City of Hancock receives certification as Redevelopment Ready Community

Designation facilitates private investment, improves economic development opportunities.

LANSING, Mich. – For its efforts in establishing a solid foundation to attract private investment and further build on municipality assets, the city of Hancock has been awarded the Redevelopment Ready Communities (RRC) certification, the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) announced today.

MEDC formally recognizes the city of Hancock as a Certified Redevelopment Ready Community in Michigan. The city of Hancock joins an elite group of 65 Michigan communities in all corners of the state that have qualified as “thoroughly prepared” when it comes to planning and zoning to remove traditional barriers and promote opportunities for prospective investors. To see the entire list of Redevelopment Ready Communities, visit here.

“Our mission at MEDC is to support Michigan’s strong economic momentum and empower communities to establish a strong planning, zoning and economic development foundation,” said MEDC Executive Vice President of Economic Development Incentives Michele Wildman. “The city of Hancock is well-positioned to continue to implement its vision for the future and further improve the quality of life for its residents. We look forward to building upon our relationship with the city and supporting local economic development efforts.”

As an RRC participant, the city of Hancock received a comprehensive assessment that measured current community and economic development practices compared to RRC best practice standards. The program evaluates and certifies communities that integrate transparency, predictability, and efficiency into economic development practices. Certification status is a compelling indicator that a community has removed development barriers and streamlined processes to be more competitive and attractive to investors.

“This is an amazing accomplishment for the city of Hancock. A big thank you for the hard work and dedication of city staff in helping achieve this milestone,” said City Manager Mary Babcock. “The Redevelopment Ready Community designation shows the strides we have taken to put best practices in place to create a welcoming community for residents, business owners and potential investors.”

“It is a tremendous honor and achievement for the city of Hancock to be recognized as an RRC-certified community. We are excited about the additional possibilities and resources that are now available through the MEDC. This certification is yet another reason to be optimistic about the future of Hancock,” said City Mayor Paul LaBine. “We believe this offers prospective developers, residents, and investors more confidence to become a part of the community, as Hancock is a thriving city with much to offer. We have achieved this through the combined efforts of all municipal staff, our city council, the planning commission, public participation, and the Downtown Development Authority in enhancing our current strengths and adopting new procedures to fully meet the RRC standards. In particular, Mary, our city manager, and the late Deb Mann, our DDA coordinator, deserve praise for their efforts in obtaining this certification, which has placed Hancock in a strong position for future growth.”

About Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC)

The Michigan Economic Development Corporation is the state’s marketing arm and lead advocate for business development, job awareness and community development with the focus on growing Michigan’s economy. For more information on the MEDC and our initiatives, visit www.MichiganBusiness.org. For Pure Michigan® tourism information, your trip begins at www.michigan.org. Join the conversation on: Facebook Instagram LinkedIn, and Twitter.