17th District State Senator Jonathan Lindsey joined fellow lawmakers in announcing plans to improve housing options in Michigan.
The bipartisan effort was unveiled at a press conference in Lansing on Wednesday.
Lindsey said the effort is aimed at making building new homes easier and less expensive.
Lindsey said high costs and red tape make it hard for families to find affordable housing. “Overregulation, complicated zoning, and red tape are partly to blame,” he said. “He said the group, which includes members of the Senate and House of Representatives, is working to remove barriers and create real change.”
The proposed reforms focus on cutting regulation costs, which Lindsey said add significantly to the price of a new home. The bills also aim to remove other obstacles that limit housing supply.
Key changes include simplifying zoning rules, easing parking space requirements, making better use of land, and lowering minimum size standards for new homes. These steps would make it easier and cheaper to build smaller starter homes.
The bills also seek to reduce delays from local governments by setting a 60-day deadline for approving development requests. Developers whose plans meet all requirements would have site plans automatically approved.
Lindsey said he supports making government regulations less burdensome and is committed to helping pass the bills to make housing more affordable.