NCV Attainable Housing Conceptual Planning

Highlights from Stakeholder Focus Group Sessions

Several ‘listening’ sessions were held from April through July 2025 by New Community Vision (NCV) and Urban Design Associates, a national affordable housing land planning firm with an office in Suttons Bay. Peninsula Housing, a not for profit land trust, also collaborated with us on these sessions.

We listened to several, different stakeholder groups to collate information to include in the conceptual site planning for the attainable housing envisioned for the 25 acres located at the corner of M-22 and Camp Haven Road that was preserved and reserved for this purpose.

These sessions attracted contributions from 75 people, divided into the following groups: 

1. Area Employers – including representatives from the school, village and township governments and business owners in the food and beverage, agriculture, tourism, and construction fields

2. Employees/Those in need of Housing - This group represented fields including education, emergency services, construction, agri-business, township office functions, and restaurants.

3. Neighbors/Nearby Property Owners - All neighbors within a .75-mile radius were contacted, representing: Lee Mann Rd, M22/N West Bayshore, Camp Haven Rd, and the three private roads off Camp Haven Rd.

4. NCV donors - included anyone who had contributed financially to the purchase of the property

These were the top themes conveyed from the four stakeholder groups:

Housing Needs

●      Employee/workforce housing, especially for year-round residents

●      Housing for various family structures such as families with children, couples without children, and young people wanting to return to the area;

●      Initial indications from employers and employees convey that a significant portion of local salary levels fall within the 60% - 120% AMI range, matching the income range that local non-profit developers are able to accommodate in bringing new housing units to the local market.   

Housing Types, Scale, and Style/Character

●     “Cottage cluster” neighborhood character and scale; with smaller scale buildings that blend into the surroundings; with single-family detached houses, duplexes and/or townhouses

●      Notable hesitation was expressed regarding 1-bedroom units; 2- and 3- bedroom units were seen as best, and the need for storage/garages/carports was a prominent theme 

Sense of Place/Values

●      A neighborhood of year-round residents that contribute to and participate in the greater Northport community

●      Environmental stewardship/sustainability; including as far as possible: net-zero, native landscaping, solar, dark sky, and bird friendly 

●      The need for a Housing Association was a recurring request; Mechanisms are important to maintain affordability, standards, and intent

Amenities/Services

●      Particularly popular ideas included: shared outdoor common space; and outdoor space for each unit such as porch, deck or yard; play areas and walking trail on site and perhaps also connecting to Mashkiigaki; Bus pull-out and shelter for school bus and perhaps also BATA; Landscaping, trees and native plants; Storage/basements and/or garages/carports