A desire to develop land spurs Lane Manning’s affordable housing work

Being a part of the housing development industry has long been a goal for Lane Manning of DreamLane Real Estate. 

Manning graduated from Central Michigan University with a sales and marketing focus and a lingering desire to develop land.  

“I envisioned taking the traditional route of finding a large parcel, acquiring capital, going through the entitlement process and building a development with my kids' names for streets, etc.,” said Manning.  

While serving on the Fitchburg Plan Commission, Manning heard several housing presentations and realized becoming a real estate agent would offer a greater lasting impact than developing his own land. “The opportunity to partner with an established developer with in-place resources was a no-brainer.” 

In 2018, Manning assisted his 76-year-old mother in finding an affordable home in Florida. When doing this, he saw the need for quality affordable housing products firsthand. He also recognized that the stigma attached to affordable housing prevents successful development in many communities.  

When it comes to siting a project, “we are not trying to increase the local crime rates or decrease any one’s overall sense of safety,” he said. “We are simply trying to answer a need for a large population within our community to have a safe, affordable place to call home.” 

In describing his vision for affordable housing, Manning offered a future news headline he’d like to see: “The stigma of affordable housing is all but gone as ALL neighborhoods with senior and workforce housing projects have seen unprecedented equity growth over the past 25 years.”