Avalon Housingโs new Hickory Way Apartments. By the end of the first phase of Hickory Way move-ins, community members will have filled 34 units. An additional 36 units will be available for Avalon Housing clients sometime in the summer, seven of which still need sponsors. (Heidi Ruud / HouseN2Home)Teams of volunteers and sponsors worked to collect items and set up over 25 apartments at Hickory Way in January. (Heidi Ruud / HouseN2Home)
Michigan State says on-campus students average 2.5 percentage points higher grade
Read full article: Michigan State says on-campus students average 2.5 percentage points higher gradeEAST LANSING, Mich. โ Undergraduates at Michigan State University will be required to live on campus a second year as part of efforts to help students toward graduating. An analysis by Michigan Stateโs Office of Institutional Research shows undergraduates who live on the East Lansing campus their first two years have graduation rates about 2.5 percentage points higher than those who live on campus only their first year. The difference is nearly 10 percentage points for some underserved student groups, the school said. Incoming students currently are required to spend their first academic year, which is made up of their first two semesters, on campus. Students who transfer to Michigan State will be required to live on campus unless they meet the exception criteria.
U-M warns of off-campus housing scams on social media
Read full article: U-M warns of off-campus housing scams on social mediaANN ARBOR โ The University of Michigan Division of Public Safety & Security warned Tuesday afternoon of subletting scams in Facebook groups for off-campus housing. In a Facebook post on its page, DPSS said that scammers typically create fake ads, or hijack existing ones. โIf you canโt meet in person, see the rental or sign a lease before you pay, keep looking,โ reads the post. There have been reports of subletting scams in off-campus housing Facebook groups. For more information and to spot signs of a scam, DPSS recommends visiting the Federal Trade Commissionโs Rental Listing Scam website.
โHood Closed to Gentrifiersโ street sign gains popularity in Detroit neighborhood
Read full article: โHood Closed to Gentrifiersโ street sign gains popularity in Detroit neighborhoodDETROIT โ A street sign that popped up in Detroit is gaining a lot of attention. The sign read, โHood Closed to Gentrifiersโ -- addressing a big concern among inner-city neighborhoods across the country. The man who created the sign is known as Bryce Detroit. โI would describe it as a neighborhood that is steeped in history, steeped in legacy,โ Bryce Detroit said. โIn particular, Black art and cultural economy.โBecause of his love for the neighborhood, Bryce Detroit had the gentrification road sign installed across from the Historic Apex Bar.
Winter warming shelters in Washtenaw County open ahead of schedule
Read full article: Winter warming shelters in Washtenaw County open ahead of scheduleThe countyโs main warming shelter, the Shelter Association of Washtenaw Countyโs Delonis Center, has cut its normal capacity in order to allow for proper social distancing. The Shelter Association also confirmed this week the receipt of additional funding that will facilitate hotel stays for medically fragile clients. This helped the shelter prioritize housing placements for its clients at the Red Roof Inn, according to Dill. Starting Monday, 25 clients staying at Red Roof Inn will be moved to other shelter accommodations. In a Facebook post on Friday, the group criticized the move to switch to warming center programming, citing the countyโs approval to redevelop the Red Roof Inn site.
City of Ann Arbor asking for public input on potential affordable housing
Read full article: City of Ann Arbor asking for public input on potential affordable housingANN ARBOR, Mich. โ The City of Ann Arbor wants community members to share their thoughts on the redevelopment of four city-owned properties. Each survey is open until Dec. 14 and takes between five to seven minutes. Community input can also be given during three live virtual sessions held from 6-8 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 1; Nov. 9 and Dec. 10. The city is currently in the conceptual design phase for the redevelopment. The redevelopment sites are:121 E. Catherine St. (4th Avenue and Catherine Street parking lot)353 S. Main St. (Main Street and East William Street parking lot)309 S. Ashley St. (Ashley Street and West William Street parking lot)721 N. Main (a 5.26-acre site used for municipal parking)Learn more about the redevelopment sites at community-engagement-annarbor.com/
Detroit mayor pledges $50 million to keep affordable housing in city
Read full article: Detroit mayor pledges $50 million to keep affordable housing in cityDETROIT โ As Detroit continues to come back, Mayor Mike Duggan wants to make sure the city is affordable for everyone. On Tuesday, Duggan, along with nonprofit organizations and JPMorgan Chase, announced a $50 million pledge to keep affordable housing in the city. The overall goal is to raise $75 million to develop housing, such as the Saint Rita building. Affordable housing can quickly evaporate when new jobs and businesses move into the city. But over the last few years, Duggan said of 4,000 affordable housing units that have expired, all have been renewed.
