The Issue

Redevelopment Ready Communities (RRC) is a statewide Regional Prosperity program that certifies Michigan Communities who actively engage stakeholders and plan for the future development. An RRC certification signals to business owners, developers and investors that the community has removed development barriers by building deliberate, fair and consistent processes. RRC looks to foster communities that creatively reuse space, embrace economic innovation and proactively plan for the future-making them more attractive for investments that create places where people want to live, work, play.

An RRC certification signals to business owners, developers and investors that the community has removed development barriers by building deliberate, fair and consistent processes. (Michigan Economic Development Corporation, Redevelopment Ready communities. (RRC website.)

Current Reality

Unfortunately most villages and townships in the County are unaware of the RRC program offered by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC). To date only two communities have attended the workshops and have yet to decide if their communities will go forward with certification.

While RRC’s overall goal of encouraging economic development activities in small towns in rural areas is good, there needs to be more emphasis on developing affordable workforce housing as part of economic development.

Action

LPEF has identified RRC’s program as an important economic development tool to the villages and townships in the county. As such, LPEF has actively promoted RRC by sponsoring and hosting meetings with MEDC representatives as well as disseminating their program literature.