Grand Rapids Chamber: GR Chamber Led Housing Bills Move One Step Forward 

Grand Rapids MI

01 May, 2022

5:39 PM

Description

Press release from Grand Rapids Chamber: April 29, 2022 Last Wednesday, the Chamber Vice President of Government Affairs, Joshua Lunger, testified in support of the bi-partisan Housing Michigan legislation from sponsors Senator Winnie Brinks (D-Grand Rapids), Wayne Schmidt (R-Traverse City), Jeremey Moss (D-Southfield) and Ken Horn (R-Frankenmuth). We expect the Committee to vote these bills out to the full House this week. The legislation uses three proven concepts that have been active in Michigan to create new flexible and locally driven incentives for workforce housing. The legislation uses three proven concepts that have been active in Michigan to create new flexible and locally driven incentives for workforce housing. SBs 362 & 422 are modeled on Commercial/Industrial Facilities Exemptions, SB 364 extends NEZ to allow all local units to use them with some added language to protect against sprawl, and SB 432 allows for local PILOTS (or PILTS) for workforce housing without requiring state or federal subsidies or programs. The legislation has common principles: Senators Schmidt and Moss also explained their support and the need in their recent op-ed in Crains here. To get involved in our attainable housing efforts, contact our Director of Policy & Communications at Housing Next, Brooke Oosterman, at [email protected]. This press release was produced by Grand Rapids Chamber. The views expressed here are the author's own.