Rapid Response Housing Fund

JUMP TO:

Housing North Staff and Board Members in Lansing, advocating for the RRHF.

CALL TO ACTION - SUPPORT THE FUND

CALL TO ACTION - SUPPORT THE FUND

The Rapid Response Housing Fund (RRHF) is a regional revolving fund initiative developed by Housing North to support small to medium-sized housing projects across the 10-county Northwest Lower Michigan region (Region D per the Michigan Statewide Housing Plan). The fund’s goal is to help close financial gaps in housing developments aimed at households earning at or below 120% of the Area Median Income (AMI), through low-interest loans and targeted grants that will help add year-round housing.

Housing North is asking the State Legislature to invest $10 million to build a long-term sustainable fund that will catalyze the creation and rehabilitation of needed workforce housing across northwest Michigan. With a staggering 31,000 homes needed by 2027, including 22,000 for households earning under 120% of AMI, our region is at a tipping point. A long-term, sustainable fund is essential to preserve year-round housing, attract additional investment, and create lasting solutions through public-private partnerships.

This is our moment to build a future where housing works for everyone. With state support, we can turn urgent needs into real homes, ensuring Northwest Michigan thrives for generations to come.

GOALS OF THE RAPID RESPONSE HOUSING FUND (RRHF)

  1. INCREASE HOUSING SUPPLY IN A COMMUNITY RESPONSIVE WAY.

  2. REMOVE FINANCIAL BARRIERS TO HOUSING CONSTRUCTION OF SMALL TO MEDIUM-SIZE HOUSING.

  3. HAVE FLEXIBLE AND NIMBLE MEANS TO PROVIDE INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS TO HOUSING DEVELOPMENT.

How can you support the RRHF?

You can support the Rapid Response Housing Fund (RRHF) by signing our community letter to show your backing for a $10 million state appropriation, contacting your legislators to advocate for increased housing investment, and spreading the word about the urgent need for attainable housing in Northwest Michigan. Your voice can help influence policy, raise awareness, and inspire others to join the effort.

call to action

Please take a moment to contact Rep. John Roth (our legislative champion) and House LEO Chair Rep. Nancy Jenkins-Arno to urge their continued support for this one-time investment in workforce housing. You may also use or adapt this template letter if you wish to send a letter with more context. 

Conversion of northwest Michigan's housing inventory to seasonal housing and short-term rentals has increased at an alarming pace, drastically limiting housing options for our neighbors and devastating our region's economy by hindering businesses from attracting and retaining talent. We want to make sure we preserve our year-round rentals for our residents, while also understanding the need for short-term rentals.

In July of 2022, the Consumers Energy Foundation awarded a $100,000 matching challenge grant for a pilot program to launch the program. We met this challenge by December 2022 and are using the funding to develop phase I of this pilot program. This is incubating a larger vision for a revolving loan fund for housing projects in our region. In its pilot year, the Rental Preservation Project will facilitate a minimum of two affordable housing projects in Leelanau County, as well as create a replicable public-private model for other regional entities desperate to address their communities’ housing crises. The housing will be permanently restricted to long-term rental activity. To learn more about the program click here.

You can contact our Executive Director Yarrow Brown, for more information at yarrow@housingnorth.org.