Home Sweet Home's Interest-Free Bridge Loan Provides the Key that Opened the Door for New Homeowners
Home Sweet Home Nonprofit Housing Corporation has made it possible for a local family to become first-time homeowners.
On Friday May 16th Home Sweet Home Nonprofit Housing Corporation extended an interest-free Bridge Loan of just under $5,000 to George and Tina Reeves that allowed them to purchase a simple, decent home in Grawn. The Reeves had been approved for a first-time home mortgage.
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Wage & Employment Law Update for 2025
Under The Improved Workforce Opportunity Wage Act, a new minimum wage will be introduced on January 1, 2025, with another increase on February 21, 2025. At the same time, earned sick time rules will go into effect on February 21, 2025.
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North Stars: Patricia Soutas-Little is a Rural Child-Care Champion
Patricia Soutas-Little is trailblazing innovative new child care options for Northern Michigan families.
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Early Childhood Millage Renewal Meeting April 3, 2024
The early childhood millage renewal will be reviewed by the League of Women Voters of Leelanau County at a meeting on Wednesday, April 3 from 7 - 8 pm at the Suttons Bay High School auditorium. It may be viewed via zoom. You can download a copy of the poster from this post.
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Leelanau Businesses Surveyed to Inform Future Economic Foundations Initiatives
To help identify the relevant needs of our business community, LPEF has created a new survey asking county business and agri-business owners and senior managers for their valued input. Results from the 2024 survey will guide LPEF’s work for the coming years in supporting Leelanau County businesses, agri-businesses, and communities.”
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Business Survey for Leelanau County Businesses
Our Leelanau County business climate continues to rapidly evolve, as well as face potential challenges.
To learn directly from our Leelanau businesses, the Leelanau Peninsula Economic Foundation (LPEF) wishes to take your valued input and support our businesses and communities in addressing those identified issues.
Please click to take the survey NOW!
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Point Broadband Progress Update
Point Broadband’s primary focus continues to be the construction of a new fiber optic network to deliver high-speed internet to previously unserved properties in the County. Click to learn about their progress.
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How Local Organizations are Addressing the Childcare Crisis
While it may be home to dozens of lakes, bays, and rivers, much of northern Michigan is a desert. No, not the kind with cacti and camels—a childcare desert.
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Leelanau Peninsula Economic Foundation & Leelanau Internet Futures Team Update and Progress Report
This update focuses on new fixed-wireless high-speed internet from Agri-Valley Services available in parts of Centerville, Cleveland, Kasson, Leland, and Leelanau Townships.
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Leelanau Internet Futures Team & LPEF Update & Progress Report
Marilyn Passmore, Director of State Governmental Affairs and Spectrum Rural Expansion for Indiana and Michigan, shares information on Charter’s progress in expanding broadband in Empire, Kasson, Glen Arbor, and Cleveland Townships.
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New Child Care Facilities Ready to Open in Leelanau County
The Infant & Toddler Child Care Start Up (ITCS), a working group within the Leelanau Early Childhood Development Commission (LECDC), announced today that owing to their continuing efforts, more child care facilities are opening in Leelanau County.
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Leelanau Housing Ready Program Quarterly Update
Zachary Hillyer, the Housing Ready Director for Leelanau County and has been working nonstop in Leelanau towards housing solutions and helping Leelanau become Housing Ready! Click for Zach’s notable activities of this quarter.
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Leelanau Internet Futures Team (LIFT) Update & Progress Report
Winter activity has centered on preparations towards launching construction when the snow melts, the ground thaws, and temperatures are more conducive for working outdoors. There are developments to report.
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Michigan Housing Tools Webinar Recording
On March 13th 2023, Housing North staff, members of our community and the Housing Michigan Coalition met to share information and dive deeper into the new and expanded tools for housing and how we can implement them in Northwest Michigan to expand housing solutions.
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Local Childcare Startup Prepares to Bring 5 New Infant/Toddler Daycares Online in Leelanau County
Last February, the Leelanau Early Childhood Development Commission (LECDC) launched a new startup with a goal no less ambitious than changing the way Michigan defines, thinks about, and regulates certain types of child care businesses. A year later, that entity – the Infant & Toddler Childcare Startup (ITCS) – is nearly ready to start bringing new child care centers online in Leelanau County.
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Fiber Broadband High-Speed Internet Coming to Leelanau County
At a January 17th public meeting, Leelanau County officials, businesses, and residents will learn details surrounding this year’s planned deployment of fiber-optic cable for high-speed internet.
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Local Housing Advocates Sound Off On Next Steps Following Legislation
Two of four affordable housing bills Governor Whitmer signed into law last month could eventually have significant impact on the availability of affordable housing in Leelanau County, local advocates say.
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HomeStretch Project To Move Forward in Suttons Bay
A long-gestating workforce housing project in Suttons Bay will finally break ground this week, after a long saga of funding challenges and other hurdles. It’s a piece of good news for local affordable housing advocates.
News broke all the way back in May of 2021 that HomeStretch Nonprofit Housing Corporation, a regional developer of affordable housing, was in the process of acquiring a 2.6-acre parcel of land from the Leelanau County Lank Bank Authority to develop eight below-market-rate townhouse-style apartments. The parcel is located at 525 N. Marek Road, about a mile northwest of downtown Suttons Bay.
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Governor Signs New Laws to Expand Housing Opportunities
A state legislation package designed to boost attainable housing development across Michigan was formally approved today by Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, giving housing agencies, developers, and communities new tools to expand housing opportunities for residents and families throughout the state.
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Northwest Michigan Works! Adopts Newtons Road Career Investigator
Northwest Michigan Works! and Newton's Road have collaborated in many capacities over the last decade to support our young people in exploring high-in-demand, family-sustaining careers in the Northwest Lower Michigan region. We are pleased to announce that Northwest Michigan Works! will adopt the Newton's Road Career Investigator as their primary career pathway exploration platform to support individuals as they learn more about careers that are in-demand across the region.
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