Firm recommends building 100 new housing units in Alpena
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ALPENA -- Community Research Services, a real estate analyzing firm, recommended to the Alpena Municipal Council on Monday that the city build at least 100 housing units.
Kelly Murdock, owner and managing partner of Community Research Services, held a 20-minute presentation during the council's meeting to discuss the firm's findings and recommendations.
Murdock's findings, through field work and demographic data analysis, showed Alpena is doing good economically, but the city has an increasing senior citizen population, creating an increase in non-family households.
The firm also found that about 9% of the residential labor force is employed outside of Alpena County, which is less compared to other northern Michigan counties.
Murdock pointed out that there is an insufficient number of homes available for sale, pointing out that the available homes for sale don't match the primary demand.
"I can't blame the owners who are renting out their homes for short terms, but it's removing houses for people wanting a permanent place," Murdock said. "The community needs to be more proactive. Committees, nonprofits, they all need to come together to help out."
The presentation recommended homeownership options of the $175,000 to $275,000 range for mid-income households to increase diversity in households.
Additionally, the housing assessment from Community Research Services showed an approximate demand potential of more than 260 housing units, but recommended the city creates around 100 rental houses that are within the market rate. The firm also indicated that it would be ideal for these units to be in downtown Alpena.
Another recommendation from the firm for the Alpena Housing Task Force is to try alternative units such as reusing shipping containers for housing and tiny houses which are smaller units meant for smaller households.
Murdock has a positive outlook on the shipping containers, but is not as optimistic for the tiny houses.
"I really believe (tiny homes) are a fad," Murdock said. "They're really restrictive and sometimes just for one person. It may work in big urban markets, but not really for Alpena."
Murdock observed that these tiny homes are meant for people with small incomes and that placing smaller income people together in a designated region has not worked out for communities in the past.
He said with shipping containers, he's seen many that were reworked into "beautiful and retrofitted" homes and strongly recommended them.
Alpena Mayor Matt Waligora said Monday that those options have been brought up in some conversations, but said they're not ideal.
Waligora said he likes the idea of tiny homes because their typical architecture is much like a regular house's, mentioning that he's talked with Michael Mahler, economic director at Alpena Area Chamber of Commerce, about getting developers to come in and finding an area to build the smaller homes.
Waligora said he's seen the shipping containers in other areas and wants to "stay away from that."
The Alpena Municipal Council on Monday also:
∫ reached an agreement with the Patrol Officers Union during a closed meeting session.
The agreement for the Alpena Patrol Officers Division included a three year contract in which the first year will have a 3% increase with a $2 market adjustment, and the other two years will see a 3% increase, each.
It will also include a physical fitness incentive program, a .5% increase to contribution for employee pension, and an 80 hour bank for paternity leave.
A separate bank of parental leave of 40 hours is available for special circumstances but may not be used in conjunction with the 80 hour paternity leave.
∫ approved Resolution No. 2023-12, which accepts the terms of the Land and Water Conservation Fund Development Project Agreement with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.
∫ approved the Michigan Boating Pumpout Grant Program Project Agreement with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.
∫ cast the Following Votes to the Michigan Municipal League Workers' Compensation Fund Board of Trustees: Christine Burns, Appointee, Manager of the Village of Spring Lake, Juan Ganum, Appointee, Manager of the City of Bridgman; Kevin Klynstra, Appointee, Mayor of the City of Zeeland; Devin Olson, Incumbent, Manager of the City of Munising; Adam Smith, Incumbent, Manager/Municipal Executive of the City of Grand Ledge; and David Tossava, Incumbent, Mayor of the City of Hastings.
∫ approved bills to be allowed in the amount of $413,700.31.
∫ held a presentation in regards to the Mich-e-kew-is Shoreline Restoration Project by the Huron Pines AmeriCorps.
∫ held a presentation in regards to the Target Alpena Report by Michael Mahler.
∫ heard the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2023 report by Anna Soik, Finance Director.
∫ heard about the Water Recycling Plant SCADA Installation by Stephen Shultz, City Engineer, in their new business segment.