Developer proposes 96‑unit workforce housing project in Boyne City, seeks TIF support

A development team presented a proposal at the Boyne City meeting on July 2, 2026, to build four three‑story buildings totaling 96 units and asked the city to advance a purchase agreement and brownfield/TIF financing that would underpin roughly $10 million in developer financing and a deed restriction for workforce housing.

The presenter said the project was reduced from an earlier 101‑unit concept to 96 units and that 72 of those units were modeled as workforce housing in the team's financial scenario. "We would deliver 72 of the 96 units as workforce housing," the presenter said, describing a plan that pairs tax increment financing and deed restrictions to guarantee affordability during the capture period.

Why it matters: commissioners and members of the public said the city needs housing that local workers can afford, and they pressed the development team for a clearer mix of area median income (AMI) targets and rent levels. Commissioners said the commission's previous goal emphasized households at about 60–80% AMI; the developer's model included a broader range and used income‑qualification rules that consider combined household income.

Project and financing details: the developer presented the schematic and interior/exterior design, estimated a project cost near $14.5 million and forecast roughly $7.9 million in new taxable value at stabilization. The presenter said the team had modeled about $413,000 of capturable revenue in the first stabilized year under their assumptions and projected approximately $18.5 million in new taxes over 30 years. The team requested a 23‑year brownfield/TIF capture to support a financing package they estimated could yield about $10 million in funding to the developer.

On deed restrictions and program rules: the presenter said the workforce affordability component would be memorialized in a deed restriction tied to the capture period and that units would be restricted to households at or below specified AMI tiers (the team described modeling up to 120% AMI in some scenarios but said the actual AMI mix is negotiable). The presenter also warned that several state grant programs and a 10‑year tax abatement previously available had lapsed, increasing reliance on the TIF vehicle.

Commissioner and public concerns: multiple commissioners said the commission had prioritized 60–80% AMI in procurement guidance and expressed concern that the higher AMI levels proposed would not serve local service workers. One resident who identified themselves as a workforce employee said many local workers cannot afford high rents and urged the commission to favor lower AMI targets. Commissioners asked for a finer AMI blend, unit‑mix adjustments (more one‑bedrooms) and confirmation of square footage and base rents; the developer agreed to provide revised modeling.

Next steps and procedural items: the developer said its first critical step is to secure the land under contract and then complete local brownfield and assessor coordination before advancing to county and state review. The commission agreed to forward the purchase agreement to the city attorney for review and asked the developer to return with sharpened AMI/rent scenarios, a clarified schedule and documentation of assumptions for assessor and brownfield review. No final approval of TIF or land sale occurred at the meeting.

Public comment and adjournment: the meeting included a public comment from resident Mike Ammobile, who urged better snow‑plowing on Pine and Grant streets. Commissioners moved to adjourn at the close and the motion passed by voice vote.

What to watch next: whether the city attorney clears the purchase agreement, what AMI/rent mixes the developer presents after further analysis, and the local brownfield authority's review and county adoption timeline (the developer estimated a several‑month process once local and county steps are underway).