Cornerstone Alliance has officially launched a new study on housing availability in Berrien County.

Cornerstone President Marla Schneider tells us while the Southwest Michigan Planning Commission has previously developed a housing tool, there’s never been a full study of countywide data that could lead to the development of new housing. She says the organization knows it’s a major need.

“When we meet with businesses and municipalities, the number one issue that is identified is that it’s very difficult to attract and retain a workforce based on the lack of housing availability within our county,” Schneider said.

The study will identify current and projected housing needs across all income levels, focusing specifically on workforce housing serving households that earn between 50% and 120% of the area’s median income. In other words, affordable or attainable housing. It’ll also include submarket analyses across eight geographic districts in Berrien County and evaluate factors like commuting patterns, rental vacancy rates, affordability, and housing conditions.

Schneider says Cornerstone Alliance has hired Bowen National Research to collect all this data.

“They do a lot of data research from their offices, and then they also have a boots on the ground approach where they come into our county, they look at our housing stock, they get eyes on everything here. They have surveys that go out to employers, they’re surveying chambers and realtors and municipalities.”

Partners like the Area Agency on Aging, the Berrien Community Foundation, Corewell Health Lakeland Hospitals, Mno-Bmadsen, The Pokagon Fund, the United Way of Southwest Michigan, and the Whirlpool Foundation have all committed to funding the housing study. Schneider says when it’s done, its data will help attract developers.

The study is expected to be finished in December of this year.