Lofts at Lumber Square
Having homes for our workforce is crucial to the strength of our local economy and our community as a whole. Being able to live and work in Emmet County, however, is becoming increasingly difficult as the number and price of available homes does not meet demand.
Imagine a bustling neighborhood along the Emmet Street corridor and the Petoskey Greenway. When the 60-apartment Lofts at Lumber Square project is completed, 165 more people will have a safe place to call home. Picture school-aged kids walking from home to a nearby school. Think of fewer help wanted signs in local business windows because there are places to live for the people in our workforce: health care workers, teachers and school staff, hospitality, retail and service staff.
In November 2023, we hosted a ceremonial groundbreaking for the Lofts at Lumber Square (below) alongside our project partners, including Haan Development, Northern Homes Community Development Corporation, and a host of state agencies, funders, and donors. Construction is set to begin soon with the new apartments expected to be available in 2025.
To learn more about the Community Foundation's involvement in Lofts at Lumber Square, please contact David (DJ) Jones, executive director of the Community Foundation, at 231-348-5820.
Emmet Housing Solutions Fund
One main challenge for creating new, attainable housing is simply the cost of purchasing land and ensuring that it meets environmental and zoning requirements for development. Additional costs may also include legal and engineering fees, designs and site plans, to name only a few.
In order to help overcome some of these barriers to building homes, the Community Foundation established the Emmet Housing Solutions Fund in December 2019 with support from the Frey Foundation. This fund provides a financial resource to address the costs of creating homes, focusing in part on the early development costs. The fund makes both grants and loans, and will actively partner with others to leverage additional resources.
