Carolyn Fairman: Communities Know Best
Since joining Housing North, one question I've been asked is, "What's your current goal?" My answer is simple: I am listening.
Let’s face it, summer in NW Michigan is one of the many reasons why we live here. But as an avid outdoor enthusiast I get goosebumps on our first snowfall, imagining the first run down a ski slope. Right now, though, I’m having fun exploring the towns and beaches of NW Michigan and most importantly getting to know the people who live here year - round and learning what makes each community unique.
I want to absorb all I can about housing and all the efforts addressing housing needs so Housing North can continue to support the communities of NW Michigan in the most effective way possible. So, I’m listening first. Learning from you about the unique contexts for housing in each county and hearing what’s working well. Each conversation has reinforced something I already believed: every community has its own story, its own strengths, and its own housing challenges. There isn't a one-size-fits-all solution, and there shouldn't be.
While I am new to the housing sector, I bring more than 25 years of nonprofit leadership experience, leading organizations, building partnerships, strengthening stakeholder engagement, driving systems change, and supporting mission-driven teams. Those experiences have taught me that meaningful, lasting change happens when people come together around a shared purpose. My priority is to listen and build on the strong foundation that Housing North has already established, thanks to our former Executive Director, Yarrow Brown, and the incredible team working hard to bring people together around a shared goal.
The more I learn, the more convinced I become that housing is not a single issue. It is an ecosystem. There is no silver bullet in solving the housing crisis. We must work within the ecosystem in which communities can all learn from one another and adapt to meet their unique needs. When elected officials, developers, employers, nonprofits, and philanthropic entities come together and take ownership of solutions together, change happens.
Housing affects whether employers can attract workers, whether young families can stay in the communities they grew up in, whether older adults can age close to family, and whether local businesses, schools, healthcare providers, and emergency services have the workforce they need to succeed. When housing is out of reach, every part of a community feels the impact.
The encouraging news is that no one is trying to solve this challenge alone.
The data is clear. We know what the challenges are. While listening and convening are key, I look forward to driving concrete change, so we see both an increased understanding of how housing shortages impact communities and we also see more housing available with more people housed respectably. Housing North works in housing every day, giving us deep, on‑the‑ground insight into local realities. That focus lets us take the right steps—alongside each community—to deliver real, lasting progress.
As I continue visiting communities, my commitment is to keep listening, keep learning, and keep asking how Housing North can be the best partner possible. Northwest Michigan has always been defined by people who care deeply about where they live. That spirit of collaboration is one of the things that drew me here, and it gives me great optimism for what lies ahead.
The people who live and work here understand their strengths, their challenges, and the solutions that will work in their own backyards. My role and Housing North's role is not to arrive with all the answers, but to listen, connect people, share knowledge, and help communities turn local ideas into lasting progress. Because in our region, our communities and our people know best.
