There’s a severe shortage of affordable housing in Northern Michigan, where many companies rely on seasonal help. To help combat the issue, Short’s Brewing Company recently announced that they bought a motel.
Here’s Five Fast Facts …… :
- 🏠 Where are all the houses? Finding affordable housing has become an issue all across the country, and Northern Michigan is no exception. Home prices are at all-time highs, and inventory is low.
- 🍺 It’s not the Ritz, but - Forced to get creative, Shorts Brewing Company announced that it would buy the Bellaire Inn, which has 26 rooms, to be temporary housing for workers.
- 🔨 Not a permanent fix - The converted motel rooms will be considered “transitional housing” – a place for seasonal employees to stay while they find more permanent residences. It’s not a complete fix for the housing shortage, but it will create some temporary relief for the beloved brew company.
- 🔔 The bells and whistles - This measure is meant to help employees – rooms will come fully furnished, and utilities will be included. Shorts says it will keep part of the motel public and open to non-employee guests to help offset the cost.
- 🏡 More houses, please - The answer to the larger issue is more affordable housing. To that end, Shorts has also announced they are planning to develop a three-story development across from the Bellaire Pub that will have a commerce center on the main floor and two floors of housing above it.
🔥Bottom line: Finding work can be challenging. Finding a house to live in shouldn’t be an additional challenge, so it’s great to see companies getting creative about housing solutions. Hopefully, the state, county and surrounding cities will pitch in to help.
Have you struggled to find affordable housing near your job? Let us know by connecting with us on Social Media and be sure to share this newsletter with any friends & coworkers!
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