Like most Michigan municipalities, Portage faces an attainable housing shortage. With a lot of planning, state funding, grants, and private assistance, the City has developed Stanwood Crossings, an owner-occupied single-family housing subdivision based on the community land trust model, aimed at households earning 80 to 120 percent of the area median income. 

 The former garbage dump at the edge of Rochester provided the perfect opportunity for the City to do something amazing. Thanks to the efforts of hundreds of volunteers, from City officials to teenage volunteers, the site is now home to a thriving mini forest, planting using the Miyawaki Method of urban land restoration.

With some of the best walleye fishing around, the City of Ecorse’s John D. Dingell Park was a special amenity for residents. With help from EDA and MEDC grants, the City fixed up the boat launch and added ADA accessible kayak pads, a kayak rental kiosk, a playground, and a walkway—making a treasured asset even better.

For the City of East Lansing’s five-year update to its Comprehensive Plan, it engaged community members for guidance on what priorities they’d like to see addressed. It resulted in a human-first, forward-looking plan that focuses on four key areas of resident interest: housing, sustainability, public health, and social equity.

Last winter, the City of Livonia debuted its new Senior Wellness Center, connected to the Jack E. Kirksey Recreation Center. Guided by a focus on accessibility and long-term adaptability, the new senior center is a gorgeous, modern space with expanded amenities and configurable programming areas.

In 2020, the City of the Village of Douglas acquired an underutilized marina, which it has since begun to develop into a year-round gathering space, boasting gorgeous views, a lakeside pavilion, and rentable boat slips. Thanks to the generosity of two local residents, the Douglas Marina Park & Pavilion will be completed this summer. 

Based on feedback on its Recreation Master Plan, the City of Oak Park looked to “elevate” its offerings, in particular its popular farmers market and summer concert series. The result of that effort, a new event hub and band shell which will have its grand opening in June 2026, activates a previously underused parcel of land on its municipal campus. 

Boasting more than 40 coffee shops, the City of Dearborn realized it had a unique identity to share with the rest of the state. With a bit of DDA money and a lot of  support from local businesses and stakeholders, Dearborn Coffee Week has grown from a small neighborhood festival to a significant cultural and commercial draw. 

Kalamazoo’s Foundation for Excellence is a municipal endowment—the only one of its kind—made possible by an anonymous donation. Since 2017, this publicly accountable fund has been used for property tax cuts, housing development, youth programs, and other City initiatives benefiting Kalamazoo residents. 

After nearly a century of neglect, the Carbide Dock in Sault Ste. Marie was falling into the water. With funding and collaboration from federal, state, and local stakeholders, the dock is now a thriving hub of commercial, educational, and resident activity.