- The City of Lansing is adding more than 100 new affordable housing units by 2026
- The project is being spearheaded by the Lansing Housing Commission
- Video shows LHC's executive director explaining the project and what's next
A lot once used by Davenport University is now the site of a project set to create dozens of new affordable housing units in downtown Lansing.
For the first time in 20 years, the Lansing Housing Commission is building more housing to address a shortage of affordable units says executive director Doug Fleming
"We have one building that only has 30 units. We opened that wait list up and in one day we had 125 [people] sign up," Fleming said. "There's a tremendous need for affordable housing in the city."
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One of those two buildings is Riverview 220. The site is directly across the street from the Capital Area Transportation Authority (CATA) Transportation Center.
The four-story building will generate 56 low-income apartments and seven market-rate apartments at a cost of $22.5 million.
Fleming says having the CATA center across from the apartment complex will be convenient for neighbors.
"A lot of our residents utilize public transportation," Fleming said. "That is actually one of the most exciting parts of this development."
A block south lies Grand Vista Place, the second apartment complex being built. Grand Vista will feature 55 affordable units costing $19.8 million.
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The total project cost $42 million which is all funded by Michigan State Housing Development Authority's (MSHDA) low-income tax credit program.
"The Grand Vista is a 4% tax credit program," Fleming said. "Riverview 220 is a 9% tax credit that we got through MSHDA as well."
Neighbors will have to apply to get on a waiting list and those selected will receive Section 8 voucers to cap how much tenants will pay in rent.
"The tenant will pay 30% of their income for the rent," Fleming said.
Not only will this help dent the housing shortage, Fleming says, but also relieve downtown restaurants and businesses seeing fewer customers since the pandemic.
"We need bodies downtown. People that will shop... eat... and entertain downtown," Fleming said.
Demolition on the Riverview 220 site began Friday and will continue for two weeks before construction begins. Fleming believes construction on Grand Vista will begin a month later.
Fleming anticipates construction to last 14 months with a targeted opening date for both buildings set for spring 2026.
Fleming says they'll begin opening up tenant applications sometime in late fall to try and fill those units so neighbors can move in when it opens.
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