Michigan Development News
MSHDA Press Release: Michigan Housing Authority Announces Release of Cable Show ‘House Michigan!’. Check your local listings and get those TiVo’s ready:
Interim Executive Director Keith Molin of the Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA) announced today that the latest edition of MSHDA’s new cable program, House Michigan!, will begin airing this week on cable stations throughout the state. This month’s program will explore MSHDA’s partnerships with non-government, nonprofit organizations engaged in helping advance the Authority’s mission to provide affordable housing, housing for special needs and homeless populations and creating vibrant cities across the state.
“In this edition of House Michigan! we will be talking to leaders of two organizations known as Community Development Corporations or CDCs,” Molin said. “They play a vital role in creating the quality of life we all seek for our neighborhoods, our communities and our state.”
House Michigan! is produced monthly, and programming provides practical information for Michigan residents regarding homeownership, affordable rental housing, ending homelessness and creating vibrant cities and neighborhoods.
Grand Rapids Press: Builders showcase green practices. Making sure everyone has access to quality, affordable housing is what we’re all about – but once people get into those homes, energy efficiency can help families save on their electric bills. That’s why more and more builders are going green:
To be called “green built,” a home must meet guidelines established by the National Home Builders Association and the federal government’s Energy Star program. The federal program rates homes based on adherence to energy-efficiency guidelines set by the Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy.
We’ve heard about solar power, wind power, low-flow toilets and shower heads, energy-efficient windows and appliances, compact fluorescent bulbs, heat pumps … the list goes on.
Whether it is a new or existing home, the most important component to reducing energy use is insulation, Kitson said.
“Insulation, I think, is probably the key factor,” Kitson said. “All the other things don’t really do a good job unless you are doing a good job with insulation.”
Capital Gains: Townsend and Land Bank Partner On $130,000 Green Home in Old Town. Speaking of ‘green housing,’ a new project in Lansing is about to get started:
Lansing-based green developer Gene Townsend and the Ingham County Land Bank are working together to build what will likely be Lansing’s first gold-certified LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) residential building.
The $123,000 development encompasses a piece of land in Old Town Lansing on the southwest corner of Maple and Chestnut.
Townsend say he expects to get most if the building’s LEED points from its energy efficient components.
The house will have a panelized insulation system and use SIPs, or structural insulated panels used in floors, walls and roofs on residential units.
“What [SIPs] gives you is a building envelope which is very energy efficient,” Townsend says, adding that the house will also include energy efficient mechanical equipment.
Eric Schertzing, chair of the Ingham County Land Bank, says Old Town is the perfect neighborhood for the project.
“This is a nice, beautiful parcel to being doing this on,” he says. “We want to do everything we can to reposition the image of the area.”
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We’re Back
Did you miss us? We decided to transition to a new web server last month and the process took a bit longer than we had anticipated, but everything should be up and running normally again soon.
Unfortunately, all our previous links have been lost, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing – sometimes it’s good to get a fresh start.
Anyway, be sure to check back on Monday for our first new edition of Michigan Development News in… well, a long time. For now, take a look around the new site. If you notice any bugs (that we’re not aware of), feel free to drop a note in the comments section.
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