We Love Where You Live

Jack Brady discusses the joys, possibilities, and potential of building a life in Michigan, from the perspective of Gen Z.

We’ve got several important legislative items moving right now, and this week we’re walking through what they mean for Michigan communities. We discuss the latest movement on economic development packages, what the new transparency law sets up for next session, early signals on property tax reform, and the push to wrap up sunset extensions and brownfield incentives. Finally, a preview of what to keep an eye on in the year to come. 

This week, the League is touching base with the beautiful Lake Michigan community of Frankfort, where we spoke with City Superintendent Joshua Mills about Frankfort’s unique housing situation, the successes of its recently implemented housing commission and land trust, and its new Attainable Housing District. From there, we heard a Lansing legislative update on the MI Home Program proposal, as well as the zoning reforms communities are now implementing. Learn what our members should be watching for in terms of housing and development bills—and make your voice heard!

Pattern Book Homes For 21st Century Michigan https://mml.org/resources-research/books-and-briefs/pattern-book-homes-for-21st-century-michigan/

MI Home Program https://mml.org/advocacy/mi-home-program/

Online Learning with the League https://learn.mml.org/login/index.php

Webinar, "Michigan Women in Municipal Government Presents A.I. & Local Government: Tools and Guidance for Responsible Use" https://mml.org/event/michigan-women-in-municipal-government-presents-a-i-local-government-tools-and-guidance-for-responsible-use/

Newly Elected Officials Training https://mml.org/education-events/elected-officials-academy/newly-elected-officials-training/

Join the next show live on Zoom here: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_F8NZLHYzTA2S2w1gk8z5gQ#/registration

 

This week’s chat begins with a check-in with Taylor Pine, the League’s Digital Media Developer, on our Marketing & Communications team’s recent visit to the Upper Peninsula in search of stories, successes, and sightseeing.  

We then turned to our regularly scheduled legislative news, including a hot-off-the presses update on revenue projections for road funding and revenue sharing, the postmark property tax bill, oath of office deadlines, and some thoughts on how to make your voice heard in Lansing. 

This week’s chat is a whirlwind tour, guided by our State and Federal Affairs team, of all that's gone down in Lansing in recent days. We do a deep dive into the “interesting” place we’re at in the budget process, eight days out from a government shutdown. We also have a conversation about election legislation bills, the status on tipping fees to curb out-of-state waste, and the Revenue Sharing Trust Fund. Finally, thoughts on last week’s Convention in Grand Rapids.

On this very special edition of Live with the League, we talk all things related to the $76 billion state budget that finally passed on Friday. John LaMacchia breaks down its effect on road funding, revenue sharing, the MI Home Program, and more. 

Testing new ideas—especially an entire framework of thinking—isn’t without risk and discomfort. But that’s just what the League has been working on over the past year. We’ve designed and refined tools to help Michigan’s local officials break out of silos and move their conversations and communities forward toward a shared vision. Herasanna Richards shares what two pilot facilitations of the thriving communities framework revealed to local leaders. 

No one wants to live in a place without stories. One source of stories? Architecture. Beautiful, historic buildings provide communities with important connection points, both physical and emotional. These are the places that make your town or city more than just a point on a map—they make it your home. Jack Brady explores some recent examples of Michigan communities preserving, revitalizing, and honoring their historic architecture.

The League’s own Murph, Policy Research Labs program manager, reflects on the lovely treescape of Grand Rapids’ Monroe Center Street.

In the final entry in our series about the 2025 Community Excellence Award submissions, we take a look at three Michigan cities in the process of tackling one of the biggest projects of all: reviving and reimagining their downtowns.