Marquette Township approves a 10-year TIF to support a planned 48-unit housing development.
Marquette Township, August 23, 2025
At a special meeting the Marquette Township Board approved a 10-year Tax Increment Financing plan to support a proposed 48-unit housing development, moving the project closer to construction. The parcel is expected to transfer to a local homebuilder pending closing paperwork, and construction could occur over the next two years if county approval and additional funding align. Officials said the TIF will divert property tax revenue for roughly a decade to make the project viable amid rising construction costs. Supporters cite increased housing supply and affordability benefits; opponents cited concerns about lost tax revenue.
What happened: At a special Friday afternoon meeting, the Marquette Township Board approved a 10-year Tax Increment Financing (TIF) plan intended to support the development of 48 new housing units to be built over the next two years. The measure clears a major local hurdle but still requires county-level signoff and some final agreements before the project is fully finalized.
The board’s approval means the township will not collect the usual property tax revenues from the development for about 10 years under the TIF arrangement. Township leadership described the vote as difficult and said members weighed responsibility for public funds carefully before approving the plan. A few formal agreements remain to be completed in the coming weeks.
The development has been discussed for years by Renovare, LLC, and now involves Wildflower Homes. The owner of Wildflower Homes indicated the recent board action brings the project closer to being built, and said Wildflower Homes is expected to take ownership of the property at the beginning of September if closing goes ahead. Company leadership also noted that public housing funding through the state housing agency is still awaited and that the TIF approval at the township level will still need county approval.
The county housing specialist explained that using a TIF can help hold down construction and ownership costs for both builders and future homeowners. Local officials stressed that recent construction cost inflation has made traditional development more expensive, and that combining the TIF with grants and other incentives can keep the final project costs more affordable.
Developers and township officials said construction of the 48 units is planned over the next two years. The developer plans a property closing in early September, after which Wildflower Homes would assume control and move the project toward permitting and building. The township’s TIF approval is a key step but not the final one; county approval and several detailed agreements must follow.
These recent events follow previous negotiations that stalled. For more than two years the township board and Renovare, LLC discussed selling a five-acre plot for a 48-unit workforce housing community. An earlier proposal from Renovare included a longer 30-year TIF that would have directed all tax revenue from the development to go toward the buyer’s purchase payment rather than to the township. That proposal raised strong objections from board members.
In a separate regular meeting held previously, Renovare offered a 10-year TIF variant in which only 13 of the 48 homes would have been designated as workforce housing. That motion failed when five board members voted against it and two voted in favor, effectively halting the earlier plan and sending the parcel back to the market while developers regrouped.
Board leadership stressed fiduciary duty as a primary reason for resisting the earlier, longer TIF proposal. Concerns included long-term commitments of tax revenue that could bind future boards and reduce funds for other township needs. The new 10-year plan approved at the special meeting was presented as a more balanced option that enables development while limiting the length of tax relief.
A livestream of the special meeting was available while officials discussed the proposal. Local residents may check township postings for meeting records and upcoming public hearing dates related to the project and its TIF paperwork.
A: The board approved a 10-year Tax Increment Financing plan tied to a proposed 48-unit housing development. The approval was by the township board but still needs county approval and final agreements.
A: Under the approved TIF plan, the township will not collect the usual taxes from the development for roughly 10 years while the increment is used for project costs per the agreement.
A: The project has been in discussions with Renovare, LLC for years and now involves Wildflower Homes as the expected buyer and developer taking ownership if the closing proceeds as planned in early September.
A: Earlier proposals included a workforce housing component. A previous 10-year offer would have made 13 of the 48 units workforce housing, while an earlier 30-year proposal would have dedicated all tax revenues to the purchase payment. The current arrangement’s specific unit mix should be confirmed in final agreements and county reviews.
A: County-level approval of the TIF, completion of several township agreements, securing any pending state housing funding, and standard permit approvals will be required before construction can start.
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Project size | 48 housing units |
| Development land | Previously discussed five-acre parcel |
| Financing tool | 10-year Tax Increment Financing (TIF) approved by township board; county approval required |
| Developers | Renovare, LLC involved in prior talks; Wildflower Homes expected to take ownership |
| Timeline | Planned build over roughly two years; expected property closing in early September |
| Pending items | County TIF approval, final township agreements, and possible state housing funding |
| Local impact | Intended to increase housing supply and reduce construction costs for buyers through financing and incentives |
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