WATERSMEET, MI – The Lac Vieux Desert Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians was selected to receive an award of Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC) from the Michigan State Housing Development Authority. The LIHTC program was established by the Tax Reform Act of 1986. It is part of a federal initiative designed to encourage the development and rehabilitation of affordable rental housing for low- and moderate-income households and has been deemed “the most important resource for creating affordable housing in the United States today” by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The federal government issues tax credits to the state and the state awards the tax credits to private developers, which includes Indian tribes, through a competitive process. The award will result in approximately $15 million dollars in funding to construct a 44-unit apartment complex in Watersmeet, MI, on the tribe’s reservation.
“The proposed project will serve our tribal members, as well as the community at large,” said Chairman James Williams, Jr. “The goal is to provide affordable housing in good repair, close to the community amenities, and close to employment opportunities. We are unable to continue focusing on economic development without investing in housing to provide a decent, safe, and affordable place for people to live. By addressing housing shortfalls for tribal members and the local workforce, this housing project will bring our tribal members home and be a catalyst for future economic development and growth for the tribe and the community.”
More project details include:
- The creation of approximately 112 jobs during construction; four permanent jobs within the community; 116 indirect jobs for suppliers; and the potential for 129 new community members (based on 1.5 occupants per bedroom)
- Rental assistance – 22 of the 44 units will be eligible for rental assistance
- Infrastructure improvements – The project will result in water/sewer infrastructure improvement through the collaborative efforts of the tribe and Watersmeet Township
- An expected completion date of October 2026
