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Survey Looks at Housing Issues in Northwest Michigan 
You can help provide valuable information about housing in northwest Michigan by taking the Framework For Our Future Housing Survey. The online survey includes questions about housing preferences, community needs, and housing discrimination.
"Past surveys have asked general questions about housing but this gets into a lot more detail about the housing issues and needs that people experience or perceive in their communities," said Sarah Lucas, a regional planner at the Northwest Michigan Council of Governments.
Survey participants will be asked how they think their community is doing when it comes to things like quality, type, and location of housing. Other questions will look at what people say are the most important factors they consider when making their own housing decisions.
The Framework For Our Future Housing Survey will also be the first time information will be collected about housing discrimination in the region. "Fair housing affects many different parts of the community and is an important consideration for home buyers, renters, landlords, realtors, and local governments," said Lucas.
Survey responses will be reviewed by project partners and used in the development of Framework for our Future: Tools and Strategies for Supporting the Grand Vision. This planning resource will be available to local communities and other stakeholders that are looking for ways to address local challenges while meeting community goals and supporting The Grand Vision.
The Framework For Our Future housing survey is available online at: nwm.org/framework. That website also includes an overview of the Framework For Our Future project and a link to a Virtual Input Expo.
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Smart Commute Week June 3rd - 7th 
TART Trails is putting on the 19th annual Smart Commute Week June 3rd - 7th. The event is designed to encourage new smart commuters, gather the community's year-round veteran smart commuters, and celebrate infrastructure improvements to provide more safe, connected and accessible active transportation. Click on the link for a list of Smart Commute Week activities.
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Getting Transportation to Work
Commuter Summit June 4
in Traverse City
The Michigan Land Use Institute is hosting the summit from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the City Opera House. The event will bring together leaders from local transit agencies, area employers, representatives from TART Trails, MDOT, and local officials to kick off a community conversation on transportation options in northwest Michigan.
Click on the link for more information. Commuter Summit.
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SUN Project Ribbon Cutting
June 7 in Grawn
Traverse City Light & Power, in partnership with Cherryland Electric Cooperative, will hold a ribbon cutting June 7 for the new Solar Up North (SUN) Alliance program. The SUN Alliance provides an opportunity for residential and business customers of both utilities the ability to invest in solar energy through participation in a community solar project - the first of its kind in Michigan.
The SUN Alliance is a community-based initiative where customers of both utilities are invited to invest in a solar generation project. Those who invest in the project will receive a monthly bill credit equal to their share of the project's overall energy production, without the risk and maintenance cost involved in owning their own solar array. The ribbon cutting will be held at 2:00 p.m. at Cherryland Headquarters, 5930 US 31 South in Grawn.
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| Information & Events
Natural Resources Network:
June 19 Natural Resources Network Meeting 9:00 a.m., Steelcase room Traverse City Area Chamber of Commerce 202 East Grandview Parkway
Energy Network: June 21 Energy Network Meeting 9:00 a.m., NMC Aero Park Laboratories Building 2600 Aero Park Drive, Traverse City
Food & Farming Network: June 26 Food & Farming Network Meeting 9:30 a.m., 2nd floor conference room NWMCOG offices 600 E. Front St., Traverse City |
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Grand Vision Guiding Principles
Based on intensive research and input from thousands of citizens from Antrim, Benzie, Grand Traverse, Kalkaska, Leelanau, and Wexford counties, a vision that will lead to prosperity for people throughout northwest lower Michigan was created founded on these guiding principles:
 A coordinated regional transportation network
 Unique and vibrant communities
Housing choices
 Sustainable-energy uses in construction, transportation and economic development
 Protected and preserved water, forests, natural and scenic areas
 Viable regional farms and local food systems
thegrandvision.org
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