Cornerstone Alliance has officially launched a comprehensive Housing Needs Assessment for Berrien County in partnership with Bowen National Research, a nationally respected housing analysis firm. The five-month study is designed to provide countywide data and insights that will drive strategic housing development and help ensure Berrien County is equipped to support both the expansion of existing businesses and the attraction of new employers.
“From long-time industry leaders to small business owners across the county, we’re hearing the same thing; our workforce needs more housing options,” said Marla Schneider, President & CEO of Cornerstone Alliance. “This study will provide the data needed for municipalities to implement tools and incentives, unlock new opportunities for developers, and position Berrien County as a site-ready region ready to grow.”
The study will identify current and projected housing needs across all income levels, focusing specifically on workforce housing that serves households earning between 50 and 120% of the area median income. It will include submarket analyses across eight geographic districts in Berrien County, incorporate input from local municipalities and employers, and evaluate factors such as commuting patterns, rental vacancy rates, affordability, and housing conditions.
“The timing of this study by Cornerstone Alliance is ideal. Housing is a challenge facing nearly every community in the county, including Buchanan,” said Tony McGhee, City Manager for the City of Buchanan. “With our downtown project slated for completion this fall and new development opportunities on the horizon, partnering on this study gives us valuable, in-depth information about our community. This will help us attract the best developers and the highest-quality projects, which is a tremendous benefit for the city and our surrounding townships.”
Directly supporting goals outlined in Cornerstone Alliance’s Strategic Action Plan, the project includes the activation of housing development through public-private partnerships, the creation of a dedicated housing resource within the organization, and the advancement of zoning and development strategies that improve access to attainable housing.
Findings will be made publicly available when the study is complete in December 2025.
Several stakeholders, including the Area Agency on Aging, Inc., Berrien Community Foundation, Corewell Health Lakeland Hospitals, Mno-Bmadsen, The Pokagon Fund, United Way of Southwest Michigan, and the Whirlpool Foundation, have committed to funding the study and are helping to shape the future of housing availability in our collective community.
“We’re grateful to our partners who recognize that housing is not just a social issue; it’s an economic one,” said Schneider. “If we want to retain talent, fill jobs, grow our population, and compete for investment, we need a clear and collaborative plan to meet our housing needs.”
Stakeholder municipalities include the cities of Buchanan, New Buffalo, and Niles; the villages of Stevensville and Three Oaks; and Chikaming, New Buffalo, and Three Oaks townships.
“The leaders in our communities—township supervisors, municipal managers, city councils, planning commissioners, and others—are the ones shaping the future of housing at the local level,” said Dan Petersen, Executive Director of The Pokagon Fund. “The Pokagon Fund supports this assessment as it will help equip community leaders in places like New Buffalo, Chikaming Township, and Three Oaks with the data and tools they need to make informed, strategic decisions and move forward with greater clarity and confidence to enable development that aligns with their local goals.”
Cornerstone Alliance will use the study results as a springboard to:
Launch a dedicated housing resource within the organization.
Assist municipalities in interpreting the data and identifying priority development sites.
Engage developers through a countywide Developer Day event occurring on Oct. 9.
Recommend tools and incentives that support mixed-income housing options.
“This is a pivotal moment,” said Schneider. “By the end of the year, we’ll have a shared, data-driven foundation that empowers every community in Berrien County—urban, rural, and lakeshore alike—to move forward with confidence and clarity.”
For more information about Cornerstone Alliance and its Housing Needs Assessment, visit www.cstonealliance.org.
