Building Neighborhoods & Community Through Homes with Jenifer Acosta

This Week on the Max Loves Midland Show: Jennifer “Jen” Acosta (Housing Forward)

What does it really take for Midland to be a place people choose to stay, build a life, and thrive? This week, Kevin LaDuke sits down with Jennifer “Jen” Acosta, a hockey mom, poms mom, real estate developer, and one of the leading voices behind Housing Forward, an initiative working to expand attainable housing, livability, and long-term opportunity across Midland County.

Jen’s story starts with a choice. With roots in Michigan and experience beyond it, she and her family intentionally chose Midland over a more “transient” lifestyle elsewhere because they wanted deep roots, strong schools, and a community where people know each other and show up for each other. From there, the conversation opens into what Jen calls being “an urbanist at heart,” and why neighborhood design, walkability, safety, and comfort for all ages are not “nice to have” features but building blocks of a resilient community.

Kevin and Jen dig into the bigger housing realities shaping Midland’s future, including how household needs have changed, why “housing choice” matters, and why employers are now asking a question economic developers can’t avoid: how many housing starts do you have? They also talk about the mismatch between the homes we primarily have and the households we’re becoming, along with what it means when residents want options beyond the traditional two-lane road of “single-family only” or “large multi-family only.”

You’ll also hear Jen break down:

What Housing Forward is and why it exists

Why housing is as essential to a community’s future as roads and schools

How can thoughtful development strengthen neighborhoods and often increase home values?

What “missing middle” housing can look like in real life, including multi-generational solutions that support caregiving and help families build wealth

Why local ownership matters for community wealth building and long-term stability

How Midland can reduce commuter risk and retain talent when nearly 19,000 people work in Midland but don’t live here

What everyday residents can do to support smarter housing solutions, starting with curiosity and asking better questions