{"id":72125,"date":"2026-01-30T12:24:14","date_gmt":"2026-01-30T17:24:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/?p=72125"},"modified":"2026-01-30T12:24:22","modified_gmt":"2026-01-30T17:24:22","slug":"fact-check-are-regulations-to-blame-for-rising-michigan-house-costs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/michigan-government\/fact-check-are-regulations-to-blame-for-rising-michigan-house-costs\/","title":{"rendered":"Fact check: Are regulations to blame for rising Michigan house costs?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Several candidates for Michigan governor said the state\u2019s regulatory building makes it too hard and expensive to build housing here\u00a0<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Michigan\u2019s housing is less affordable than in neighboring states, but far more than regulations go into it<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Local governments and the state are working to streamline regulations<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p>TRAVERSE CITY \u2014 This month, one gubernatorial candidate after another \u2014 Democrat and Republican \u2014 used their platform at the <a href=\"https:\/\/business.traverseconnect.com\/events\/details\/northern-michigan-policy-conference-2026-6825\">Northern Michigan Policy Conference<\/a> to bemoan the regulatory burdens they said make it too difficult and expensive to build affordable housing in Michigan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, a Democrat, lamented that it can cost $90,000 to build a house in Michigan \u201cbefore you even put a brick in the ground.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Senate Minority Leader Aric Nesbitt, a Republican, said \u201ca lot of it is regulatory red tape and burden\u201d that can add $95,000 to the cost of a new home.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Several candidates said Michigan loses to neighboring states because regulations are too burdensome.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>No doubt, affordable housing has become an issue in Michigan\u2019s 2026 election. It\u2019s shaping up as a top 10 concern among the 1,300-plus readers who have participated in <a href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/forms\/d\/e\/1FAIpQLSdOHxDcujY5qm-2YMk3Th0nXHP0xQwdt4g013IFglK7gPMRKQ\/viewform\">Bridge Listens<\/a>, an ongoing, unscientific survey about campaign concerns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<p><strong>RELATED:<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/michigan-government\/michigan-affordable-housing-advocates-pitch-42m-tax-credit-plan\/\"><strong>Michigan affordable housing advocates pitch $42M tax credit plan<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/quality-life\/want-affordable-housing-in-northern-michigan-stop-nimbyism-official-says\/\"><strong>Want affordable housing in northern Michigan? Stop NIMBYism, official says<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/michigan-government\/michigan-churches-step-up-amid-affordable-housing-crisis-need-lansings-help\/\"><strong>Michigan churches step up amid affordable housing crisis, need Lansing\u2019s help<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>But as is often the case in campaigns, the facts can sometimes be more complicated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The figures cited by candidates about up-front costs, for example, don\u2019t come from Michigan but from <a href=\"https:\/\/hbaofmichigan.com\/assets\/pdf\/Let%27s+Talk+Housing+Talking+Points+2025\/#:~:text=LEGISLATOR%20IN%20DISTRICT,crisis%20we%20are%20currently%20in\">a nationwide study conducted by the National Association of Homebuilders<\/a>, which found regulations add on average $93,870 per home across the US. Bob Filka, CEO of the Michigan Association of Homebuilders, guessed Michigan\u2019s cost would be similar but said state figures weren\u2019t available.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And in many ways, regulations are no more cumbersome in Michigan than other states.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here are the facts surrounding the affordable housing issue in Michigan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Are homes less affordable in Michigan?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>They can be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.zillow.com\/home-values\/30\/mi\/\">Zillow\u2019s housing market reports<\/a> show the typical Michigan home in December cost $249,916, about 49% more than in January 2020, before the coronavirus pandemic.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignright is-layout-grid wp-container-core-group-is-layout-9649a0d9 wp-block-group-is-layout-grid\">\n<div style=\"position: relative; width: 100%; height: 0px; padding: 140.16% 0px 0px; overflow: hidden; will-change: transform;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/e.infogram.com\/7f936c23-0cd1-4b69-a401-88af8235eda7?src=embed&amp;embed_type=responsive_iframe\" title=\"Home costs as a share of income\" allowfullscreen=\"\" allow=\"fullscreen\" style=\"position: absolute; width: 100%; height: 100%; top: 0px; left: 0px; border: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>A typical Michigan house costs less than those in Illinois or Wisconsin but more than those in Ohio or Indiana.