Macomb County is celebrating the construction of new affordable housing in Eastpointe, an initiative made possible through a partnership between the County’s Department of Planning and Economic Development (MCPED) and Community Housing Network. The modular project, located in a previously vacant lot at the northeast corner of Kelly Road and Toepfer Drive, creates eight new rental apartments. The units include five one-bedrooms and three two-bedrooms, with one unit that is fully accessible.
“This was an incredible collaborative effort between our department and Community Housing Network, and it addresses a very real problem facing many individuals - housing availability and affordability” said Vicky Rowinski, director (MCPED). “Obviously there’s more work to be done, but this is a step in the right direction and I’m proud of the partnership that is making this all possible.”
According to the U.S. Department of Treasury:
“This was an incredible collaborative effort between our department and Community Housing Network, and it addresses a very real problem facing many individuals - housing availability and affordability” said Vicky Rowinski, director (MCPED). “Obviously there’s more work to be done, but this is a step in the right direction and I’m proud of the partnership that is making this all possible.”
According to the U.S. Department of Treasury:
- Over the last two decades, housing costs have been rising faster than incomes. More than 90 percent of Americans live in counties where median rents and house prices grew faster than median incomes from 2000 to 2020.
- Since 2000, housing demand has grown more than housing supply. This is largely due to changing demographics: although the construction of housing has kept pace with overall population growth, it has fallen well short of the estimated number of housing units demanded by an aging population.
The Eastpointe homes address some of these problems. When complete in June 2025, they will be leased to low-to-moderate income families at affordable rents. Two units will be occupied by families with incomes that do not exceed 50 percent of HUD-Adjusted Area Median Income (AMI). The remaining six units will be occupied by families with incomes that do not exceed 60 percent of AMI.
"Our mission is to empower people to live in affordable homes to help build thriving communities," says Community Housing Network CEO and President Kirsten Elliott. "Homelessness and housing instability are not exclusive to urban areas, and working families are increasingly feeling the squeeze of high inflation and housing costs. MCPED recognizes this, which is why we are so happy to partner with them on this project."
Community Housing Network chose modular apartments for the project, which were built off site by Champion Homes in a controlled manufacturing environment. Each home was constructed in sections, or modules, and then transported to the site, where starting April 22, they were installed on permanent foundations by professional installers. Following the completion of the installation phase, the team will finalize the buildings to ensure they are ready for residents by summer 2025.
“A major advantage with modular construction is shortening the construction timeline,” said Dave Rose, real estate development program manager, Community Housing Network. “From the start of site work to full completion and lease up, it is possible to achieve that in six to eight months, where traditional construction would likely take 12 months or longer. And it’s not what many think, these are not mobile homes. They are high quality homes built in a climate-controlled factory by trade professionals. This eliminates many of the variables present in traditional on-site construction.”
Funding for the project comes from Macomb County’s HOME program, a federal block grant which is distributed through the Department of Housing and Urban Development. The grant supports a wide range of activities including building, buying, and/or rehabilitating affordable housing for rent or homeownership or providing direct rental assistance to low-income people. The County contributed more than $1.1 million from its grant program. Additional funding includes $229,513 of program income from a 2019/2020 HOME-funded acquisition/rehab/resale project and a $450,000 permanent loan obtained by Community Housing Network through Springhill Housing Corporation.
“Funding projects like this can be complex, but through this unique partnership with Community Housing Network, we can open the door to housing for so many people who have previously been unable to access it,” said Stephanie Burgess, project manager, MCPED.
Community Housing Network has partnered with Macomb County for several years to create homeownership opportunities through acquisition/rehab/resale and rental property development. A ribbon cutting celebration, media event and home tours for the Eastpointe project will be hosted in June.
Photos and video from the installation of the homes are available here. To learn more about MCPED’s neighborhood and housing programs, click here.
About MCPED: The mission of the Macomb County Department of Planning and Economic Development is to retain, grow and attract economic investment while improving the overall quality of life for residents and businesses in Macomb County. The department accomplishes this through five distinct program areas: Economic development, parks and natural resources, community planning, mapping and data services, and marketing and communications.
About Community Housing Network: Community Housing Network’s mission is to empower people to live in affordable homes to help build thriving communities. Last year it helped more than 17,000 people, investing $12.5 million into local communities so children, families, people with disabilities and other vulnerable Metro Detroiters can live in affordable, stable homes. In addition to Eastpointe, Community Housing Network is developing workforce housing in communities such as Port Huron and Sault Ste Marie, as the increasing cost of living is pricing more working families and individuals out of the housing market. It also has services ranging from street outreach to homebuyer education, and we are the largest permanent supportive housing provider in both Macomb and Oakland County.
About Community Housing Network: Community Housing Network’s mission is to empower people to live in affordable homes to help build thriving communities. Last year it helped more than 17,000 people, investing $12.5 million into local communities so children, families, people with disabilities and other vulnerable Metro Detroiters can live in affordable, stable homes. In addition to Eastpointe, Community Housing Network is developing workforce housing in communities such as Port Huron and Sault Ste Marie, as the increasing cost of living is pricing more working families and individuals out of the housing market. It also has services ranging from street outreach to homebuyer education, and we are the largest permanent supportive housing provider in both Macomb and Oakland County.
Stephanie Burgess
586-466-6256
stephanie.burgess@macombgov.org
