The Michigan Land Use Institute, founded in northwest Michigan’s Benzie County in 1995, works for economic development policies that strengthen urban and rural communities and protect the state’s matchless natural resources. It does this through research, communications, grassroots organizing, and reasoned advocacy.
 
The Institute is helping Michigan’s citizens and leaders better understand how revitalizing urban areas helps to preserve open space, rural communities, and farmland. It does this by working directly with farmers, business owners, environmentalists, industrialists, and urban and suburban homeowners who have an interest in halting sprawling development.
 
The Institute partners with like-minded organizations to promote the redirection of public and private investments from the suburban fringe to established cities. A primary goal is encouraging the construction of high-quality affordable housing in “walkable” settings that are near shops, businesses, schools, and civic institutions — the essence of a true and healthy community.

The Institute is among the country’s 10 largest state-based environmental and land use advocacy organizations. Its 16 journalists, grassroots organizers, and technical specialists staff offices in Beulah, Traverse City, Grand Rapids, and Lansing. The Institute is now working to establish an office in Detroit.

The Institute’s nationally prominent news desk publishes an award-winning Web site, two news services, the Great Lakes Bulletin magazine, in-depth special reports, and brochures.