Housing crisis: New tool aims to help planners that are ‘flying blind’

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — As West Michigan works to climb its way out of a housing crisis, a new tool outlines housing zoning codes in three counties.

The Michigan Zoning Atlas Pilot Program is an interactive map that shows housing-related zoning in 85 jurisdictions throughout Kent, Muskegon and Ottawa counties.

The goal is to give policymakers and others a clear view of their local zoning codes while working to add to the housing market.

“Many communities are realizing they lack the diverse forms of housing needed for today’s populations, but in many cases policymakers are flying blind,” the atlas website says. “There is no consistent, high-quality data describing the boundaries and details of Michigan’s zoning codes.”

Project leaders demonstrated the tool during a Wednesday conference, according to Crain’s Grand Rapids Business, which first reported on the Michigan Zoning Atlas . Crain’s reports the atlas took a year to develop.

Organizations that are working on the atlas include the Michigan Association of Planning, the University of Michigan and Housing Next, which is working on a corridor strategy that found space for 70,000 housing units in commercial corridors throughout Kent County.

Kent County needs to add 35,000 housing units, Ottawa County needs to add 15,500 housing units and according to Housing Next. The city of Muskegon has a gap of almost 3,000 housing units, a study done by Bowen National Research on behalf of the city found.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WOODTV.com.