New construction remains suppressed across the state, and low- to middle-income residents are bearing the brunt of the lack of affordable new homes. Bob Filka, CEO of the Home Builders Association of Michigan, hopes to lead policy changes to make more building possible at mid-range prices.
Paula Gardner
Paula directs the business reporting on Bridge, writing much of it and setting the strategy for how statewide business coverage fits into Bridge’s nonpartisan policy-driven editorial mix. Paula came to Bridge in 2020 after several years at MLive.com, where she covered the state on both business and environmental teams. Prior to that, she was editor of the Ann Arbor News and news director of online startup AnnArbor,com, and also focused on business news as an editor and reporter at Michigan Business Review. Born and raised in metro Detroit, Paula moved to Ann Arbor to attend the University of Michigan, and has lived in the city for 20 years with her husband, who grew up in their neighborhood. Paula also regularly visits East Lansing and Grand Rapids to visit her college-aged children. She can be reached at pgardner@bridgemi.com
Posted inBusiness Watch
Coronavirus kept us home, igniting real estate frenzy in northern Michigan
Prices are climbing and competition is fierce as traditionally slow areas of Michigan become real-estate hotspots. No longer geographically tied to their workplaces and enjoying low interest rates, buyers are sparking a ‘feeding frenzy’ in northern Michigan.
Posted inTalent & Education
Whitmer thanks Michigan COVID essential workers with free community college
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer set aside $24 million in federal CARES Act funds to allow people required to work through the height of the coronavirus crisis to receive a free associate’s degree at a local community college.
Posted inBusiness Watch
Michigan businesses struggled during COVID. Customers are coming to rescue.
Spending is up, even amid a pandemic. And many consumers are keeping money closer to home, saving a coffee shop near Saline and increasing traffic in downtowns.
Posted inMichigan Government
Extra $300 Michigan unemployment payouts should reach jobless after Labor Day
Payments will be retroactive to Aug. 1. However, state officials warn they’ll only last up to five weeks.
Posted inBusiness Watch
Michigan lawmakers may tweak unemployment law to help employers amid pandemic
Michigan’s reserves to pay jobless claims are dwindling amid record unemployment claims. Starting Jan. 1, employers would have to pay more into the system, but some lawmakers want to avoid that prospect.
Posted inBusiness Watch
Michigan’s permanent layoffs suggest thousands of jobs may be gone for good
Economists are starting to get data that indicate a longer, slower recovery period following steep job losses during the coronavirus pandemic.
Posted inBusiness Watch
Michigan town wonders what’s next as factory closes and 125 jobs are lost
‘We need to find jobs that people can keep,’ says one store owner as the second-largest employer in Evart closed this summer. It’s just another blow to a community fighting for stability during the coronavirus pandemic.
Posted inMichigan Government
Michigan seeks $300 per week in extra benefits for unemployed
President Trump is making extra unemployment benefits available because of the pandemic that has left more than 2.4 million Michigan residents jobless. The state could have pursued an extra $100 per week in benefits, but opted against it because of declining tax revenue.
Posted inTalent & Education
Michigan colleges ‘nervous’ about COVID as students return, ready to party
Students are returning to colleges throughout Michigan. That means partying is inevitable. But state, business and local leaders are working to find a way to ensure that doesn’t lead to coronavirus outbreaks.