OSHTEMO TOWNSHIP, Mich. — Housing is a top of mind issue for many Michiganders, but what about the solutions?
Part of solving Michigan's housing crisis is, of course, building more homes. In order to do so, many local governments have changed their zoning ordinances to allow for more density and different types of homes to be built.
That's the case for Oshtemo Township, where 48 acres of woods are going to be part of a first-of-its-kind project.
It's on the south side of West Main, in between 9th and 10th Streets. By late 2028, it will be a mix of housing and retail. It's called West Main Villages.
The project will feature more than 400 units of housing, with some being apartments, and others being what could be condos.
The project will have retail in the front. It will also provide connectivity to a surrounding neighborhood.
“If there’s a little boy here, who’s on the same team as this kid... now they’ll be able to ride their bikes to go see each other,” Jodi Stefforia said.
Jodi Stefforia is planning director for Oshtemo Township. She sat down with FOX 17 to explain what makes this project unique.
“It’s our first project using the mixed use district rezoning tool that the township put into place in March of last year,” Stefforia said.
The tool was not available in years past.
"Was this possible maybe 3 years ago, without zoning reform?" FOX 17 reporter Julie Dunmire asked.
“Not at this density,” Stefforia replied.
Michigan Association of Planning Director Andrea Brown explained why this specific type of housing is needed in Michigan.
“The household types in Michigan have been shifting over the last generation. Where we used to see a lot of family units, mom, dad, two kids. Where a 3 or 4 bedroom home was perfectly suitable for that unit. Families of that nature are diminishing in Michigan. We're seeing older households, which are often just one or two person households who don’t necessarily want a 2 or 3 bedroom unit. Or we’re seeing young people, who are staying single longer, who are not marrying and creating the family units from a generation or so ago,” Brown said.
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