TRAVERSE CITY — The Northwest Michigan Housing Summit kicked off today at the Hagerty Center as local leaders discuss ways to boost housing availability and improve affordability.

Homelessness is an issue that took center stage on the first day of the conference.

It’s been a problem in the Grand Traverse area for years, but thanks to the work of organizations like the Northwest Michigan Coalition to End Homelessness, the numbers have been stable

But coalition director Ashley Halladay-Schmandt says that situation could change.

“The cost of housing is skyrocketing,” Halladay-Schmandt said. “And we typically in our region see things, maybe like a year or two after kind of, more coastal big cities, things happen, we’re anticipating the need to rise unless the cost of housing comes down.”

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