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Michigan\u2019s home prices are climbing slower than in neighboring states, but average residents pay a larger share of their income toward housing than in some neighboring states.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/home-cost.com\/\">Home-Cost.com<\/a>, which says it surveys homebuilders around the country, pegs Michigan\u2019s building costs at as much as $290 per square foot, the same as Indiana and cheaper than Ohio, Illinois or Wisconsin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The reality is, \u201clots of different things go into\u201d the cost of building a home, said <a href=\"https:\/\/www.canr.msu.edu\/people\/ryan_coffey?roleURL=land_use_planning6&amp;language_id=\">Ryan Coffey<\/a>, an educator in land use planning at Michigan State University Extension.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Inflation, land and labor costs, the availability of contractors and local supply and demand can drive up homebuilding prices depending on where the home is being built, Coffey said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In 2023, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bls.gov\/oes\/2023\/may\/oes472061.htm\">most recent data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics showed<\/a> that, as a share of the workforce, Michigan had more construction workers than Ohio and Illinois but fewer than Indiana or Wisconsin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Michigan\u2019s laborers made an average of $49,760 per year, the lowest-paid among the Great Lakes states.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Is the housing shortage any worse in Michigan?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s hard to say.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Methodologies for determining a shortage can vary widely, with national shortage estimates ranging from 3.7 million to 5.5 million, according to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.congress.gov\/crs-product\/IN12628\">one congressional report<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignright is-layout-grid wp-container-core-group-is-layout-9649a0d9 wp-block-group-is-layout-grid\">\n<div style=\"position: relative; width: 100%; height: 0px; padding: 198.76% 0px 0px; overflow: hidden; will-change: transform;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/e.infogram.com\/f378e28f-da05-411b-a64b-ab0a40e418e9?src=embed&amp;embed_type=responsive_iframe\" title=\"Housing vacancy rates Great Lakes states\" allowfullscreen=\"\" allow=\"fullscreen\" style=\"position: absolute; width: 100%; height: 100%; top: 0px; left: 0px; border: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>In Michigan, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.michigan.gov\/mshda\/about\/press-releases\/2025\/05\/27\/state-leaders-announce-michigan-adds-nearly-22000-homes-as-progress-accelerates\">state officials estimate<\/a> the state needs 119,000 new housing units, while the <a href=\"https:\/\/nlihc.org\/sites\/default\/files\/SHP_MI.pdf\">National Low Income Housing Association says<\/a> it\u2019s closer to 185,000.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>One way to compare states is through vacancy rates <a href=\"https:\/\/www.census.gov\/housing\/hvs\/data\/prevann.html\">tracked by the US Census Bureau<\/a>. In 2024, the most recent data says, Michigan\u2019s vacancy rate for homeownership was 0.7%, the same as Ohio, more than Wisconsin but slightly less than Illinois or Indiana. Michigan\u2019s rental vacancy rate was 5.7%, the highest among the Great Lakes states.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Zillow says Michigan had 31,761 units for sale in December, including more than 8,000 new listings. On a per-capita basis, that\u2019s more than Ohio, Illinois or Wisconsin but fewer than Indiana.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As a share of total housing stock, Michigan is building fewer homes than every other Great Lakes state except Illinois, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.census.gov\/quickfacts\/fact\/table\/MI\/PST045225\">according to census data<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Does homebuilding take longer in Michigan?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWhat takes a year here takes two to three months in Ohio or Indiana,\u201d former Attorney General Mike Cox, a Republican running for governor, said in Traverse City.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignright is-layout-grid wp-container-core-group-is-layout-9649a0d9 wp-block-group-is-layout-grid\">\n<div style=\"position: relative; width: 100%; height: 0px; padding: 141.4% 0px 0px; overflow: hidden; will-change: transform;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/e.infogram.com\/d4fc5ec7-51fc-4a70-84ae-89fc7b342db4?src=embed&amp;embed_type=responsive_iframe\" title=\"Homes for sale, December 2025\" allowfullscreen=\"\" allow=\"fullscreen\" style=\"position: absolute; width: 100%; height: 100%; top: 0px; left: 0px; border: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Filka, of the state homebuilders group, referenced one recent Michigan housing project that took four years to complete because of all the back-and-forth with the local government.