Resilient Homes Michigan

Jennifer Washington is still struggling to recover from the flooding that hit Detroit on June 25-26, 2021, filling her basement with six feet of water and damaging her furnace, washer, and dryer. And the roof of her house also needs professional repair.

“The water was coming in so bad; I should have just been sitting outside,” Washington said.

Though the legislative year has all but officially ended, Senate Democratic lawmakers are already turning their sights to 2023 and potential bill priorities – among them, tackling affordable housing in Michigan.

Senate Bill 1238, Senate Bill 1239, House Bill 6551 and House Bill 6552 will not be taken up in the 2022 calendar year but aim to invest roughly $1.65 billion into a plan which would – according to its sponsors – ensure more affordable and low-income housing is built across the state to better meet demand.

Business, housing, and environmental groups today applauded the introduction of $1.65 billion in new funding aimed at addressing Michigan’s rising housing costs and aging housing stock to make homes more affordable and healthier for families.

House Bills 6551 and 6552—introduced by Rep. Bill Sowerby (D-Clinton Township)—and Senate Bills 1238 and 1239—introduced by Sen. Stephanie Chang (D-Detroit) would construct and renovate affordable, healthy homes for thousands of Michigan families across the state.

Michigan House and Senate Democrats today introduced a funding package that will leverage federal and state dollars to tackle the many affordable housing challenges facing Michiganders

Over the next five years, the bills would invest $1.65 billion into affordable, healthy housing.

Twenty-five organizations, associations, and businesses are taking action just put forth a proposal to our state government that would invest $1.65 billion in surplus funds into building and retrofitting low-income and middle-income housing. It syncs right up with the first Statewide Housing Plan put released by the State in Michigan in May.

Join Michigan Environmental Council leaders Conan Smith and Charlotte Jameson and Michigan State Housing Development Authority Director Gary Heidel as they unveil their plans to expand affordable, healthy homes in Michigan.

Representatives of Resilient Homes Michigan, a broad coalition of business, housing, economic development, anti-poverty, energy and environmental groups came together on Thursday, May 5 for a press conference about the release of the MI Affordable, Healthy Homes Proposal.

This comprehensive $1.65 billion investment will ensure more Michiganders have attainable, healthy and comfortable homes. It calls for the construction of more affordable housing for low- and middle-income residents; investments in repairing, weatherizing and increasing the energy efficiency of Michigan’s existing aging housing stock; and providing on-the-job training for the workers that will help us achieve these goals.