Michigan Democrats eye housing reform in waning days of lame-duck session
‘People are hurting for housing that would meet their needs and provide the stability they deserve,’ said Rep. Kristian Grant.
Democrats in the Michigan Legislature are pushing for additional housing reforms in the remaining days of the lame-duck session.
Michigan continues to experience a housing crisis stemming from soaring housing costs and aging infrastructure. Residents and community advocates in recent years have ramped up calls for the Legislature to implement policies that would lead to an increase in accessible, safe housing and lower rents.
Democratic lawmakers introduced bills in the Senate and House of Representatives in November aimed at tackling Michigan’s housing woes, but legislators have little time left to consider and vote on them before the end of the term, which the House currently has scheduled for Dec. 19.
House Bills 6095–6098 would expand the state’s housing supply by amending local zoning regulations that bill sponsors say are standing in the way of developing diverse housing options, including multi-family units and affordable housing.
Rep. Kristian Grant, a Grand Rapids Democrat and bill sponsor, said in a statement that innovative solutions are needed to address the crisis and improve Michiganders’ quality of life.
“This legislation empowers planners and communities to meet the high demand that has grown over the last several decades,” Grant said. “People are hurting for housing that would meet their needs and provide the stability they deserve. I know this is a top priority for residents from Grand Rapids, to Detroit, to the U.P.”
Grant said community leaders, developers and builders have worked with lawmakers in their efforts to find better housing solutions.
“The status quo isn’t going to get more housing built. Housing policy that meets Michigan’s housing demand is critical to keep Michigan economically competitive, to retain our current residents, and to attract new talent to our state,” Andrea Brown, the executive director of the Michigan Association of Planning, said in a statement.
Inadequate housing has been a major economic roadblock for the state as it attempts to grow its stagnant population, attract new businesses, and appeal to young people who are looking to settle down.
The Michigan State Housing Development Authority made an assessment of the state’s housing market in its first statewide housing plan, which was released in 2022. The report found that about 48% of renters and 18% of homeowners in Michigan paid over 30% of their income for housing before the COVID-19 pandemic. Since the beginning of the pandemic, it has become harder for renters and buyers to afford housing.
The report noted that almost half of all housing units in Michigan were built before 1970 and that the number of new-construction building permits issued in 2016-2020 is less than half what it was in 1986-2006.
“What we know is, the disinvestment in affordable and attainable housing in Michigan has been occurring for decades. There are projects right now waiting for the green light but the process is too cumbersome, slow and can get expensive quickly from concept to time-to-build. This package creates multiple pathways to build like never before, to get caught up in creating neighborhoods and communities with housing,” Grant said.
In the upper chamber, Democratic Sens. Mary Cavanagh of Redford Township and Jeff Irwin of Ann Arbor introduced Senate Bills 1154 and 1155, which would create a Fair Chance Access to Housing Act.
The bills would prohibit landlords from requiring rental applicants to disclose criminal histories before they have received a conditional housing offer. A landlord would be able to withdraw a conditional offer if they reviewed an individual applicant’s background and determined that withdrawing the offer was necessary “to fulfil a substantial, legitimate, and nondiscriminatory interest.”
Approximately 2.8 million people in Michigan have a criminal record, according to Cavanagh’s office. Returning citizens are often limited in their ability to secure housing, employment, and other necessary resources, which increases the likelihood that they will experience homelessness, unemployment and cycles of recidivism, according to the Prison Policy Initiative.
The Senate proposal would put Michigan in step with recommendations from the U.S. Dept. of Housing and Human Development, which say criminal record screening policies are discriminatory and which encourage landlords to instead use alternative screening methods to determine whether someone would be a good tenant, such as prior rental history or personal references.
“Every Michigander, regardless of background or personal history, deserves a secure place to call home,” Cavanagh said in a statement. “When residents have access to stable housing, recidivism decreases, and our communities are safer.”
Both the House package and the Senate bills were sent to committee, where they await further action.
