50 housing professionals, community leaders, developers and advocates gathered recently in Hancock. Last month, the Western Upper Peninsula Planning and Development Commission hosted the Wester U.P. Housing Summit at the Finnish American Heritage Center.
The group included state and regional leaders, such as Amy Hovey, CEO and Executive Director of MSHDA, Anne Giroux of Invest UP, Nicki Basch from the Great Lakes Housing Service, and WUPPDR staff. The Western UP Housing Summit allowed leaders to hold discussion and learn about a variety of development tools that could help regional development and communities capture larger tax rolls, thus affording projects to improve infrastructure, recreational developments, and provide services to residents and businesses.
The gathering also offered individuals the chance to share recent wins for the region such as new developments, recreational and economic, as well as learn about the establishment of the L’Anse area CDC. During discussion the group also talked about challenges to the western upper peninsula’s communities, and how various resources within the Upper Peninsula or Michigan would help.
ICECA Executive Director Zach Hautala says having many different resources present in a single room offered beneficial conversations, and opportunities to learn about tools for economic development.
