Michigan’s housing shortage has moved from a slow-burn concern to an urgent economic challenge. Over the past five years, average home prices in the state have climbed by more than $100,000, while rents have surged. State leaders have responded primarily with tax incentives and subsidized construction, but rising costs and severe limitations on what can be built are limiting Michigan’s growth.
What’s causing costs to spike and Michigan home-building to plummet? Interest rates, inflation and material costs are up, but so is the demand for more housing – so why is the state not building as much as it once was? What regulatory obstacles are preventing people from building their dream homes – or simply finding an affordable rent?
This event will explore prominent parts of the housing conversation: regulatory and zoning reform. Even as some cities move to re-legalize traditional housing forms such as duplexes and small apartment buildings, restrictive zoning rules, parking mandates and design requirements often make them financially infeasible to build. Across the country, states are rethinking how local land-use regulations limit housing supply and drive up prices. This discussion will examine how Michigan can reform zoning and related regulations to expand housing options, protect property rights, and make housing more affordable – without relying solely on specialized public subsidies.
Wednesday, March 11, 2026
Lunch: 11:30am - 12:00pm
Program: 12:00pm - 1:00pm
Lunch is Included
The Louie Building (6th floor)
123 W. Allegan St.
Lansing, MI, 48933
Call our Events office at
Event is free, but RSVP is necessary by March 5.
Register online
Kristian Grant, D-Grand Rapids, is the state representative for Michigan’s 82nd House District. She serves as the minority vice chair of the Economic Development & Small Business Committee. She was first elected as the youngest school board member in Grand Rapids history and also worked as a small business owner and in real estate and finance. Kristian received the 2024 William Glenn Trailblazer Giants Award, was named one of MLive’s “Women Who Shape the State” in 2022, and in 2025 was named as a “Woman to Watch” by the Michigan Women’s Foundation.
Joseph Aragona, R-Clinton Township, is the state representative for Michigan’s 60th House District. He serves as the chair of the House Regulatory Reform Committee. Joe grew up in Macomb County and worked at his family’s small business, Aragona Family Jewelers. He is a former Clinton Township trustee who most-recently worked as the deputy supervisor for Harrison Township.
Lauren Strickland, J.D., is the executive director of Abundant Housing Michigan. She has degrees from Michigan State University and Cooley Law School. Throughout her career, she has been a fierce advocate for dismantling economic disparities, using strategic partnerships to create more inclusive, equitable, and attainable housing across the state. She has degrees from Michigan State University and Cooley Law School.
Trần Hoàng Calvin is a filmmaker and producer from Grand Rapids, Michigan. He graduated from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts with a BFA in film and television production and has over a decade of industry and non-profit experience with credits from ABC News, VICE Media, DECON-Mass Appeal, the Mercatus Center, the Cato Institute, the Moving Picture Institute, Anonymous Content, and the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression. Trần is the founder of NODEHAUS Media, an impact studio, and advocates for housing reform locally and across Michigan.
