Detroit's Regional Housing Construction Industry Shifts Toward Multi-Family

Allie Gross reports: "Southeast Michigan is seeing a swell in development, according to a new report by Southeast Michigan Council of Governments, which found that the region issued more than 11,000 building permits in 2017 — a 16% increase from the year prior." 

Of that construction, multi-family was the most common, and apartment construction was the most popular of all. "The region saw a 23% increase in apartment construction from the year prior," according to Gross. "Condominium construction increased by 14% and single-family construction increased by 13%."

According to the report, the wave of multi-family construction is caused by demand for more affordable urban housing options. JC Reindl reported earlier in the month that a lack of starter homes in Detroit is leaving first-time buyers "in the lurch." Developers report that "it is now hard to make a profit on entry-level homes because of higher construction materials costs, a shortage in construction labor, local zoning and regulation issues and the cost of land in desirable areas."