Publications
Tools you can use on your next deal.
Guidebooks, reference guides and field tools for developers, builders and local officials. Built from real Michigan projects. Download a guide, use a worksheet, or read the latest article.
Housing Forward · May 2026 · Practitioner guidebook
A field manual for developers, builders and investors in Midland County and Region G. Nine chapters take you from feasibility to closeout. Fifteen appendices give you checklists, worksheets and a Michigan financing programs matrix.
Michigan Land Bank Authority · 2022 · Guidebook
A guide for developers and local officials on using Michigan's Brownfield TIF (Act 381) to close the financing gap on attainable housing. It explains why deals don't pencil, how BRAs and land banks work together, and what a brownfield plan needs.
Housing Forward · April 2026 · Reference guide
Shared language for elected officials, planners, builders and residents. Defines 74 terms across affordable and attainable housing, finance, zoning, development, and Michigan programs.
Field tools
Ten worksheets and checklists from the Redevelopment Guidebook. Print one per project.
Rehab Due Diligence Checklist A drive-by to closing checklist for 1 to 4 unit rehabs. Covers inspections, title, zoning, environmental, financing and insurance.
Common Rehab Mistakes Twenty mistakes that blow up rehab budgets, with cost ranges. A $250 to $500 sewer scope can prevent a $5,000 to $20,000 repair.
Weatherization & CDBG Pathway How small contractors qualify for Michigan Weatherization Assistance Program and CDBG / MI Neighborhood rehab work.
Contractor Vetting + Bid Comparison A vetting checklist and a side-by-side bid worksheet across 13 scope categories, with red flags to watch for.
Renovation Scope of Work Template Scope template with general provisions and a five-milestone payment schedule tied to lien waivers.
Permit & Inspection Sequence Twelve inspection touchpoints in order for a Michigan residential rehab, from demolition to final building.
Soft Cost Worksheet Nineteen soft cost line items with typical ranges. Plan for 8% to 15% of hard cost.
Comp Analysis for ARV A three-step worksheet to set a defensible after-repair value, with adjustment ranges and the 70% rule.
Rental Readiness & Habitability Michigan code requirements, pre-tenant inspection items and move-in documents in one checklist.
Project Closeout & Punch List Code, documentation, interior and exterior items to finish before you list or lease.
Articles
Housing Is Simple, Why Isn't It Easy?
LinkedIn · September 30, 2025 · Article
Water Street Lofts in Bay City took 18 months and more than seven funding sources to reach construction. This article shows why: the math, the gap, and 838 pages of paperwork behind one workforce housing project.
Related: Water Street Lofts · Housing IS Economic Development
Housing Is About People. Let's Build a Common Language.
LinkedIn · March 10, 2026 · Article
Half of every county's households earn below area median income. That half is where the housing shortage hits. This article puts faces on each tier of the AMI spectrum and gives elected officials a framework of ladders and safety nets.
Related: Glossary of Housing Terms
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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