OSCODA, MI – The Michigan State Housing Development Authority wanted to build modular housing and Oscoda Township officials thought they had a perfect spot. Along Skeel Avenue, next to the senior living complex, was 8.3 acres of empty land where visiting officers were once quartered when the property was part of Wurtsmith Air Force Base.
The state was offering a $196,000 five-year loan to get the project off the ground. Kalitta Air, a cargo airline that operates from the former base, offered $10,000 to help. The airline, the largest local employer, has struggled to recruit skilled technicians willing to relocate to northeast Michigan due to a severe shortage of workforce housing. Read more…