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But <a href=\"https:\/\/www.journal-news.com\/news\/construction-on-hundreds-of-housing-units-in-middletown-delayed\/KPAIHAP6T5HELLX6ATX76NYDGE\/\">similar things happen in other states<\/a>, and builders in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mustonconstruction.com\/blog\/custom-home-build-timeframe\">Michigan<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/premiercustombuilders.com\/how-long-does-it-really-take-to-build-a-custom-home-in-northeast-ohio\/\">Ohio<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/buildwithkamps.com\/how-long-does-it-take-to-build-a-custom-home-in-northwest-indiana\/\">Indiana<\/a> report similar typical build times for new homes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, which oversees the state building codes and does some home inspections, does its work in a timely manner, spokesperson Abby Rubley said.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>She said customer service calls are answered within 20 seconds on average, for example, and 92% of building plan reviews are completed within 30 days after being assigned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cLARA recognizes the importance of customer service, timeliness, and effectiveness in protecting people and promoting business,\u201d Rubley said in an email to Bridge, pointing to her agency\u2019s 2025 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.michigan.gov\/lara\/-\/media\/Project\/Websites\/lara\/about\/LARA_CuttingRedTapeReport-1.pdf?rev=b4e5aa1cd60a49faa0c295099a670dcf\">\u201cCutting Red Tape\u201d report<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ditto for the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy, which reviews a small share of homebuilding projects affecting wetlands, lakes or streams. EGLE typically completes permits in two-thirds of the time allowed by statute, said Jerrod Sanders, director of EGLE\u2019s Water Resources Division.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He said Michiagn is one of only two states (the other is New Jersey), where the state, as opposed to the US Army Corps of Engineers, conducts wetlands inspections, which he said \u201ccertainly is a simplified process,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>No doubt, some Michigan townships only have part-time inspectors or staffers, which can make some projects take longer, said Mike Selden, director of member information services at the Michigan Townships Association.&nbsp; But the organization urges members to do more preparation such as examining zoning rules so they\u2019re readier when developers come knocking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignright is-layout-grid wp-container-core-group-is-layout-9649a0d9 wp-block-group-is-layout-grid\">\n<div style=\"position: relative; width: 100%; height: 0px; padding: 141.71% 0px 0px; overflow: hidden; will-change: transform;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/e.infogram.com\/6e598669-a81b-410a-857a-f4c83e2ee45f?src=embed&amp;embed_type=responsive_iframe\" title=\"Building permits as a share of housing stock\" allowfullscreen=\"\" allow=\"fullscreen\" style=\"position: absolute; width: 100%; height: 100%; top: 0px; left: 0px; border: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>And he said he wouldn\u2019t call the inspection and review process unnecessary red tape.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThat&#8217;s just ensuring that the things that are being built are being built to the standards,\u201d Selden said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Is Michigan\u2019s building code different from other states?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Yes, but not very, and in some ways Michigan\u2019s code is easier for developers.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>All five Great Lakes states base their codes off of <a href=\"https:\/\/codes.iccsafe.org\/codes\/united-states\/michigan\">similar building codes<\/a> from the International Code Council. Michigan actually has fewer regulations on the books than Ohio and Illinois, according to the ICC.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Michigan currently uses a 2015 version of the residential building code, the oldest residential code among the Great Lakes states. It contains fewer energy efficiency requirements than codes in other states.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Michigan wants to update to the 2021 version, but <a href=\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/michigan-environment-watch\/michigan-home-energy-efficiency-standards-stalled-amid-homebuilders\/\">Filka\u2019s group has sued<\/a>, saying the energy efficiency requirements in the 2021 code would drive up costs. The homebuilders want Michigan to move to the 2024 code, which Filka said has more manageable energy efficiency standards that would be less costly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Rubley said LARA doesn\u2019t comment on pending litigation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Illinois has adopted the 2021 residential code, the most modern code among the five Great Lakes states.