Expert calls Detroit housing, rental market โkind of wacky right nowโ
Read full article: Expert calls Detroit housing, rental market โkind of wacky right nowโDETROIT โ If youโre looking to buy or rent a house in Metro Detroit, you already know you need to act fast and be ready to pay. There are some major factors leading to a booming rental market, especially in the suburbs of Detroit. But thereโs also nuance to consider, as the entire housing market is changing right before our eyes. โThe market is kind of wacky right now,โ Carberry said. I guess the weirdest thing about Detroit right now is itโs following a normal trajectory we would expect in a non-pandemic year.โMany renters are searching for a new home and finding the process infuriating.
Avalon Housing partners with HouseN2Home, Kiwanis Club of Ann Arbor to furnish affordable housing apartments
Read full article: Avalon Housing partners with HouseN2Home, Kiwanis Club of Ann Arbor to furnish affordable housing apartmentsANN ARBOR, Mich. Ann Arbors Avalon Housing has partnered with two organizations to furnish 70 units of affordable housing at Hickory Way Apartments. Working with Kiwanis Club of Ann Arbor Foundations Kiwanis Thrift Sale and HouseN2Home, a Ypsilanti-based nonprofit organization, Avalon Housing is trying to furnish each unit for future tenants. Tenants are exiting homelessness and will begin leases and move into Hickory Way units in December, according to a news release. Starting Sept. 15, those wishing to help can take gently used and clean furniture to the Kiwanis Thrift Sale store on North Staebler Road. Avalon Housing is not taking applications for the Hickory Way units.
$36M mixed-income development breaks ground in Detroits Midtown
Read full article: $36M mixed-income development breaks ground in Detroits MidtownDETROIT A $36 million mixed-income and mixed-use development has broken ground in Detroits Midtown. At Develop Detroit, we believe in high quality housing for all, said Sonya Mays, president and CEO of Develop Detroit. Sugar Hill District development renderings. Freelon whose works include the Smithsonian National Museum of African-American History and Culture in Washington and Atlantas National Center for Civil and Human Rights passed away in 2019. HRD is committed to ensuring that Detroits renaissance includes a place for everybody, and we are proud to partner with Develop Detroit and POAH on this important project.
Affordable housing development planned for Detroits Milwaukee Junction neighborhood
Read full article: Affordable housing development planned for Detroits Milwaukee Junction neighborhoodDETROIT The City of Detroits Housing and Revitalization Department announced Tuesday construction plans for a new affordable housing project in the citys Milwaukee Junction neighborhood. According to a press release, the 22,845 square-foot, four-story development is planned to be located at 258 Milwaukee Street and cost about $8 million. This is truly a mixed-income development, one that is representative of the community as a whole, Donald Rencher, director of the Housing and Revitalization Department, said in the release. It also creates affordable housing opportunities in an area experiencing rising rents. A successful city is an inclusive city, and this is why it is one of our key missions as a department.The housing initiative was initiated through the Low-Income Housing Tax Credits from the Michigan State Housing Development Authority, as well as support from the citys Housing and Revitalization Department and citys Housing Commission.
Troy homeowners fight for I-75 noise barrier
Read full article: Troy homeowners fight for I-75 noise barrierTROY, Mich. Any chance of a peaceful evening in Troys Beach Forest Subdivision is often drowned out by the traffic on Interstate 75. Several blocks south of here, they complain they cant open their windows because of the noise, said Beach Forest homeowner Chuch Pappas. Homeowner Verba Edwards has been lobbying the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) for a sound wall for the last four years. Homeowner Chris Steele said, My reaction was well its loud enough to wake the dead.MDOT stated that the sound wall is for an adjacent complex. However, homeowners still fear that not witnessing the certain level of noise they previously experienced could lower their property taxes.
