When the typical Michigan home was built, Richard Nixon was president and the nation was pulling troops out of Vietnam. Today, roughly 60% of occupied homes – about 2.5 million units – were constructed in or before the 1970s, making Michigan’s housing stock the oldest in the nation, with a median age of 53 years.
Why age matters for families
Older homes often require costly upgrades: aging water heaters, crumbling shingles, cracked foundations, and, in some cases, asbestos tile, lead‑based paint, or knob‑and‑tube wiring. Those expenses can deter first‑time homebuyers, whose median age rose to 40 last year, according to the National Association of Realtors.
“Do people want to walk in and then invest that kind of money to remodel a home?” asked Dawn Crandall, executive director of the Home Builders Association of Michigan. “To buy an older home is not necessarily cheap.”
State efforts and political debate
Michigan lawmakers have introduced bills to loosen zoning restrictions and speed permitting, hoping to increase the supply of new homes. While a few regulatory changes have become law and a new state‑level tax credit has been enacted, broader zoning reform remains stalled amid local opposition.
Both Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jocelyn Benson and Republican candidate John James say they have ideas to make housing more affordable, though neither has offered detailed plans for the aging‑home challenge.
James, a former congressman, argues that cutting “costly green building codes” and reducing construction costs will boost supply and replace aging homes. He also stresses balancing workforce‑housing needs with property owners’ rights to offer short‑term rentals.
Benson proposes tax breaks for down‑payments, a new tax on short‑term rentals, and measures to block large investment firms from buying Michigan homes. She also wants to modernize water infrastructure and help families weatherize existing homes.
Historical context
The Great Recession hit Michigan hard because of its reliance on the auto industry. Home‑building permits fell from 54,000 in 2005 to just 6,900 by 2009, a drop Crandall likens to a “personal Katrina” for the state’s builders, many of whom left for work rebuilding in the South and never returned.
Harvard’s Joint Center for Housing Studies notes a prolonged period of underbuilding during the recession, a trend reflected nationwide. One‑in‑four U.S. homeowners now live in homes built before 1960, facing rising maintenance costs.
State programs and regional examples
Michigan offers tax credits for historic‑preservation projects, though many older homes do not qualify. The state also runs first‑time‑homebuyer and home‑repair programs, including incentives for energy‑efficient upgrades such as new windows, furnaces, and roofs.
Other states provide models: Minnesota offers home‑improvement loans that can be forgiven for low‑income residents; Maryland’s Housing Rehabilitation Program supplies grant funding; Indiana assists communities in creating local repair initiatives.
Looking ahead
The Michigan State Housing Development Authority estimates the housing shortage has shrunk from about 190,000 units in 2022 to roughly 97,000 today, but the gap remains significant. As the next governor takes office, bipartisan political will will be essential to advance zoning reform, expand tax incentives, and support families in maintaining the homes they already own.
Original reporting: BridgeDetroit — read the source article.
