The Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians is launching its first tiny home initiative to address the housing crisis affecting tribal citizens.

The project will introduce six tiny homes on the reservation in Munising, aiming to provide affordable housing in an area where demand has surged because of tourism and limited availability.

Tyler LaPlaunt, vice chairman of the tribe, said the initiative is a step toward increasing housing access for tribal members.

“We’ve been looking at tiny homes for a while, and now we’re moving forward with a plan to build six tiny homes on the reservation in Munising,” he said.

The Sault Tribe Housing Authority, which oversees the project, is still in the early stages of implementation. A formal groundbreaking is planned for this spring, according to Joni Talentino, director of the Housing Authority.

“There has not been a formal announcement yet,” Talentino said. “No feedback from the community and tribal members yet. A groundbreaking will happen this spring with a formal announcement of the project.”

The project is designed to max- imize limited land while addressing the rising demand for housing in the region.

“If we were to build regular- sized homes on the available land, we wouldn’t be able to fit many,” LaPlaunt said. “By using tiny homes, we can make better use of the space and help more people.”

While the initiative is a pilot program, Talentino said it could expand depending on the success of the first phase.

“Tiny homes are also being considered in St. Ignace for the housing community being developed there,” Talentino said. “We’ll get these built and occupied and evaluate the success of the project and if it should be duplicated elsewhere.”

The homes are designed to provide an option for individuals seeking independent living, offering an alternative to multigenerational living where multiple generations may have no choice but to share a home.

“The housing crisis is hitting tourist areas the hardest, and, unfortunately, that’s where many of our tribal citizens live,” LaPlaunt said. “We have to find creative solutions, and tiny homes are part of that strategy.”

Even with a $2 million investment in housing projects, rising construction and infrastructure costs remain a significant challenge.

“The cost of building materials skyrocketed after the pandemic, which makes all housing projects more expensive,” LaPlaunt said. “Even with $2 million, we wouldn’t be able to get more than one or two homes up in some areas because of infrastructure costs.”

To stabilize costs, the Housing Authority is considering purchasing additional land in the Marquette area and leveraging its in-house construction crew to handle building efforts directly.

“This has allowed us to stabilize costs,” Talentino said.

She also confirmed that feedback from residents will play a key role in refining future housing projects.

Beyond the tiny home initiative, other housing solutions are being explored.

“We are currently considering developing a second housing site in the [Munising] area,” Talentino said. “It would be located on the same property as the former tribal health center on M-28.”

LaPlaunt added, “We’re also looking at buying existing homes within city limits and working with investors on housing projects. It’s better to have tribal citizens in homes — even if they aren’t on reservation land — than to have money sitting in an account while people struggle to find housing.”

LaPlaunt said tribal housing strategies must remain flexible to meet the changing needs of citizens.

“We need to stop thinking that everything has to be built on reservation land,” he said. “If we can invest in off-reservation housing that benefits our members, then that’s what we should do.”

The initiative represents a new approach for the tribe in tackling the ongoing housing shortage. While this is only the first step, leaders hope it will serve as a model for future housing developments.