Ann Arbor, Michigan is reportedly building hundreds of housing units for the downtown area of the city. However, a new market study shows that there will be demand for 1,800 additional housing units by 2019, as well as 90,000 to 100,00 square feet of new office space. These figures are based on job growth projections and other factors in the area, including a growing tech hub. However, while seeming to indicate economic progress, the report cautions that the demand is causing rising housing prices, which are forcing low-income workers out of the area

The market study, conducted by 4ward Planning Inc. and released by the Downtown Development Authority, identifies several factors as causes of the increasing demand for housing: these include strong population growth, an increase in non-family households, a diversifying housing market, a strong rental market, increasing retail demand, and rising employment and salary offerings. Overall, the report indicates that the need for additional housing is largely due to good economic conditions. However, if additional space is not created or found, this demand and value could vanish.

Since 2010, around 620 new apartments and condos have been built in downtown Anne Arbor, creating an estimated 1,440 new residents in the four years since, a 40% increase in the local population. While the rest of the city and other local downtown areas have demonstrated weaker growth rates, Ann Arbor’s downtown population is now projected to rise by an additional 55% by 2019. Like the rest of the nation, this increase has and will continue to consist of mostly non-family households or single residents. This has the potential to create an even longer-lasting housing trend, as these nontraditional households include a variety of age groups, including retirees, and income levels.

However, worryingly, household incomes over $100,000 are expected to grow the fastest in downtown Ann Arbor, matching reports that housing and rent prices in the area are steadily increasing. Currently, 69% of households in downtown Ann Arbor earn less than $35,000 a year, making it unlikely that residents will be unable to stay in the area as rent prices rise to as much as $1,500 a month for a one bedroom apartment.

If Ann Arbor can meet demand by adding housing options to the downtown area, the city could benefit in a number of ways. The area has indicated increasing retail demand, with the average downtown household spend around 46% on retail goods and restaurants, but that most sales come from the larger metro area. As more people look to enter the area, particularly older crowds, local businesses can expect to increase their services significantly. Moreover, with more businesses have already moved to the area to take advantage of the growing professional, scientific and technology sectors, employment rates and earnings have likewise increased, increasing average salaries for the area. This creates a unique opportunity for the city to attract workers to the area and further improve the local economy.

With these potential consequences and benefits, it remains to be seen if Ann Arbor will be able to meet demands for additional housing and office spaces by 2019. Currently, construction costs in the area are considered similar to the national average and should not act as obvious barriers to downtown building. However, with the quick rate at which these changes are occurring, it may not be possible for the city to construct the necessary spaces in time to prevent lower income households from leaving the area.

After recent severe thunderstorms in Michigan, approximately 462,000 power company customers were left without power throughout the state, including at least 41,000 in Detroit.

Detroit’s DTE Energy Co. said that 41,000 of its residents were still without power days after the storm. Although that number was down from the initial 375,000 hit by the storms, the company still took several days to restore power for all residents.

The storm, which hit on September 5, saw winds of up to 75 mph — considered a tornado for the area. For DTE, it was the eighth worst storm in the past 111 years, in terms of how many of the company’s customers were affected, according to a DTE spokesperson.

In order to help residents regain power, the state called in more than 600 crews from Ohio, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, New York and Tennessee.

The average American spends around $700 annually on natural gas heating and cooling — and for those in the Midwest, heating bills can reach higher numbers in the cold months. With the upcoming winter, predicted by the Farmer’s Almanac to be “frigid” and “bitter,” Detroit customers will need reliable heating to brave the winter storms.

DTE and Consumers Energy, another Michigan company, prioritize repairs and restoration in similar ways. Hospitals, police, firefighter, governmental buildings, emergency dispatch centers and cellphone towers all receive repairs first, as these are considered essential services.

Because downed power lines pose a serious risk, these are also fixed before residential power is restored.

In Warren, authorities said a 42-year-old man was electrocuted after accidentally touching a live downed power line after the storm — and that was only one of 4,000 downed lines.

Once the emergencies have been taken care of, DTE restores sections of the grid with the largest number of customers.

DTE currently spends $750 million per year on maintenance in order to reduce the duration of the power outages.

That amount was increased by $100 million this year, $50 million of which has been spent to rebuild the distribution system for power. So far, just 300 of the 3,300 circuits powering the city have been rebuilt by DTE.

A police chase resulted in a four-car pile up last Wednesday in Clawson. After allegedly stealing items from a local Meijer grocery store, a woman attempted to flee the scene in her black Crown Victoria. While being chased by police, the woman ran a red light and crashed into a SUV at the intersection of Crooks Road and Meijer Drive. Two other cars attempting to stop were also involved in the accident. The woman suffered severe injuries and was taken to the hospital after rescue crews removed her from her vehicle.

After the smoke clears and injuries are tended to following a car crash, the difficult process of figuring out whose insurance is responsible for covering repairs begins. The last thing you want to worry about after getting in a car accident is how much repairs are going to cost for your vehicle. Payment for repairs after a crash is complicated when there is another vehicle involved in the accident, and determining who is responsible is often a gray area.

It is always recommended to contact the police in the event of a car accident, especially when more than one vehicle is involved, as they are usually able to determine whose insurance is responsible for paying to fix damage resulting from a crash. Even though it may seem obvious who is at fault, evidence is needed to prove negligence on someone’s part in order for insurance companies to accept the claim .

Even if police are able to determine responsibility, there are still times when the other party involved in the crash may not be liable for paying for repairs. What are some of the reasons?

One of the top reasons a driver involved in a car crash might be relieved of responsibilities is if they suffered from a sudden medical emergency while driving. This could include a heart attack, stroke or seizure, among other things. This is not to say that their liability will automatically be dismissed. If the driver suffers from an ongoing medical condition and shouldn’t have been driving in the first place, this would be solid proof of negligence.

Another circumstance in which it can be difficult to prove negligence is when the other vehicle involved is an emergency vehicle. There are higher standards for proving negligence in these cases, and many lawyers won’t even take these cases.

If a car hits you as the result of being hit by another car, odds are they will not be responsible for damages. Say the car that hit you was hit by a driver who flees the scene. Unless someone was able to obtain solid evidence that the driver who fled caused the accident, they won’t be held liable.

Car collision insurance claims are undoubtedly a tricky matter, and many times you can get stuck with the bill even if the other driver seemed to be at fault. The best thing to do is contact your local law enforcement office and file a police report.