Humanitarian of the Year, Nonprofit Developer of the Year, Supportive Housing Developer of the Year...

Humanitarian of the Year, Nonprofit Developer of the Year, Supportive Housing Developer of the Year...

When I came to Great Lakes Capital Fund nine years ago (at the time the Michigan Capital Fund for Housing), "Go Green," inevitably had something to do with MSU. However, in 2005 Great Lakes made a commitment to "going green" on all of the housing in which we invest by making technical assistance and grants available to developers of affordable housing.

Considering the way energy bills are on the rise, it is more important than ever to give second thought to your home's insulation. But just how important is a home's insulation to its energy efficiency?

A building that is designed and built using green strategies, materials and systems can only be a truly green building if it is also operated and maintained using green products and procedures. A building's energy and water efficiency, indoor air quality, durability and resource efficiency are determined as much by its operation and maintenance as its design.

Job site recycling, green building, etc., etc., etc. Sounds good, but it may also sound like more work than its worth. Well, not necessarily so. Today, more than ever, experts say builders need to be aware of the latest techniques of green building and how to achieve healthy job sites.

A little over a year ago, we sensed that "a change was in the wind," and we began to alert our developers that pricing for Low Income Housing Tax Credits would be coming down. Well, our prediction proved true, and 2006 was an interesting and challenging year for syndicators and their development partners.

In 2005, Great Lakes Capital Fund joined with Michigan State Housing Development Authority and Enterprise Community Partners to form a partnership known as the Michigan Green Communities Program. Through this program developers can receive up to $2,000 per housing unit with a maximum of $100,000 to build High-Performance Housing.

The Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA) is proud to roll out the Michigan Housing Locator--a website devoted exlusively to putting residents in touch with property owners who specialize in affordable housing. It is my good fortune to lead a team of talented people from MSHDA and collaborate with such industry leaders as the Michigan Housing Coucil (MHC), the Property Association of Michigan, and Rentlinx to insure the success of the locator.

Few developers want their buildings to be seen as "low-performance" housing. However, many feel that the cost of incorporating high performance or "green" features in their developments will simply be too costly or take too long to incorporate into their standard design.

Great Lakes Capital Fund Open for Business in Wisconsin, Two More Staff Receive Promotions, Michigan Affordable Housing Conference Breakfast Workshop...