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Are local governments the problem?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThis is a problem in all states,\u201d said Filka of the state homebuilders group.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He argued that Michigan\u2019s layers of local government bureaucracy can drive up costs in some areas.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Michigan has 1,856 local governments excluding school districts, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.census.gov\/data\/tables\/2025\/econ\/gus\/2025-governments.html\">according to the Census Bureau<\/a>, fewer than all other Great Lakes states except Indiana. Illinois has more than 2,800 local governments.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Homebuilders in all Great Lakes states would have similar experiences seeking permits from cities, villages and townships. However, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.housingwire.com\/articles\/indiana-housing-zoning-bill\/\">Indiana<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/doorcountyknock.org\/2025\/11\/beyond-zoning-state-representatives-discuss-recent-housing-legislation\">Wisconsin<\/a> are considering statewide zoning reforms and Ohio this year <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cetconnect.org\/ohio-joins-a-long-list-of-pro-housing-policy-states\/\">set up a grant program<\/a> to incentivize local communities to allow more density in housing.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In Michigan, the Michigan Municipal League is pushing what it calls the <a href=\"https:\/\/mml.org\/advocacy\/mi-home-program\/\">MI Home Program<\/a>, which asks the state to provide grants to local governments that update their zoning and fund developers for the gap between what it costs to build a home and what Michiganders can actually afford, among other things.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Meanwhile, many local governments throughout the state have recognized the urgent need for housing and have streamlined their permitting process and reduced regulatory burdens to bring down costs for homebuilders, said Jennifer Rigterink, assistant director of state and federal affairs at the MML.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI don&#8217;t think local governments are the boogeyman that they\u2019re being made out to be,\u201d Rigterink said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Are other states doing things Michigan isn\u2019t?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Yes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Michigan has largely thrown money at the problem, for example spending $2 billion in 2024 \u201cin the production, preservation, or purchase of more than 12,000 housing units,\u201d according to the Michigan State Housing Development Authority.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Many advocates of streamlining housing rules say Michigan ought to follow California, which in 2021 <a href=\"https:\/\/cayimby.org\/legislation\/sb-9\/\">passed a law<\/a> essentially allowing multi-family housing to be built without local review and regardless of local zoning.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As a share of total housing stock, California is building more than Michigan, Ohio or Illinois, but less than Indiana or Wisconsin.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Other states, such as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.urban.org\/urban-wire\/states-are-stepping-address-housing-affordability-crisis-your-state-doing-enough#:~:text=Across%20the%20country%2C%20states%20are,some%20states%20have%20done%20already:\">Texas and Oregon<\/a>, have also passed zoning reforms. As a share of total housing stock, Texas is building far more than any Great Lakes state and Oregon is building more than Michigan, Ohio and Illinois but less than Indiana or Wisconsin.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Candidates for governor want to tame bureaucracy to incentivize affordable housing, but there are many other reasons why housing is slightly more expensive in Michigan than nearby states.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":47,"featured_media":72124,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"newspack_ads_suppress_ads":false,"newspack_popups_has_disabled_popups":false,"newspack_sponsor_sponsorship_scope":"","newspack_sponsor_native_byline_display":"inherit","newspack_sponsor_native_category_display":"inherit","newspack_sponsor_underwriter_style":"inherit","newspack_sponsor_underwriter_placement":"inherit","inline_featured_image":false,"apple_news_api_created_at":"2026-01-30T17:24:20Z","apple_news_api_id":"4193c6e2-b0bd-44bf-8cd4-eb0f844abc3a","apple_news_api_modified_at":"2026-01-30T17:24:20Z","apple_news_api_revision":"AAAAAAAAAAD\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/w==","apple_news_api_share_url":"https:\/\/apple.news\/AQZPG4rC9RL-M1OsPhEq8Og","apple_news_cover_media_provider":"image","apple_news_coverimage":0,"apple_news_coverimage_caption":"","apple_news_cover_video_id":0,"apple_news_cover_video