Ann Arbor realtors weigh in on real estate during pandemic
Read full article: Ann Arbor realtors weigh in on real estate during pandemicANN ARBOR, Mich. Combined, Tammi Ebenhoeh and her daughter, Alexa Ebenhoeh, have 22 years of experience in real estate around Ann Arbor, but neither expected the changes theyve seen in the market during the COVID-19 pandemic. Through this pandemic, it made me realize that real estate is essential. Housing is a need, not a want, said Alexa, a Charles Reinhart Realtor based in Ann Arbor. While people are rushing to buy homes, both Tammi and Alexa said that theyve seen a lot of deals be dropped. As for what the future of the Ann Arbor real estate market looks like, neither of the realtors is sure.
Housing activists want Michigan Gov. Whitmer to extend ban on evictions amid COVID-19 pandemic
Read full article: Housing activists want Michigan Gov. Whitmer to extend ban on evictions amid COVID-19 pandemicDETROIT โ Evictions are set to resume on Wednesday, and that could mean a lot of people will be put out on the streets. Gretchen Whitmer issued a ban on evictions, but that is set to expire on Wednesday. READ: Police around Metro Detroit flooded by calls from residents reporting others not wearing masksAn eviction diversion program is set to begin on Wednesday. Housing activists are fearful that it will not be up and running in time, putting renters at risk of eviction. Theyโre hoping that Whitmer can revisit the deadline before countless families are out on the streets.
Hard times hitting home? Here are ways to avoid foreclosure amid pandemic
Read full article: Hard times hitting home? Here are ways to avoid foreclosure amid pandemicDuring a time in which some people are being furloughed or have lost their jobs altogether, the reality of foreclosure can become a scary thing.
University of Michigan research finds 1 eviction case filed for every 6 rented housing units
Read full article: University of Michigan research finds 1 eviction case filed for every 6 rented housing unitsANN ARBOR, Mich. The Michigan Eviction Project at the University of Michigan has found that eviction cases were filed for one in every six rental housing units within Michigan in 2018. Thats an eviction filing rate of 17% according to a jointly conducted study done in partnership with Legal Services of South Central Michigan. But through data from the Michigan State Court Administrative Office, the Michigan Eviction Project found that the state already had high eviction filing rates before the pandemic and its economic fallout. An eviction filing is when a landlord files a legal complaint to begin an eviction case against their tenant. The Michigan Eviction Project made recommendations in order to reduce evictions, such as the establishment and funding of eviction diversion programs and the right to counsel for tenants across Michigan.
Michigan receives $1.5M to provide housing for people living with disabilities
Read full article: Michigan receives $1.5M to provide housing for people living with disabilitiesLANSING, Mich. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced Tuesday that $1.5 million will be provided to Michigan to provide housing to non-elderly people living with disabilities. This funding will provide vital housing options for some of the most vulnerable among us, individuals with disabilities across Michigan, said HUD Midwest Regional Administrator Joseph P. Galvan. It will also prevent homelessness and promote independent living in the least restrictive setting while diverting from more costly institutionalization.The following organizations will receive the following allocations:Ann Arbor Housing Commission - $421,648Grand Rapids Housing Commission - $242,200Housing Services Mid-Michigan - $215,974Michigan State Housing Development Authority - $205,423Detroit Housing Commission - $180,839Wyoming Housing Commission - $68,490Pontiac Housing Commission - $63,232Port Huron Housing Commission - $59,135Melvindale Housing Commission - $56,398Michigans $1.5 million allocation is part of a nearly $77 million distributed throughout the country. You can see a list of how much funding each state will be allocated here. HUD also recently allocated $11 million to Michigan Public Housing Authorities earlier this month in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
Michigan launches mortgage relief partnership amid coronavirus: How it could help you
Read full article: Michigan launches mortgage relief partnership amid coronavirus: How it could help youParticipating financial institutions are listed on the MiMortgage Relief Partnership Financial Institutions page. Participating financial institutions are listed on the MiMortgage Relief Partnership Financial Institutions page. โThrough the MiMortgage Relief Partnership, financial institutions will continue to help customers find the solutions that best fit their needs, and to focus relief efforts on those most impacted by the crisis. Borrowers with these loans may wish to visit the CFPB guide to coronavirus mortgage relief options. For more information on COVID-19 related mortgage relief, see: www.michigan.gov/MiMortgageRelief or call DIFS toll-free at 877-999-6442.