As the housing market in northern Michigan continues to grow more competitive, some young entrepreneurs are finding creative solutions to their housing problems. Emily Grof is the architectural associate at the firm Design Smiths in Traverse City. She is one such creative problem solver who, with the help of Facebook Marketplace and Traverse City-based tiny-home builder Levi Meeuwenberg, has come up with a small solution for herself to the looming question of where to live.
It was the year of high water, as Lake Michigan water levels nearly eclipsed their all-time record—just six years after setting their all-time low. That made beach walking difficult; it exacerbated conflicts over beach-walking rights along riparian-owned property; it made the reality of Climate Change even more dire, and it contributed to flooding in Leland’s historic Fishtown.
The ever-widening gap between the wealthy and the working class is probably the greatest cause of Leelanau County’s affordable housing crisis, says Timothy Young. We are never going to solve the housing crisis until we solve the labor pay scale.
If you have been to the Empire Village Inn in the last two years, you have likely noticed some changes. The menu has been revamped, the beer menu has expanded, and the bar has been rebuilt, all thanks to the newest general manager, Riley Scott, who was hired by owner Frank Lerchen in the fall of 2017. Scott had been working in the restaurant industry in Grand Rapids, and moved north when offered a management position to help make some changes to the establishment.
The topic of housing in Leelanau County––and the lack of affordable housing––is one that seems to come up often for those who live here. Among my peers––entrepreneurs and workers in their late-20s to early-30s––housing discussions are often filled with a bit of discouragement.
It’s no secret that finding practical housing in Leelanau County for year-round residents is a difficult feat. While summer retreats and expensive waterfront properties are abundant, family homes at an affordable price are not easy to find. Enter Cedar Cove Estates, a planned subdivision created with the local in mind.
With the Aug. 7 primary election a stone’s throw away, and with incumbent Curt VanderWall (a Republican from Ludington) vacating the State House seat that represents Michigan’s 101st District (serving Leelanau, Benzie, Manistee, and Mason counties), we submitted the following questions to four candidates vying to be our next state representative in Lansing.
In Northport, the nonprofit housing development corporation Leelanau REACH project hopes to establish a model for sustainable, quality affordable housing in both physical development and community philosophy.
A shortage of low-cost housing led Cherry Republic and The Leelanau School to enter into a beneficial partnership in recent days. The Cochran Dormitory on Leelanau School’s campus is being renovated through a $30,000 donation from Cherry Republic which will turn it into a desirable and affordable summer lodging option for employees who work for Cherry Republic and other area businesses.
Wessell, the incumbent, is challenged by Republican Tom Van Pelt in District 4, which represents Leelanau Township, which includes the town of Northport