The 15 RHPs will identify and guide their regions of the state through the plan’s implementation
Lansing, Mich. – Today, the Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA) announced lead agencies to 15 Regional Housing Partnerships (RHP) across the state. The agencies will work with local governments, nonprofits, developers, businesses, local health departments, grassroots organizations, philanthropic organizations, and other partners to create and implement action plans that address the housing needs of their regions in alignment with Michigan’s Statewide Housing Plan.
“We’re proud to announce these agencies as leaders in their region and will work closely with them to ensure every Michigander has safe, quality, affordable, and accessible housing in a community of their choice,” said Amy Hovey, executive director at MSHDA. “These agencies, along with the efforts of community leaders, developers, and everyone involved in the Statewide Housing Plan implementation, are crucial to overcoming the complex barriers to attainable housing. We look forward to supporting these agencies as they help us build a healthy housing ecosystem in Michigan.”
The Statewide Housing Plan, launched in 2022, is a strategic planning process aimed at increasing the stock of affordable housing and ensuring every Michigander who needs it has access. The lead agencies of the Regional Housing Partnerships will ensure each region of the state can address its unique housing needs by creating original action plans, which will be submitted to MSHDA in Fall 2023.
The lead agencies will receive $175,000 in grant funding for plan creation, with the grant term ending May 31, 2025. The Community Economic Development Association of Michigan (CEDAM) and the Michigan State University Extension (MSUE) have partnered with MSHDA to assist with plan creation and provide training and capacity-building services for each region’s needs.
The full list of RHP lead agencies with public contact information for each region is as follows:
- Region A – Western Upper Peninsula Housing Partnership Lead
- Western U.P. Planning & Development Region (WUPPDR)
- Jerald Wuorenmaa, Executive Director & Grant Administrator, jwuorenmaa@wuppdr.org, 906-4082-7025 ext. 111
- Region B – Central Upper Peninsula Housing Partnership Co-Leads
- Central Upper Peninsula Planning and Development (CUPPAD)
- Ryan Soucy, Senior Planner, Rsoucy@cuppad.org, 906-399-1371
- Community Action Alger Marquette (CAAM)
- Michelle LaJoie, Executive Director, mlajoie@communityactionam.org, 906-250-2506
- Region C – Eastern Upper Peninsula Housing Partnership Co-Leads
- Eastern UP Regional Planning & Development Commission (EUPRPDC)
- Jeff Hagan, CEO, jshagan@eup-planning.org
- Chippewa-Mackinac-Luce Community Action Agency
- Region D – Northwest Housing Partnership Lead
- Housing North
- Yarrow Brown, Executive Director, yarrow@housingnorth.org, 231-335-1685
- Region E – Northeast Housing Partnership Lead
- Target Alpena Development Corporation
- Lenny Avery, Economic Development Coordinator, lavery@alpenachamber.com, 989-354-4181
- Region F – West Michigan Housing Partnership Tri-Leads
- Housing Next
- Brooke Oosterman, Director, brooke@housingnext.org, 269-806-3124
- The Right Place, Inc.
- Urban League of West Michigan
- Region G – East Central Michigan Housing Partnership Lead
- East Michigan Council of Governments
- Bill Ernat, Program Manager, bernat@emcog.org, 989-992-8700
- Region H – East Michigan Housing Partnership Co-Leads
- Communities First, Inc.
- Joel Arnold, Planning and Advocacy Manager, jarnold@communitiesfirstinc.org, 810-422-5358, ext. 1007
- GLS Region V Planning and Development Commission/Genesee County Metropolitan Planning Commission
- Anthony Kelly, Planner, AKelly1@geneseecountymi.gov, 810-766-6566
- Region I – South Central Housing Partnership Co-Leads
- Tri-County Regional Planning Commission
- Nicole Baumer, Deputy Director, and Emma Gilbert, Economic Development Planner, housingdrives@mitcrpc.org, 517-393-0342
- Capital Area Housing Partnership
- Rawley Van Fossen, Executive Director, rawley@capitalareahousing.org, 517-332-4663
- Region J – Southwest Housing Partnership Co-Leads
- E. Upjohn Institute
- Emily Petz, Community Development Coordinator, petz@upjohn.org, 269-385-0458
- Integrated Services of Kalamazoo
- Region K – Southeast Housing Partnership Lead
- Community Action Agency – Jackson
- Toby Berry, CEO, tberry@caajlh.org, 517-539-8311
- Region L – Oakland Housing Partnership Quad-Leads
- Alliance for Housing, Oakland County's Continuum of Care
- Leah McCall, Executive Director, lmccall-alliance@oaklandhomeless.org, 248-221-1854
- Community Housing Network, Inc.
- Kirsten Elliott, Vice President Chief Operating Officer, kelliott@chninc.net 248-269-1302
- Pontiac Housing Commission
- Ahmad Taylor, Executive Director, ataylor@pontiachousing.com, 248-338-4551, ext. 201
- Yvette N. Transou, Deputy Director, ytransou@pontiachousing.com
- Pontiac Community Foundation
- Dustin McClellan, Founder/CEO, dustin@pontiaccommunityfoundation.org, 248-246-6606
- Jacob Willson, Program Associate, jacob@pontiaccommunityfoundation.org
- Region M – Macomb Housing Partnership Lead
- Macomb County Health and Community Services
- dohcs@macombgov.org, 586-469-7190
- Region N – Wayne Housing Partnership Lead
- Wayne Metro Community Action Agency
- Courtney Hierlihy, Interim Executive Director Green & Healthy Homes, chierlihy@waynemetro.org, 313-463-5534
- Daija Butler, CoC Administrator, dbutler@waynemetro.org, 313-202-0329
- Region O – Detroit Housing Partnership Co-Leads
- Community Development Advocates of Detroit
- Madhavi Reddy, Executive Director, madhavireddy@cdad-online.org, 313-452-1166
- Local Initiatives Support Corporation of Detroit (LISC)
- Alese Springer, Sr. Program Officer, Housing, aspringer@lisc.org, 313-612-4712
About MSHDA The Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA), established in 1966, provides financial and technical assistance through public and private partnerships to create and preserve safe and decent affordable housing, engage in community economic development activities, develop vibrant cities, towns and villages, and address homeless issues.
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