LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – Lansing is moving ahead with its plan to build a village of tiny housing pods for homeless residents – or the “unhoused,” as city officials and media outlets now prefer to say.
On November 20, two city advisory boards announced five potential sites for the project, which will be built under the NOVA Lansing Housing Initiative.
A 50-Pod site designed to move people from crisis to stability.
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The pod village is meant to give people a safe, temporary place to stay while they work toward permanent housing. The campus would include 50 pods, on-site staff around the clock, security, and access to services like job help, counseling, health care, transportation assistance, and financial planning.
People could stay between six and 24 months. The village would also have showers, laundry, lockers, a kitchenette, computer lab, and a mail room. The idea is to quickly stabilize people, connect them with agencies that can help, and prevent future homelessness.
The five possible locations.
Each site comes with different benefits and headaches:
Washington Avenue Warming House (2516 S. Washington Ave., score 95)
The top choice. It already has a usable building, utilities, flat ground, concrete pads, and fencing. It needs repairs and new showers but is the cheapest and fastest to prep.
Former Shabazz School (1028 W. Barnes Ave., score 91)
A full campus with space to grow. Needs paving, fencing upgrades, and interior work. They would need to buy or lease the property, which is currently listed for about $650,000.
Comstock Park (800 Daleford Ave., score 81)
Has a building, but it’s in rough shape. The land slopes like a bowl, raising grading questions.
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Hunter Park (1400 E. Kalamazoo St., score 75)
Lots of space, close to services, but would require the most construction – leveling land, removing trees, adding parking, and installing full utilities in a busy public park.
Reasoner Park/W. North St. (1801 N. Washington Ave., score 65)
The least ready. No building, a utility line splits the property, and major regrading and infrastructure work would be needed. It’s well located, but expensive to fix.
The city has two other sites they are looking into that are not ready to be listed – but will be added if they become legitimate possibilities.
What happens next?
Residents can weigh in before the location decision is made. Many have already spoken at meetings – some firmly opposing pods in public parks, others supporting efforts to help people rebuild their lives. The Human Relations and Community Services Department stressed that the pods must be close to critical services like food and health care.
The boards will hold a public engagement meeting on Dec. 2 at the Letts Community Center and then vote on their top choices at a Dec. 18 meeting. Anyone who wants to review site details or offer input can contact the Human Relations and Community Services Department by visiting the city website, emailing HRCS.CommunityEvents@lansingmi.gov or calling 517-483-4477.
Once a site is selected, the city will move forward with installing the 50 prefabricated pods – purchased for $645,000 – and begin operating a transitional village projected to cost roughly $750,000 per year. That figure doesn’t include the substantial site-prep expenses attached to each location, many of which require major grading, utility work, or building upgrades. Altogether, Lansing’s plan represents a significant financial commitment, raising reasonable questions about whether the city is investing wisely – or simply investing heavily – while pursuing its latest approach to addressing homelessness.
