TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. (WPBN/WGTU) — Housing North, a Traverse City-based organization, is seeking $10 million to bolster its Rapid Response Housing Fund aimed at addressing the affordable housing crisis in Northern Michigan.
The fund, launched in 2023, provides low-interest revolving loans to developers for housing projects.
State Representative John Roth knows how to talk to be heard and also knows what up here needs.
“We need that housing element up here. Can’t get teachers, can’t get first responders, police, you name it without getting some housing,” said Roth.
Yarrow Brown, Housing North’s Executive Director, emphasized the need for affordable housing, stating, “We don’t want anybody paying more than 30% of their income on housing.”
Despite progress, Brown acknowledged that more work is needed. “I think, yes, we have seen a lot more progress, but there’s still a lot that needs to be made,” Brown said.
The organization currently has $300,000 in its fund but aims to increase this to $10 million to effectively support housing projects across 10 counties.
“So obviously the 300,000 is not gonna have an impact on our 10 counties. We want to be able to at least have a million per county to be able to work with and deploy funds and then a goal of growing that over time to have it be even bigger,” Brown said.
State Representative John Roth, (R)-104th District, is advocating for a one-time $10 million payment to the fund in the next state budget.
“We give away grants all over the state of Michigan a lot of them downstate the last budget in particular Northern Michigan saw less than 10% of the budget go north,” Roth said. “Let’s do something that makes a real difference in it has more fiscal impact and more sound definitely.”
The proposed funding would allow the money to be loaned out and returned with interest, creating a sustainable cycle for future projects.
“The idea is hopefully it will be going in perpetuity. So as projects are funded, that money will start to come back over time,” Brown said.
The request is part of the upcoming budgeting process, and its approval may take months. Meanwhile, Housing North is urging public support by encouraging residents to contact lawmakers. Roth emphasized the importance of advocating for the region, saying, “We’re gonna have to pull for northern Michigan pretty hard.”
For more information you can head to General Housing North.