HOUGHTON — In mid-2018, MTEC SmartZone of Houghton-Hancock, in coordination with Jim Cederna, facilitated a meeting of leaders from several organizations and government entities in Houghton County with a goal of addressing economic development and infrastructure challenges. MTEC believed local economic development efforts lacked sufficient resources to single-handedly address some of the larger opportunity areas and more entrenched infrastructure needs of the region.

In the months after this initial meeting, participants were refined, Keweenaw County was incorporated into the group, Scott MacInnes became the facilitator, and the initiative became known as Team Peninsula (TP). Currently, TP is comprised of volunteer representatives from the following organizations: MTEC SmartZone, City of Houghton, City of Hancock, Calumet Downtown Development (Main Street Calumet), Keweenaw County Economic Development Committee, Keweenaw Economic Development Alliance (KEDA), Western U.P. Planning & Development Region (WUPPDR), Copper Country Intermediate School District (CCISD), Michigan Technological University, Portage Health Foundation, Chassell Township Planning Commission, Keweenaw Convention and Visitors Bureau, Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Western U.P., Keweenaw Chamber of Commerce, and Houghton County Administrator.

In late 2018, using the basic framework of the highly successful “Blue Meets Green” initiative in St. Clair County, Michigan, which was formed to supplement under-resourced local economic development efforts, Team Peninsula established a basic mission of “increasing household income and growing the population of the Keweenaw.” With input from all organizations involved, TP reduced a compilation of 60 priority projects down to a list of the following top ten strategic initiatives:

1. Air Service

2. Housing

3. Tourism

4. Talent Retention

5. Recreation Trails

6. Blight

7. Waterfront Development

8. Forest Products Industry

9. Opportunity Zones

10. Hancock Business & Technology Park

Even amid the pandemic, Team Peninsula began pursuing many of these priorities and projects simultaneously and will continue to do so as members of the region collaborate toward a common goal of economic development. To address item number one, Air Service, TP members worked with the Houghton County Airport Board and administration in hopes of impacting the carrier selection for passenger air service. Though TP may not be able to directly affect the airline industry in the region, efforts continue to provide valuable feedback on community desires and needs for reliable and convenient air service.

Housing, number two on the top-10 list, is one of the greatest economic and workforce development challenges in the state and country, and the Keweenaw is no exception. Housing issues in the U.P. typically range from construction and rehabilitation costs, to quality, shortages, and conditions of existing single-family owner-occupied homes and rental properties. Understanding that certain aspects of housing (stock, market forces) are not typically controllable or predictable by local leaders, Team Peninsula will seek to increase local awareness of various housing issues and provide information on existing programs at federal and state levels designed to assist property owners, landlords, homeowners, and renters.

As evidenced by the work and community-based focus of TP volunteers, it is encouraging to see collaboration and strong determination from regional leadership to try and affect positive change in the Keweenaw. To that end, through a series of informational articles, TP aims to inform the public of different issues that affect the U.P. and possible actions communities might take to improve the region. The series will appear in the Daily Mining Gazette in print and online over the next several weeks.

Questions and comments regarding Team Peninsula can be directed to the group by calling Scott MacInnes at 906-281-1603.