GRAND TRAVERSE COUNTY — Housing in Grand Traverse County has been the topic of conversation for many people who live in the area.
Now, there are more positives to be added to the topic.
On Thursday, the Traverse City Housing Commission, Smith & Henzy Affordable Group, Wolverine Building Group, and the Michigan State Housing Development Authority, all came together for the grand opening and ribbon cutting celebration for The Flats at Carriage Commons – Phase I.
Jamerson Ries, Vice President of Wolverine Building Group, tells us “This is a project that’s, designed for the 30 to 70% AMI households. So that is a very affordable type, product that’s being built, that’s needed to serve the people that that work in such a great community up here.”
Rent at The Flats ranges between $1,084 and $1,577 depending on the room someone is in.
Executive Director of Traverse City Housing Commission Karl Fulmer tells us that this is a blending the concept of workforce housing and easily accessible public transit.
Traverse Connect also made a dent in housing this week by launching the Make Your Home in Northwest Michigan grant application. This program provides eligible individuals with grant funding to support housing costs.
Abby Baudry, Head of Michigan’s Creative Coast at Traverse Connect says "Anyone who is employed by a local company and it’s seeking housing in northwest lower Michigan, in the form of a new lease or new mortgage. And by that, we mean no earlier than April 1st of 2025. They will be eligible to apply. ”
The grant was born from the Michigan Growth Office when they began their statewide effort to kickstart population growth in the state.
The Make Your Home in Northwest Michigan grant will provide ten applicants with $5,000 each to to support their housing expenses.
Abby adds “So the $5,000 is up to the individual grantee to decide how to use it. We are making sure and we’re verifying their housing and their employment status to make sure that they are indeed seeking new housing.That’s sort of our goal there. Whether or not they use it for housing, it’s up to them. It’s it’s going towards their bottom line. So our goal is to, to help them with that $5,000 to lower that barrier to housing for them and their family. ”
Partners in the grant include Networks Northwest, Alliance for Economic Success, and the Petoskey, Charlevoix, and Manistee area chambers.
Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until May 26, 2026 or until all ten awards have been granted.
The Flats are already 80% filled, and they welcome people to apply for housing with them.