Housing finance · Development · Education
Making housing pencil out.
Principal of Acosta Development, a consulting practice focused on financial feasibility, gap financing, subsidy programs and project finance for housing, economic development and construction clients. Based in Midland, Michigan; working statewide and nationally.
Core expertise
Experience
Developer, consultant, teacher.
2015 – Present · Acosta Development, Midland, MI
Principal
Operating partner on real estate development projects and owner’s representative for property owners and institutions.
Consult on neighborhood housing and financial feasibility for municipalities, nonprofits, developers and financial institutions across Michigan and nationally.
Secured financing, permits and delivery for $45M+ in downtown redevelopment.
2023 – Present · Midland Business Alliance, Midland, MI
Lead Consultant, Housing Forward
Direct a five-pillar attainable housing initiative for Midland County with the Midland Economic Development Team.
Lead the Region G Housing Partnership under contract with MSHDA.
Briefed congressional staff on housing policy in Washington, DC alongside Smart Growth America.
Convene lenders, foundations and CDFIs to expand financing pathways for workforce housing.
2026 – Present · deallab.jeniferacosta.com
Founder & Creator, Deal Lab
Built and launched a web-based housing finance app for modeling deals, testing capital stacks and understanding funding gaps.
2018 – Present · Incremental Development Alliance
Senior Faculty & Board Member
Lead trainings on small-scale investment, neighborhood-scale housing and commercial buildings across the US and Canada.
Created trainings for elected officials and urban planners; coach emerging developers from first deal through delivery.
2024 – 2025 · Renovare Development, Ypsilanti, MI
Vice President of Real Estate Development
Financed housing projects statewide, securing $20M in project grant funding.
Led incentive applications including HOME, Missing Middle Housing, Community Revitalization Program and New Markets Tax Credits.
Development portfolio
Buildings with a past, built for what comes next.
Water Street Lofts
$20M
Bay City · New construction
Workforce housing with one commercial space. Project finance and creation of the Housing TIF plan.
The Legacy (Crapo Building)
$12M
Bay City · Owner / developer
Mixed-use adaptive reuse: 26 apartments, 2 offices and a restaurant. Governor’s Award for Historic Preservation.
The Times Lofts
$7.9M
Bay City · Owner’s representative
A vacant 115-year-old newspaper building turned into 31 lofts. Economic development and historic tax credit awards.
Wenonah Park Pavilion
$1.8M
Bay City · Owner’s representative
Arts and entertainment venue for the State Theatre of Bay City.
The Davidson
$1.3M
Historic rehabilitation
Rehabilitation of a 40-unit commercial building.
Westwood Village
10 condos
Midland · Owner & listing agent
For-sale condos rehabilitated after the 2020 flood, the first condos in Midland. Managed design, construction, financing and sales.
Drift
Tactical urbanism
Bay City · Hospitality
Shoreside beer garden and food truck park.
New in 2026 · Deal Lab
Model the deal before you make the deal.
A web-based housing finance tool for civic leaders and emerging developers. Model deals, test capital stacks and see exactly where the funding gaps are.
Try Deal LabCredentials
Education, service and recognition.
Education & certifications
Graduate Certificate, Real Estate Development, New York University
M.A., International Administration & Sustainable Development, University of Miami
B.A., Sociology, Southern Illinois University
Housing Development Finance Professional (HDFP), Grow America
CNU-A, Congress for the New Urbanism
Graduate, ULI Larson Leadership Institute
Real Estate Sales License, State of Michigan
Board service & affiliations
Midland Center for the Arts, Board Chair (FY24–26)
Incremental Development Alliance, Board Member
Michigan Municipal League Foundation, Board Member
Midland County Land Bank, Board Member
ULI Michigan Local Product Council, Housing & Community Development Program Chair
Member, Urban Land Institute and Congress for the New Urbanism
Awards & recognition
Governor’s Award for Historic Preservation, The Legacy (2022)
MHPN Building Award, The Legacy (2020)
Good Samaritan Award, Midland Board of Realtors (2023)
Michigan Downtown Association Economic Development Award, The Times Lofts (2017)
MHPN Tax Credit Project Award, The Times Lofts (2017)
Crain’s Detroit Michigan Change Makers: Ones to Watch (2017)
RUBY Award, Great Lakes Bay Region (2017)
Work with me
Have a project that needs to pencil out?
Feasibility studies, gap financing strategy, owner’s representation, housing policy work, or training for your community or team. Start with a consultation.
Email jen@jeniferacosta.com
Midland, Michigan