(The Center Square) – A broad coalition of business, environmental, housing and advocacy groups is calling on Michigan lawmakers to pass a bipartisan housing package.
The “Housing Readiness Plan” was first introduced earlier this year by a bipartisan group of lawmakers, led by state Reps. Kristian Grant, D-Grand Rapids, and Joe Aragona, R-Clinton Township.
The nine-bill package is meant to make it easier to build new homes in Michigan by updating zoning laws and reducing regulatory barriers.
“The bipartisan Housing Readiness Package modernizes our development processes to reduce unnecessary costs and delays, making housing more affordable and available across the state,” Grant said. “This is about ensuring Michigan is prepared for growth and that more residents have access to safe, stable homes.”
In previous reporting by The Center Square, Aragona pointed to regulatory costs as a major driver of increasing housing prices, estimating that roughly $95,000 can be added to the cost of a home before construction even begins.
Now, supporters say momentum is growing behind the plan as more than 30 organizations have joined to urge the legislature to act.
“What we’re seeing today is real momentum,” Grant said. “This coalition brings together partners from across Michigan who may not always agree on everything, but are united in one thing: we need more housing options, and we need them now.”
Michigan’s housing shortage has been growing for decades.
According to the 2024 Michigan Statewide Housing Needs Assessment, released by the University of Michigan, there has been a steady decline in the number of new housing units hitting the market since 2000.
Additionally, it found that low-income households have been especially affected by the housing supply gap.
In 2022, Michigan announced a Statewide Housing Plan in an attempt to address this issue. Especially focused on affordable housing, it touts nearly 90,000 building permits granted since its inception.
Lawmakers hope the bill package will further address this issue, particularly by updating Michigan’s zoning process to be more “efficient, predictable, and transparent.”
Notably, the bills will:
• Allow duplexes in single-family residential zones that are in, or adjacent to, metropolitan areas
• Prohibit minimum parking space requirements of more than one space per dwelling
• Reduce bureaucratic delays by setting a 60-day timeline for decisions
This is just a few of the revisions the Housing Readiness Package hopes to make. While receiving bipartisan support from both the Republican-led state House and Democrat-led state Senate, it is unclear if this initiative will be more successful than a similar one which stalled in 2024.
Lawmakers say the Housing Readiness Plan is designed to address those challenges by making the zoning process more “efficient, predictable and transparent,” particularly in high-demand metropolitan areas.
Lauren Strickland, executive director of Abundant Housing Michigan, said recent data shows similar reforms in other states have had a measurable impact. She pointed to a report from The Pew Charitable Trusts examining zoning changes in Austin, Texas, where rents fell after more housing was built.
“Bipartisan housing legislation can help us address Michigan’s dire housing shortage,” Strickland said. “Some municipal leaders are worried about change, which is understandable, but this data is a clear and objective reminder that adding more homes helps manage costs for those that need it most. It’s time for Michigan to expand home options for working families and other longtime community members.”
Business and free-market groups are also backing the effort.
“Michigan’s housing shortage isn’t an accident – it’s the result of policy choices that make building homes harder and more expensive than it needs to be,” said Jarrett Skorup, vice president of marketing and communications at Mackinac. “This package eliminates some of these barriers to help creates more opportunities for affordable and accessible housing.”
Yet, not everyone is on board.
The Michigan Township Association has raised concerns that statewide standards could override local control.
“Affordable housing is essential across the state,” said the Michigan Township Association in a statement regarding the plan, “but it should not come at the expense of local input by requiring local governments to follow one-size-fits-all requirements from the state.”
Advocates for the plan argue the stakes are too high to delay action.
“It’s encouraging to see a broad coalition come together who all agree on one thing: Michigan needs more housing and we need to make it easier to build it,” said state Sen. John Lindsey, R-Coldwater, a member of the Housing Readiness Plan coalition. “By cutting through bureaucracy and streamlining processes, we can make it so everyone in Michigan has a fair shot at a safe, more affordable place to call home.”
