New ownership models yield new forms of workforce housing

Community Land Trust Housing Design

This work-in-progress project involves the formation of a multi-site community land trust and the design of a replicable model for cluster housing upon it. At the architectural scale there is great potential for housing unit innovation released by the new ownership structure, which serves to make otherwise inaccessible housing available to a rural workforce community in the midst of a county largely owned by a national park and wealthy second home owners in northern Michigan.

Pragmatically, the cluster development works well for rural community land trust (CLT) needs because it allows for shared infrastructure and social resources within a compact (and cost effective) footprint. It reduces the need for land clearing and increases the potential of re-use by creating small groupings of 30 units surrounding shared productive and recreational landscapes. Landscape buffers at the edges ensure responsible groundwater management.

Unlike typical rural housing development in the region, which is defined by one housing unit on one parcel of land, designing housing on a CLT allows for both new housing types and new forms of social interaction between them. The CLT decouples ownership of buildings from land and centralizes land management to reduce the operational burden for the residents and increase the quality of shared resources. Unlike traditional community development, a diverse grouping of housing units is possible such that a range of household types and financial capacities can be met. From low-cost co-housing to single family homes with accessory dwelling units to support seasonal workers in the tourist economy, the mix of units enables a diverse range of ages and family types.

While not insurmountable, the challenges of this project involve not only designing housing and its aggregation into robust community life, but also political engagement at the local, state, and national level to enable it.