The Upper Peninsula needs homes. In fact, according to polling commissioned by InvestUP, a lack of available housing is the “top challenge” facing the Upper Peninsula. The lack of available housing not only drives up housing costs, but also stands in the way of growth, including the ability to attract and retain workers.
With InvestUP’s innovative housing development fund, and Build U.P.’s new program Career and Technical Education Partnership Program, this addresses this challenge in a whole new and creative way by partnering with local intermediate school districts (ISD) to address the regional shortage of skilled trades workers needed to build new homes, while adding new housing to the market. The partnership will support the Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs at the Delta Schoolcraft ISD and Copper Country ISD with a $1 million investment from Build U.P. It is also expected that an agreement will soon be signed with the Eastern UP ISD. In total, this would see students construct six new homes in five communities. Construction is expected to start this fall on homes in Escanaba and Houghton, while construction is expected to start next year on homes in Cedarville, L’Anse, and Manistique.
Build U.P. will advance the cost of the materials and supplies necessary to give students the benefit of actual hands-on experience by building new homes in their community. Once completed, the homes will be sold, with the costs that Build U.P. advanced for materials and supplies returned to the program so that it can sustain itself, while enabling the schools to retain the balance of the sale proceeds and in turn strengthen their CTE programs.
According to Build U.P. CEO Marty Fittante “this is truly a win-win-win for our region and schools and, most importantly, our students.”
Although the initial focus is on building six homes, the vision is that the Build U.P. CTE Partnership Program will be scaled to extend far beyond this first phase, reaching other ISD’s across the region.
Said Fittante, “today’s announcement is merely a first step as we envision a sustainable solution across the U.P. through this program to address two of the most pressing challenges facing the region – housing and skilled labor shortages. In fact, other ISDs have already expressed an interest in this partnership. So, more to come, soon!”
For more information on the Career and Technical Education Partnership Program and other initiatives led by Build U.P., click here. For more information on InvestUP, click here.
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