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HANCOCK -- The Western Upper Peninsula Planning and Development Region (WUPPDR) will host the 2026 Western U.P. Housing Summit later this month to tackle the region’s ongoing structural housing shortages, development opportunities and municipal solutions.
The regional conference is scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Finnish American Heritage Center, 435 Quincy Street in Hancock. Funded with financial assistance from the L'Anse Area Community Development Corporation and the New Power Tour organization, the event is open to municipal officials, builders, lenders, tribal governments, and economic stakeholders free of charge, according to a release.
WUPPDR emphasized that expanding the local housing inventory remains a critical variable in the western peninsula's broader economic capacity to attract workforce talent, sustain local employers, and encourage long-term development.
"Housing is not an issue that any one community or organization can solve alone," said Jerald Wuorenmaa, Executive Director of WUPPDR. "By bringing together people from across the region, we can share ideas and resources, learn from one another and identify practical ways to increase housing opportunities in our communities."
The summit’s daylong itinerary is designed around actionable local development tools. The presentation track will detail project deployments utilizing Diversified Community Investment Funding, Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA) grant programs, and Invest UP's Brownfield EPA Assessment Grants.
Additionally, the event will feature an expert panel discussion focused on MSHDA's Housing Tax Increment Financing (TIF) mechanisms. Following the panel, organizers will lead attendees on a physical walking tour of active, localized Housing TIF development projects currently underway within the City of Hancock.
In Baraga County, officials are looking at housing needs in relation to industrial projects, such as the upcoming $700,000 federal wharf rehabilitation project in the village of L’Anse (see Friday’s Gazette). Planners intend to discuss how the L’Anse Area Community Development Corporation can coordinate with builders to maintain adequate housing options for seniors and local workers.
The summit will also promote the use of the new regional property website, westernuphousing.org. WUPPDR recently held training sessions for local landlords to encourage them to list available rentals on the free public portal rather than using social media platforms.
Additionally, representatives from the Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA) are scheduled to attend the event. Local planners plan to talk with state administrators about modifying funding rules to better support rural building repairs, downtown building renovations, and smaller-scale construction projects in the Upper Peninsula.
While attendance is free, space constraints require all participants to complete an advance registration form by Friday, Oct. 23, 2026. Local officials, real estate professionals, and interested residents can secure registration credentials or view full itinerary schedules online by visiting the agency’s web portal at www.wuppdr.org.