LANSING, Mich. (WZMQ) – Housing affordability is taking center stage in Michigan’s race for governor, as candidates outline competing strategies to address rising costs that are impacting communities statewide.
From northern Michigan to Detroit, voters are increasingly concerned about the price of rent, homeownership, and utilities. Lawmakers and campaign officials say the issue is cutting across geographic and political lines.
“This election is going to be about affordability,” said state Rep. Stephen Wooden (D-Grand Rapids). “We need a governor who will make affordability their top priority.”
Democratic candidate Jocelyn Benson has introduced a wide-ranging housing plan aimed at both increasing supply and lowering costs. Her proposal includes expanding tax credits for first-time homebuyers, streamlining construction approvals, limiting corporate home purchases, and investing in energy-efficient housing.
Supporters say the plan focuses on practical changes that could have an immediate impact.
“These aren’t pie in the sky ideas,” said Saunteel Jenkins, former president of the Detroit City Council. “They are very attainable, realistic, in some ways simple ideas that will make a big difference for families across the state of Michigan.”
Benson’s plan also calls for creating a statewide housing data system, giving local communities more control over short-term rentals and expanding property tax credits for homeowners.
Meanwhile, independent candidate Mike Duggan is emphasizing his record as Detroit’s mayor, where his administration worked to expand affordable housing and redevelop vacant properties.
According to his campaign, Detroit added more than 4,600 affordable housing units between 2018 and 2024, supported by over $1 billion in public and private investment. The city also implemented policies aimed at speeding up development and reducing costs for builders.
“If people cannot afford to live in your community, you either build more housing or you watch your workforce disappear,” Duggan said in a statement.
Duggan has said he would take a similar approach statewide, focusing on increasing housing supply and cutting regulatory barriers to development.
Duggan’s full statement: “What I’m hearing across Michigan is something I never expected to hear from young people.
I was in Traverse City talking with a group of high school seniors. I asked them where they see themselves in five or ten years and whether they plan to stay. Almost every one of them said the same thing. They are not sure they can afford to live there.
When I was their age, I was thinking about concerts and sports. It never crossed my mind that I might be priced out of my own hometown. But these kids are watching their older siblings and friends leave because there is nowhere they can afford to live. That should concern every one of us.
We faced the same kind of challenge in Detroit. So we stopped talking and started building. We took empty buildings and blighted schools and converted them into housing. We took underused public land and turned it into places where people actually want to live.
This is not complicated. If people cannot afford to live in your community, you either build more housing or you watch your workforce disappear. In Detroit, we chose to build. As governor, I will bring that same approach statewide.”
Housing advocates say the issue has been driven by a combination of rising costs, limited supply, and increased investor activity in the housing market. In rural areas, shortages can limit economic growth, while in urban areas, rising rents are displacing long-time residents.
Candidates from both campaigns argue their plans address those challenges, setting up a clear contrast for voters.
With affordability continuing to dominate conversations on the campaign trail, housing policy is expected to remain a key issue heading into the November election.
