Bill > HB4539

This bill modifies the State Housing Development Authority Act of 1966 to broaden the scope of the Michigan Housing and Community Development Fund, which provides resources for affordable housing. Key changes include expanding the definition of "eligible applicant" to include entities focused on developing and supporting housing for low-income, very low-income, extremely low-income, and middle-income households across the entire state, rather than being limited to specific downtown areas or adjacent neighborhoods. The bill also updates the definition of "downtown area" to require a significant number of multi-level, mixed-use buildings and property owned by more than three private owners. Furthermore, it mandates that the authority's biennial allocation plan consider the availability of other funding sources for housing for people with disabilities and various income levels, and requires public hearings to include options for virtual participation and additional methods to gather public comment, specifically targeting engagement with persons with disabilities, those with limited English proficiency, and low-to-middle income households. The annual report on fund expenditures will now be made available on the authority's website and will no longer include data on downtown areas and adjacent neighborhoods receiving financing.