These Housing Opportunities Need Your Support!
Marion Township Manufactured Home Community
A local business owner has purchased an 89 acre parcel of land in Marion Township for a proposed manufactured home community housing development. The project complies with the State standards for a manufactured home community, and includes a nature preserve with trails for residents.
This requires a rezone request, which was supported by the Marion Township Planning Commission, supported by the Charlevoix County Planning Commission, and ultimately passed by the Marion Township Board of Commissioners.
Neighbors of the property have secured enough signatures from Marion Township residents to challenge the rezone approval at the August 2024 election; the development is on hold pending the election.
WHAT YOU CAN DO NOW: Educate Marion Township voters on the importance of this development and urge voters to VOTE YES to uphold the zoning approval.
City of Charlevoix Old Department of Public Works (DPW) Site
The City of Charlevoix recently relocated its DPW facility, demolishing its old buildings and creating a now-vacant parcel within the City. Under municipal ownership, the property presents various opportunities for the City to make an impact on our housing crisis.
Citizens led two ballot petitions for the November 2023 election, one to require the City to use this property for year-round housing, the other to require the City to designate the property a park. Both ballot proposals failed to pass (493 YES to 507 NO for housing; 430 YES to 561 NO for a park). The parcel remains vacant, under City ownership, and awaiting direction from City Council.
WHAT YOU CAN DO NOW: Call your elected City Council members to urge action to designate this property for housing
Eveline Township Manufactured Home Community
The developer of the Marion Township Manufactured Home Community also owns the neighboring acreage which falls in Eveline Township, and is seeking rezone to allow the parcel to be used for more homes.
WHAT YOU CAN DO NOW: Call Eveline Township Commissioners and urge approval of the rezone request to allow for a much-needed residential community!
Marion Township Apartments At The Old Loeb Schoolhouse
The property owner of the old Loeb Road Schoolhouse, which already has multiple separate living quarters with some having been rented out to year-round tenants for years, has continued remodeling on the property to create more apartments for year-round use. The property requires a rezone to be used as a multi-family property.
Zoning enforcement action was taken against the owner and brought to the Marion Township Planning Commission, which has denied recommending approval for the rezone request.
WHAT YOU CAN DO NOW: Call Marion Township Commissioners and urge approval of rezoning the property to allow the current residents to continue to live there, and future residents to be able to call it home.
Marion Township Apartments At M66/Loeb Rd Commercial Center
The property owner of the commercial center at the corner of M66 and Loeb Rd has had decreased commercial demand for the units over the years, and is looking to help the housing crisis by converting the spaces to apartments. Each commercial space requires little remodeling to transition to a residential space, as the property was built with the ability to transition to residential in mind. The property requires a rezone to be used as a multi-family property.
WHAT YOU CAN DO NOW: Call Marion Township Planning Commissioners and urge approval of rezoning the property to allow the units to be used for rental apartments that are desperately needed!