_url":"","apple_news_cover_embedwebvideo_url":"","apple_news_is_hidden":"","apple_news_is_paid":"","apple_news_is_preview":"","apple_news_is_sponsored":"","apple_news_maturity_rating":"","apple_news_metadata":"\"\"","apple_news_pullquote":"","apple_news_pullquote_position":"","apple_news_slug":"","apple_news_sections":[],"apple_news_suppress_video_url":false,"apple_news_use_image_component":false,"_newspack_byline_active":false,"_newspack_byline":"","newspack_featured_image_position":"","newspack_post_subtitle":"","newspack_article_summary_title":"Overview:","newspack_article_summary":"","newspack_hide_updated_date":false,"newspack_show_updated_date":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"_wpas_customize_per_network":false},"categories":[2445],"tags":[4438],"newspack_spnsrs_tax":[],"coauthors":[2484],"class_list":["post-72125","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-michigan-government","tag-2026-michigan-election","entry"],"apple_news_notices":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.0 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Fact check: Are regulations to blame for rising Michigan house costs? - Bridge Michigan<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/michigan-government\/fact-check-are-regulations-to-blame-for-rising-michigan-house-costs\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Fact check: Are regulations to blame for rising Michigan house costs? - Bridge Michigan\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Candidates for governor want to tame bureaucracy to incentivize affordable housing, but there are many other reasons why housing is slightly more expensive in Michigan than nearby states.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/michigan-government\/fact-check-are-regulations-to-blame-for-rising-michigan-house-costs\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Bridge Michigan\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/BridgeMichigan\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-01-30T17:24:14+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-01-30T17:24:22+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Student-built-house.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1920\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1080\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Justin A. 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Hinkley","date":"January 22, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Several Michigan churches have launched housing projects in recent years amid a severe housing shortage, but some advocates would like to see legislation clearing regulatory hurdles and offering financial support.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Michigan Government&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Michigan Government","link":"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/category\/michigan-government\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Two men install flooring","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/OTG_WH_Recover_Apr24_4-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/OTG_WH_Recover_Apr24_4-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/OTG_WH_Recover_Apr24_4-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/OTG_WH_Recover_Apr24_4-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/OTG_WH_Recover_Apr24_4-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":72826,"url":"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/michigan-government\/michigan-lawmakers-fix-zoning-laws-to-grow-housing\/","url_meta":{"origin":72125,"position":1},"title":"Michigan lawmakers: Fix zoning laws to grow housing","author":"Jordyn Hermani","date":"February 17, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"A bipartisan group of Michigan lawmakers say they think they have the fix to boost housing stock in the state by altering zoning laws.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Michigan Government&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Michigan Government","link":"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/category\/michigan-government\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Lawmakers in front of a house in a press conference.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/021726_Housing-Bill-Package-2_JH.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/021726_Housing-Bill-Package-2_JH.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/021726_Housing-Bill-Package-2_JH.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/021726_Housing-Bill-Package-2_JH.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bridgemi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/021726_Housing-Bill-Package-2_JH.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":388,"url":"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/michigan-government\/michigan-asks-employers-grow-housing-10m-fund-build-baby-build\/","url_meta":{"origin":72125,"position":2},"title":"Michigan asks employers to grow housing with $10M fund: &#039;Build, baby, build&#039;","author":"Jordyn Hermani","date":"January 31, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Michigan Gov. 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