Ann Arbor nonprofit sees troubling gap in affordable housing, applicants
ANN ARBOR, Mich. (CBS DETROIT) — An Ann Arbor nonprofit that's creating housing for those experiencing homelessness is noticing a troubling gap between the number of affordable housing options and the number of people who need them.
Avalon Housing says it received roughly 7,000 applications for just 20 affordable housing units at their Groves at Viridian complex.
The nonprofit is calling the demand for affordable housing at the new complex "bittersweet." While the organization says it's happy to see applications coming in for 20 of its 50 units that will be ready by the spring, the sheer number of applications it received raises some concerns.
They say new builds are one way of increasing the affordable housing stock in Washtenaw County, but they can't be the only way.
"The gap is still, unfortunately, pretty far. I think the City of Ann Arbor is doing certain things and looking into things like zoning regulations that might open up areas for more development and more density. And I also understand the state legislature was looking at not being able to discriminate based on source of income," said Avalon Housing director of real estate development Wendy Carty-Saxon.
These strategies could make existing options attainable for those facing financial barriers to housing.
The Groves at Viridian complex fits into Avalon's mission of supportive housing that not only keeps rent low but also offers wraparound resources to address the reasons their tenants were experiencing homelessness in the first place.
"There was something sad about that. Just sort of the scale—recognizing very tangibly in that moment the great scale of need out there," Carty-Saxon said.
The 30 other units in the complex are set aside for those currently experiencing homelessness. While Avalon often acquires land from cities or the county for affordable housing projects, they're also on the lookout for private sellers who want to make a difference.
"The new construction we finished a couple years ago, the sellers had read in the newspaper about the need for affordable housing and then gave us a call ... Definitely the word gets out there and we're happy to chat with people about that."
Avalon says it'll use a lottery system to reduce this massive waitlist. To meet the demand, it plans to build more affordable housing complexes in the Ann Arbor-Ypsilanti-Dexter area.
