A rendering of the Mt. Pleasant Town Center civic space project. Image courtesy of the city of Mt. Pleasant.
Mt. Pleasant city officials are hoping to get a piece of the $60 million in state funding available for public improvement projects.
Downtown Development Director Michelle Sponseller is applying for $75,000 to be used toward the Town Center Civic Space project for site amenities, including benches, tables, lighting and walkways to augment the $1.138 million that city commissioners approved for the project from the general fund.
The MI Neighborhood Program is providing funding across the state for housing activities, Sponseller said, with an application process that streamlines access to three main housing activities – rehabilitation, new units and/or community based public amenities.
Sponseller said staff is applying under the public amenity segment for the Town Center project.
Grant money from the program is intended to be used to provide public benefit in the form of health, safety or overall quality of life within a community, Sponseller said.
“The primary goal of this component is to identify and fund innovative activities to address community or neighborhood needs,” Sponseller explained in a memo to City Manager Aaron Desentz. “All components are designed to fund tangible activities that are implementation ready, highly visible, impactful to the neighborhood and residents’ quality of life, and will benefit the community/region overall.”
Sponseller said the pursuit of grant money continues to be a resource to provide additional funds for capital projects and programs to assist Mt. Pleasant residents.
Released in 2022 to address an array of challenges limiting access to safe, healthy, affordable, accessible and attainable housing, Michigan’s first statewide housing plan aims to inequity at the forefront of housing policy and access, according to the MSHDA.
The plan lays out the state’s challenges and offers a blueprint on how a statewide network of committee housing leaders and advocates can come together to address the goals and priorities, and change Michigan’s housing ecosystem, according to MSHDA.
Eligible activities or projects include playground structures and amenities, walking paths, murals, pocket parks, permanent benches, entranceway signage, lighting, orchards and perennials, dog parks, community spaces, raised garden beds, gazebos and picnic tables.
To be eligible, improvements must benefit the entire neighborhood and be located on publicly owned property, and must be either owned by the applicant or the applicant must have consent from the owner with guidance from MSHDA.
The program encourages enhancements and/or the creation of public amenities that promote outdoor activities and events.
The first round of awards will be announced May 15.
