Traverse City to Vote on Land Transfer for 40-50 Unit Workforce Housing

Traverse City commissioners met Monday, March 2, to consider authorizing the transfer of a small, city-owned triangular parcel of roughly 0.05 acres and related interests to the Grand Traverse County Land Bank Authority to help assemble about 0.8–1.0 acre at 314 E. Eighth St. for a proposed 40-50 unit workforce housing project known in coverage as Cityview Apartments or the Copy Central project.

The site assembly would combine three pieces: the 0.31-acre Copy Central parcel at 314 E. Eighth St., a city-owned triangular parcel of approximately 0.05 acres adjacent to that site, and a portion of former railroad right-of-way land held by the Grand Traverse County Land Bank that runs parallel to Lake Avenue past Oryana. The Traverse City Housing Commission already holds a purchase contract on the 0.31-acre Copy Central parcel, which Traverseticker reports is being used in the interim as the Up North Pride community center.

The proposal frames affordability through a covenant recorded in the purchase agreement that would restrict occupancy to households earning up to 120% of the area median income (AMI) for at least 30 years after a certificate of occupancy or for the duration of project financing, whichever is longer. The agreement also contains a reversion provision that would return title and any improvements to the city if the property is used for purposes inconsistent with the affordable housing restriction.

City Attorney Lauren Trible-Laucht wrote in a memo to commissioners that “The Housing Commission and Land Bank Authority requested that the City forgo the repayment of those funds in support of this project and the City Manager and I concur with that recommendation.” Trible-Laucht also wrote that “affordable housing is a public purpose and benefits the health, safety and welfare of the community and constitutes part of the consideration for this transaction.” City Manager Benjamin Marentette is listed in the memo as concurring with the recommendation.

Housing Commission Executive Director Karl Fulmer sent a letter urging support and wrote, “The Housing Commission looks forward to partnering with the City and Grand Traverse County Land Bank to create more workforce housing in the heart of downtown Traverse City.” Coverage notes the Housing Commission is seeking to assemble the combined site so the project can move forward as a downtown workforce housing option.

Nineand10news reports the city and partners are also working to ensure that at least 10% of the planned units are dedicated to permanent supportive housing. No purchase price, developer identity, or construction timeline has been disclosed in meeting materials provided in coverage excerpts.

The land-transfer motion requires five affirmative votes out of the seven-member City Commission to pass, and any final purchase-and-sale agreement still must receive sign-off from City Manager Benjamin Marentette and City Attorney Lauren Trible-Laucht before closing. The Eighth/Lake land item appeared on the March 2 agenda alongside other city projects, including a $3.5 million Monroe Street reconstruction package, a Cass Street mid-block crosswalk replacement, a Ramsdell Pond storm sewer project, nearly $299,000 in painting and striping work, and over $7 million in contracts to replace membrane trains at the wastewater treatment plant.