Last week the Michigan Legislature took a big step in reducing the cost of building new homes in our state. House Bills 5570 and 5571 will make it possible to build many apartment buildings up to 4 stories in height with a single stairwell, provided the buildings meet a host of safety standards. Thanks to the leadership of Representative Parker Fairbairn (R-Harbor Springs) and Representative Stephen Wooden (D-Grand Rapids) these bills passed the House and Senate with overwhelming bipartisan majorities, showing that cutting the burdensome rules that drive up housing prices is indeed a bipartisan cause.
Thanks to excellent research from our friends at the Pew Charitable Trusts, we know that providing a single stairwell in smaller apartment buildings does not make them any less safe and reduces construction costs by up to 13%! That’s hundreds of thousands of dollars in savings per project, making new homes more affordable for Michiganders. In fact, modern multifamily buildings are some of the safest places one can live, even more than traditional single family homes.
Reach out to Reps. Fairbairn and Wooden and tell them thank you for their leadership in passing these landmark bills! The work continues, but this victory was made possible by everyone who spoke up to help make housing more accessible for the average Michigander.