MICHIGAN, USA — The demand for affordable and fair housing is on the rise in Michigan and many believe the housing market is currently in a recession.
"People are finding that they can't find what they want on the existing housing market and are being pushed into having to build new," said Bob Filka, CEO of Home Builders Association of Michigan.
As housing demands remain steady across the state, Filka believes those looking to move to a home in West Michigan may be met with obstacles.
"Many communities throughout the Grand Rapids, West Michigan area, understand that housing has changed, that they need to look at housing as an investment to attract. I think they now understand, and have been working to say, well, what do we need to do to develop more housing and to attract more housing investment that the typical worker or typical Michigander family can afford?" said Filka.
Filka said Michigan is currently in a housing recession and depression. He believes if new code changes from the regulatory agency at the state level go into effect next year, it would dramatically increase the cost of housing.
"In Michigan... for every $1,000 increase in the cost of new housing, you price out about 4,500 households from being able to afford that house. So, the changes that the Whitmer administration is proposing right now could add it couldn't price out 100,000 or more families in our state from being able to afford a new house," said Filka.
As far as what you can do to ensure affordable housing doesn't decrease in your neighborhood, Filka said it's important to get in touch with your state leaders and officials.
"Certainly encourage your listeners to be contacting their elected leaders in Lansing and saying, 'hey, now is not the time to artificially and unnecessarily increase the cost of housing by by imposing some very costly code changes,'" said Filka.
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