Michigan is facing a housing crisis that's making it too expensive for families to rent or buy homes, prompting state lawmakers to introduce a comprehensive nine-bill package aimed at addressing the affordability challenges.
- Michigan lawmakers introduced a bipartisan nine-bill package to address the state's housing affordability crisis.
- The legislation focuses on modernizing zoning laws and streamlining development processes.
- Local officials welcome state help as construction costs continue rising statewide.
Representative Kristian Grant, along with legislators from both sides of the aisle, unveiled the bipartisan plan Tuesday to tackle Michigan's housing future through modernized zoning laws and streamlined development processes.
"Michigan is facing a housing crisis. It is too expensive to rent, it is too expensive to buy, and too many families feel like stability is slipping further out of their reach," Grant said.
The legislation focuses on updating outdated zoning laws and developmental processes to help communities respond to current housing needs more effectively.
"It makes it so that communities can respond to today's housing needs in a practical and predictable way," Grant said.
Local officials are welcoming the state-level attention to housing issues. Cory Mays, grant administrator for the city of Jackson, works closely on housing matters and has seen firsthand how construction costs continue to rise.
"The cost of construction is not going down. It keeps going up, it just is," Mays said.
Mays emphasized that communities need state assistance to bridge the gap between housing costs and affordability.
"We need help. We need help from the state to fill that gap," Mays said.
The housing challenge extends beyond just providing shelter for current residents, according to local leaders.
"We need housing for the people that live here now, we need affordable housing. But we need housing for the people that we want to be here," Mays said.
While Grant acknowledged that changes won't happen overnight, local leaders view the legislative focus as crucial for the future of Jackson and other Michigan communities.
The state-level recognition of housing challenges gives hope to officials like Mays for neighborhood development.
"Build it and they will come," Mays said.
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