Community partners gathered at a Housing Catalysts meeting in Livingston County

What is Housing Catalysts?

Community Catalysts is leading the Livingston County-wide housing initiative called Housing Catalysts together with several community partners. Our goal for this initiative is to develop and implement a SMART work plan for Livingston County that produces more attainable housing over the next 5-7 years.

Livingston County, Michigan
Together

Our Partners In This Initiative

Janelle Best

Janelle Best

Howell Area Chamber of Commerce

Brad Michaud

Brad Michaud

OLHSA and Venture

Adam Perry

Adam Perry

Livingston County Catholic Charities

The approach

Working together to find creative solutions

There is no "one size fits all" solution that will provide all of the housing needed in Livingston County and across the country. Housing Catalysts is bringing the local community together to find more creative ways to develop more housing that people can afford.

84%

Home prices skyrocket

From January 2013 to October 2021, average Michigan home sale prices increased by 84%. Home prices for a first-time homebuyer are often out of reach.

48%

Many residents are housing cost burdened

Housing is considered attainable when the occupant pays no more than 30% of gross income for housing costs plus utilities. 48% of Michigan renters paid more than 30% of their income for housing pre-pandemic, and the numbers are even higher now.

Who's behind it

An initiative of Community Catalysts

Housing Catalysts is an initiative of Livingston County-based nonprofit Community Catalysts, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization empowering seniors, veterans, homeless and other lower income people through quality attainable housing and services.

Why it matters

The people who work in this county can't afford to live here

Teachers, factory workers, single parents, recent graduates, and young families increasingly can't find a home they can afford in Livingston County, even with steady jobs. In fact, over 70% of the people who work in Livingston County can't afford to live here. Rents have climbed faster than paychecks, and the gap keeps widening.

Neighbors need a place to live that they can afford, close to the jobs, schools, and families that keep them here.

What "lower income" means here

Roughly $55,000 or less for a single wage earner in Livingston County, adjusted upward for larger households.

A young family taking a selfie together at home
Built for working families
We believe

Everyone should have access to attainable housing.

422 E. Grand River Ave., Howell, MI 48843 ezilch@community-catalysts.org
Grounded in evidence

A Livingston County housing study is guiding the way

Good solutions start with a clear picture. We're completing a county-wide housing study to understand exactly where the gaps are, and where new homes will do the most good.

Phase 1

Complete

The groundwork: mapping current conditions, needs, and the scale of the shortage across the county.

Phase 2

Nearing completion

Digging deeper into zoning in each unique municipality, well underway and almost finished.

Full study

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The complete picture: a detailed action plan for attainable housing that partners across the county can implement together.

Common questions

Questions we hear a lot

What does Housing Catalysts actually do?

Housing Catalysts is the countywide initiative Community Catalysts leads with community partners: work groups developing and implementing a shared work plan to move attainable housing forward across Livingston County.

How can my city, employer or organization get involved?

Join a work group, partner on a project, or help fund one. Municipalities, employers, faith communities and non-profits all have a seat at the table — reach out through our contact page and we will find the right fit.

What counts as "lower income" in Livingston County?

Roughly $55,000 or less for a single wage earner. That includes many of the people our community depends on every day — and 48% of residents are housing cost burdened, paying more than 30% of their income for housing.

When will the county housing study be finished?

The full study is expected by year-end 2026. We are sharing findings as each phase completes, and the finished study will give every partner in the county a detailed action plan for attainable housing.

Bethel Homes

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