LANSING, MI - On June 18, 2024, Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) is awarding Brownfield Redevelopment Grants totaling $2.32 million to three projects that will help build 183 new housing units in Flint, Ann Arbor, and Ypsilanti.

“Every Michigander deserves a safe and affordable place to call home,” said Governor Gretchen Whitmer. “These three brownfield redevelopment projects will help build 183 units to address the critical need for more housing in Ann Arbor, Flint and Ypsilanti. Affordable housing provides stability to families, which has been shown to improve their health, allows them to live closer to their jobs, and frees up money they can spend in their communities. Let’s keep making the largest investments in housing in Michigan history and pursue our strategy of build, baby, build!”

“Brownfield redevelopment investments are paving the way for accessible affordable housing solutions," said EGLE Director Phil Roos. "EGLE's brownfield program empowers communities to reclaim contaminated properties and address legacy pollution. This work bolsters tax revenues, protects our natural resources, and safeguards public health. We're proud to contribute to the expansion of affordable housing in Ann Arbor, Flint and Ypsilanti."

Orchard Manor & Orchard Grove, Flushing Road, Flint & Flint Township

A $320,000 EGLE grant will help clean up the2.8-acre site straddling the boundary between the city and township that has been vacant since 2007. Plans for the $23.8 million project call for three new buildings with 74 residential units and space for a mixture of community services like a health wellness center and financial counseling. The new buildings will bridge the gap between neighborhoods to the east and a commercial corridor to the west, making the area more walkable. Construction is expected to be finished in fall 2025.

“This EGLE grant will be extremely beneficial to the community. Removing these materials and revitalizing this space will open up the area to new developments,” said state Representative Cynthia Neeley (D- Flint).  “The grant funding will clean up the lot, which is the first step in a long process to bring back this neglected area. We are looking at 74 new residential units, health services and financial counseling. This upgrade will not only allow us to provide more accessible housing and community spaces, but will also make the area more walkable. I could not be more excited to see the positive impact this grant will foster.”

Catherine Street Affordable Housing, Catherine Street, Ann Arbor 

A $1 million EGLE grant will help clear the way for 63 units of what the city says will be 100% affordable housing within walking distance of downtown Ann Arbor. Half the units will be set aside for households who are homeless. Grant money will be used for site assessments, demolition, erosion control, and removal of soil and groundwater contaminants. Construction on the $33.3 million project is scheduled to be finished in spring 2025. 

“The redevelopment of brownfield properties into housing units is an innovative, responsive approach to address the housing crisis confronting our state and country,” said state Senator Jeff Irwin (D-Ann Arbor). “The Catherine Street Affordable Housing project in Ann Arbor, as well as the Dorsey Estates development in Ypsilanti, will not only create affordable homes for our community — they will also boost the economic activity of our downtowns and clean up contaminated soil.”

“Affordable housing is an issue at the forefront of our community. This EGLE grant will be put toward clearing land to begin making affordable housing a reality in downtown Ann Arbor,” said state Representative Jason Morgan (D-Ann Arbor). “This grant makes it possible to provide accessible housing in walking distance from downtown, with half of the 63 incoming housing units specifically being used to support homeless families. We owe it to the community to provide affordable housing for everyone in the area. This grant is part of a big step for putting people first in our region.” 

Dorsey Estates, North Park Street, Ypsilanti 

The site of a former Boys and Girls Club will be turned into 46 housing units walking distance from downtown Ypsilanti and the city’s historic Depot Town district. A $1 million EGLE grant will pay for removal of contaminated fill material and follow-up testing to check for any further risks. Half of the new units in the $16.5 million redevelopment will be designated as workforce housing and set aside for owners making 40%-80% of the Area Median Income. Renovare Development, a majority woman-owned company based in Ypsilanti, plans to add pocket parks, a stormwater basin, and other greenspace that will connect to existing pathways. Construction is expected to be finished in 2026. 

Governor Whitmer’s Work to Invest in Affordable, Attainable, and Sustainable Housing

- Released in 2022, Michigan’s first Statewide Housing Plan set a goal of 115,000 units over the next five years. Since Governor Whitmer took office, the State of Michigan has built or rehabilitated 34,000 affordable housing units, supporting 20,000 good-paying construction jobs.

- In her 2024 State of the State Address, she announced that the State of Michigan will make the largest investment to build housing in Michigan history, nearly $1.4 billion to build or rehabilitate nearly 10,000 affordable homes.

- Signed a bipartisan supplemental investing $275 million to build and refurbish thousands of affordable housing units, revitalize communities, and address blight. 

- Secured a sustainable funding source for the Housing and Community Development Fund, to meet affordable, attainable housing needs for working-class families. 

- Secured a sustainable funding source for Revitalization and Placemaking Grants, used to make communities more attractive places to live and work by building housing.

- Made historic investments in the Building Michigan Together Plan to build and refurbish affordable housing units for working class families.

- Signed Transformational Brownfield legislation to power economic development and finance affordable housing in communities across Michigan.

- Helped thousands of families buy homes through the Down Payment Assistance and MI Home Loan Mortgage Programs.

- Helped tens of thousands of families stay in their homes and prevent foreclosure with the funding from the Michigan Homeowners Assistance Fund.