Northern Michigan has a housing problem, and Leelanau County is looking for the public’s help to address it.
The Leelanau Housing Collaborative is working to address housing struggles there and they have a survey circulating between now and Sept. 15.
They’ve already received about 1,200 responses, but want more.
Take the survey from the Leelanau Housing Collaborative. The deadline is Sept. 15.
“It’s important for us to get more input from not only people under the age of 45 but also from people who work in the county but can’t afford or don’t live in the county," said Bob Johnson, who is part of the housing collaborative through his work with the Sleeping Bear Gateways Council.
Johnson and others working on the survey are hopeful that they can get a clear idea of people’s particular concerns and the possible solutions they see.
"We're really, with this survey, trying to see how people feel about these things," he said. "Are they concerned about workers not being able to live here? Are they concerned about their children going away because they can't find a home here?"
Housing costs in northern Michigan have gone up in recent years and Leelanau County can be among the highest priced.
That presents some big problems, said Jim Bardenhagen. He's a farmer in Suttons Bay who volunteers with the housing collaborative through his work with the Leelanau Peninsula Economic Foundation.
He's seen Leelanau County's affordability change a lot over the years. And he's seen the problems that come with it — including high turnover in essential jobs.
“Everybody wants services. Everybody wants firemen. Everybody wants school teachers," Bardenhagen said. "When they can’t find a place to stay, even though they’ve got a job offer, they sometimes leave.”
The Leelanau Housing Collaborative survey — and more information about the group itself — can be found through their website.
