To the editor:
Do we want the most beautiful natural sites and farmland in Leelanau County to be scooped up by international and out-ofstate buyers, who see our natural resources as their cash cow?
We want people living here year-round, investing in the county, its residents and businesses. Putting down roots. Paying taxes. We want folks with moderate incomes: Teachers. Nurses. First responders. Construction workers.
Addressing our housing crisis is good for everyone—from million- dollar homeowners to single moms. Businesses need workers. Schools need students and families. A vibrant service industry and a new generation of farmers are essential. When everyone is comfortable and secure, we all benefit, including the 43% of county residents who are ALICE: asset-limited, income-constrained, employed.
At a Township Board discussion about affordable housing, a man said “I’m sick of giving people handouts. If they want to live here, they should come up with the money.”
The problem is — our property values are rising precipitously. People have been priced out of their own homes, unable to fill jobs, raise families and build lives here. We need those yearround, employed families.
Investment in affordable housing is the rising tide that lifts all boats.
Nancy Flanagan Cedar
