Chapter 5: Housing Profile
This section of the plan details the characteristics of the
Suttons Bay Township housing stock by structural type, occupancy, age, and
value characteristics; reviews recent building permit activity; assesses
housing affordability; and, projects future housing needs. The majority of the
data presented within this chapter has been gathered from the 1990 U.S. Census,
which, for the majority of elements is the most recent published data
available. Where appropriate, the data described in this chapter is benchmarked
to county demographics.
Housing
structural type
Data in Table 8 compare the type of structures that existed
in the township and county respectively for years 1980 and 1990. Overall, the
township housing stock is characterized by single‑family homes.
|
Table 8 1980
and 1990 Year-Round Housing Unit Comparison |
||||||
|
Units per Structure |
|
|||||
|
1980 |
1990 |
Change 1980-1990 |
||||
|
No. |
Percent |
No. |
Percent |
No. |
Percent |
|
|
1-unit
|
476 |
82.6 |
608 |
82.5 |
132 |
27.7 |
|
2-4
units |
28 |
4.9 |
25 |
3.4 |
(3) |
(10.7) |
|
5
or more units |
27 |
4.7 |
24 |
3.3 |
(3) |
(11.1) |
|
Mobile
home/other |
45 |
7.8 |
80 |
10.9 |
35 |
77.8 |
|
Total |
576 |
100.0 |
737 |
100.0 |
161 |
28.0 |
|
Units per Structure |
|
|||||
|
1980 |
1990 |
Change 1980-1990 |
||||
|
No. |
Percent |
No. |
Percent |
No. |
Percent |
|
|
1-unit |
7,376 |
81.3 |
9,679 |
86.6 |
2,303 |
31.2 |
|
2-4
units |
474 |
5.2 |
257 |
2.3 |
(217) |
(45.8) |
|
5
or more units |
606 |
6.7 |
173 |
1.5 |
(433) |
(71.5) |
|
Mobile
home/other |
617 |
6.8 |
1,062 |
9.5 |
445 |
72.1 |
|
Total |
9,073 |
100.0 |
11,171 |
100.0 |
2,098 |
23.1 |
|
Source: 1980 and 1990 |
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In 1990, 82.5 percent of the homes in
The county housing stock can also be characterized as
primarily single family in make-up. Multiple family units are proportionately
the smallest unit type among all structures in both the Township and
Like the Township,
Housing
occupancy
Occupancy characteristics are presented in Table 9.
According to the 1990 census, there were 588 housing units available for year‑round
living. Nearly eight out of every ten units (78.2 percent) were occupied. Out
of the 576 occupied units, 77.4 percent were owner-occupied, and 22.6 percent
were rental units.
In 1990, 21.8 percent of the township's total housing stock
were vacant. Of the vacant units, half (50.3 percent) were used for seasonal,
recreational, or occasional purposes. The next largest category of vacant
housing was for migrant workers. The “other vacant” housing category refers to
non-housing structures being used for residential purposes. These include
campers, trailers, vans, boats and rail cars. It is most likely that these are
used on a seasonal basis. This category includes 32 units or 19.9 of the vacant
housing stock.
As a general rule, a 5 percent vacancy rate is desirable.
Such a vacancy rate permits residents moving into the area a choice of housing
which is immediately available for occupancy. In 1990, the stock of vacant
units for sale or for rent in
Table 9 1990
Occupancy Characteristics |
||||
|
Category |
Number |
Percent of Total
Units |
Percent
of Occupied Units |
|
|
Total
occupied housing units |
576 |
78.2 |
100.0 |
|
|
|
Owner-occupied |
446 |
60.5 |
77.4 |
|
|
Renter-occupied |
130 |
17.7 |
22.6 |
|
Vacant
housing units |
161 |
21.8 |
100.0 |
|
|
|
For
rent |
4 |
0.5 |
2.5 |
|
|
For
sale |
1 |
0.1 |
.6 |
|
|
Rented/sold
not occupied |
7 |
1.0 |
4.3 |
|
|
For
seasonal, recreational, or occasional use |
81 |
11.0 |
50.3 |
|
|
For
migrant workers |
36 |
4.9 |
|