State Rep. Kristian Grant (D-Grand Rapids) testifies before the Senate Local Government Committee, regarding HB 5557, Oct. 1, 2024.
LANSING, Mich., Oct. 2, 2024 — State Rep. Kristian Grant (D-Grand Rapids) testified before the Senate Local Government Committee yesterday in support of her bill, House Bill 5557. This bill aims to address Michigan’s housing crisis by requiring planning committees and master plans to include forecasts of current and future housing needs, ensuring that local communities have a strategic approach to address their specific housing demands.
“This legislation adds language to the Michigan Planning Enabling Act that will ensure master plans are intentional and robust when it comes to housing. We have lofty statewide goals to address our affordability and housing shortage issues and the way to meet them is through implementing practical strategies and planning. My bill requires some forethought and accountability and seeks to close an important gap in state law,” Grant said. “Master plans map out the next 10-20 years of growth and change for local communities, taking into account provisions such as transportation, safety, sewage, roads and recreation. However, there is no current requirement for these plans to explicitly account for housing needs.”
So far this legislative season, Democrats have led the charge to address the housing crisis in a number of ways, including $100 million to address housing affordability, $66.6 million for various local and regional housing projects and competitive grant programs, and $33.4 million for homeowner affordability grants and housing stock. Grant, a fierce advocate for housing issues, also passed legislation requiring real estate brokers and landlords to have a basic understanding of fair housing laws to prevent discrimination.
“We can’t fix Michigan’s housing crisis without a holistic approach from all levels of government. We need to have affordable housing as we continue the boom in economic growth we’re seeing right now — you can’t bring jobs or business growth without places for people to live,” Grant said. “This legislation specifically supports local governments to meet their housing needs for the foreseeable future. The inclusion of diverse housing in the master planning process is crucial as we continue to address the housing crisis at home.”
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