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Residential construction down 26 percent in 2005, according to new SEMCOG report
Michigan's difficult economy was a major reason why residential construction in Southeast Michigan declined by 26 percent in 2005 compared to 2004, according to SEMCOG's annual report, Residential Construction in Southeast Michigan, 2005. The 18,732 new units permitted is the lowest number of permits issued since 1993. All counties experienced lower numbers of new residential units in 2005 compared to 2004. Wayne County led the region in new residential permits with 5,039 units in 2005, followed by Oakland County (4,556 new units in 2005), and Macomb County (4,198 new units in 2005). Detroit led the region in new residential units with 1,056 permits authorized in 2005. Detroit has been in the top 10 list for the past few years, but 2005 was the first year they were number one since 1982. Macomb Township (814 new units) and Canton Townships (805 new units), which were one and two on the top 10 list for eight consecutive years, were second and third behind Detroit in 2005. The complete top 10 list follows; this group accounted for one-third of the region's new residential construction in 2005.
Northville, Van Buren, and Washington Townships are new to the top 10 list in 2005, replacing Brownstown, Clinton, and Commerce Townships. Building permit data collected from every community in Southeast Michigan are available on SEMCOG's Web site. Link to Building Permits from the Data drop-down menu. The database allows users to create a report for the region, for each of the seven counties, and for all communities. Data go back to 1969. The complete report is available for $20 from SEMCOG or in PDF format on SEMCOG's Web site at www.semcog.org. Contact: SEMCOG Information Services.
SEMCOG University presents Transportation Compliance with Federal Accessibility Regulations: A Second Look on May 23 To provide information about federal regulations pertaining to public rights-of-way and outdoor developed areas, SEMCOG University presents Transportation Compliance with Federal Accessibility Regulations: A Second Look, on Tuesday, May 23, 2006, from 8:30 a.m.-noon (registration begins at 8 a.m.) in the Ambassador Room of SEMCOG's downtown Detroit office (third floor of Buhl Building, 535 Griswold, Detroit). This SEMCOG University workshop will focus on federal accessibility regulations that currently apply to public rights-of-way and outdoor developed areas; development of draft proposals for accessibility, how they differ from existing regulations, and where they may end up in the final regulatory process; and how to meet existing federal access obligations while anticipating what may (or may not) apply in the years to come. SEMCOG University workshops are free-of-charge for SEMCOG members and partners; there is a $75 charge for nonmember local governments. Seating is limited. Please respond by May 16, 2006. Contact: Sally Walt, SEMCOG Transportation Programs Administrative Assistant, to RSVP. You can also register online at www.semcog.org; the link to the workshop is under Planning Issues on the home page.
SEMCOG's CDBG event successful On April 20 (during National Community Development week), SEMCOG facilitated meetings between Southeast Michigan congressional offices and local elected officials. Our request is restoration of Community Development Block Grant funding to $4.5 billion. We are thrilled to report that among the Southeast Michigan congressional delegation there is 100 percent bipartisan support for restoring these funds that are so critical to local communities. Executive Director Paul Tait also attended two events during the week hosted by Congressman Sander Levin highlighting CDBG projects in Warren and Southfield. Contact: Amy Malmer, SEMCOG Membership Manager.
View highlights of Executive Committee on SEMCOG's Web site Highlights of SEMCOG's April 28 Executive Committee can now be viewed on www.semcog.org. Form the home page, link to News & Notices in the upper bar, then look for the link in the right column. Highlights include a presentation on the recommendations of the Governor's Task Force on Local Government Services and Fiscal Stability by Ypsilanti Township Supervisor Ruth Ann Jamnick, who served on the task force, and the discussion regarding the resolution that was passed urging Congress to fund the Community Development Block Grant program in FY 2007 at $4.5 billion. Contact: Sue Stetler, SEMCOG Communications Manager.
SEMCOG encourages residents to properly dispose of hazardous waste SEMCOG and the Southeast Michigan Partners for Clean Water remind Southeast Michigan residents that household hazardous waste can pollute our waterways if washed or dumped into storm drains or roadside ditches that lead directly to lakes and streams. Household cleaners, pesticides, gasoline, antifreeze, used motor oil, and other hazardous products need to be labeled, stored, and disposed of properly. Some additional facts to consider — Americans generate 1.6 million tons of household waste per year; the average home generates as much as 100 pounds of household waste annually. Information about where residents can dispose of their household hazardous waste is available on the "Ours to Protect" Web site, accessible from www.semcog.org. Click on the logo on the home page, then on the photo; scroll down to "Information on Household Waste Disposal in Your County." Contact: SEMCOG Information Services.
Workshops scheduled on the new Michigan Zoning Enabling Act Michigan's new Zoning Enabling Act will become effective July 1, 2006. The act codifies the zoning enabling acts for counties, townships, and cities and villages. How the new law will affect local governments will be highlighted in a three-hour training program, held this month in Southeast Michigan:
All attendees will receive the new Michigan Zoning Guidebook. Additional information, including cost of the workshops and how to register, is available online at web1.msue.msu.edu/wexford/LU/2006ZoningEnablingAct.htm, or by calling (517) 319-0098.
Wayne County offers citizen planner courses A series of classes to help citizens appointed to serve on local land-use planning bodies is being offered in June so that those volunteer community leaders will have the technical knowledge and leadership skills needed to effectively and responsibly perform their duties. An overview of the classes and additional information is available online at web2.msue.msu.edu/citizen_planner/wayne06.htm. The deadline is May 18. Contact: Garry Bulluck, Wayne County, (313) 833-3617.
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