Sterling Heights City Council Opposes HB 5529-5532; Supports Locally Driven Housing Solutions

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Sterling Heights City Council Opposes HB 5529-5532; Supports Locally Driven Housing Solutions

Trending in Sterling Heights   Posted on March 11, 2026 | Last Updated on March 19, 2026

The Sterling Heights City Council adopted a resolution opposing Michigan House Bills 5529 through 5532 and affirming the City's commitment to locally driven, community-supported housing policy at the March 3, 2026 meeting. While Sterling Heights shares the State of Michigan's goal of improving housing availability and affordability, the City is concerned the proposed legislation would impose broad statewide zoning mandates that reduce local authority and fail to reflect the unique needs, infrastructure realities and planning efforts of individual communities. The resolution urges the Michigan Legislature to pursue housing policies that improve affordability and supply while preserving municipal flexibility.

In addition to opposing HB 5529–5532, Sterling Heights supports the MI-Home State Legislation, a viable alternative that achieves the same objectives through collaboration with numerous stakeholders including existing homeowners, prospective homeowners and developers. MI-Home will result in over 10,000 homes being built or rehabbed through a $160 million annual investment over five years that will support updates to zoning regulations in support of housing needs and grants to nonprofit developers, land bank authorities, traditional developers and individuals to fill the finance gaps when building or rehabbing attainable housing units. More information on MI-Home is available through the Michigan Municipal League.

HB 5529–5532 are part of a package of proposed legislation that would mandate statewide housing and zoning-related standards, significantly diminishing local decision-making over land use and development standards. Sterling Heights is concerned these bills oversimplify the drivers of housing access and would create unintended consequences for communities that have planned infrastructure and adopted land use policies through public processes.

Specifically, HB 5529 and HB 5530 would prohibit local governments from requiring a minimum parcel or lot size greater than 1,500 square feet for a detached single-family residence. Sterling Heights anticipates this would substantially and abruptly increase potential density in the City's lowest-density residential neighborhoods, areas developed under the City's existing zoning ordinance and land use plans and supported by infrastructure and service models designed for already established neighborhoods.

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The City instead encourages residents and policymakers to support House Bills 5660 and 5661, legislation that would advance housing supply through targeted investment and rehabilitation of existing housing stock. These bills complement the goals of MI-Home by focusing on practical tools to expand attainable housing without imposing broad statewide zoning mandates on local communities.

"Sterling Heights recognizes Michigan's housing challenges, and we are taking them seriously, using data, public input, and targeted planning tools to expand housing options responsibly," said Sterling Heights Mayor Michael Taylor. "But every community is unique. A one-size-fits-all approach to zoning does not work, especially for cities like Sterling Heights that are largely built out and have long-established neighborhoods central to our character and service delivery. We support MI-Home because it advances housing solutions through collaboration and practical tools that respect local planning and community context."

Sterling Heights is a vibrant community with more than 42 percent of the land, approximately 15 square miles, covered by paved areas and buildings. The City has a robust stock of single-family housing, with roughly three-quarters of the City's roughly 53,000 housing units owner-occupied. Despite being the fourth-largest city in Michigan, Sterling Heights is projected to grow by approximately 8 percent over the next 25 years, creating increasing demand for a broader range of housing choices. In fact, the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments (SEMCOG) estimates the community may need an additional 1,400 to 2,100 housing units over the next 8–10 years to meet anticipated growth demands. But Sterling Heights believes this can be achieved with a carefully tailored blend of housing solutions, since there are limited remaining locations for new traditional single-family development on standard lots.

The City has already demonstrated meaningful action to address housing needs through local reforms, including zoning modernization, adoption of a detailed 2025 Master Land Use Plan, and expanded development options to support a broad range of housing types, all while protecting neighborhood stability and aligning growth with infrastructure capacity.

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"Local zoning is a core feature of democratic local governance," said City Manager Mark Vanderpool. "Residents deserve a voice through local public process and accountable elected leadership. Sterling Heights is committed to housing solutions, but we need solutions that are planned with context in mind. Solutions that match infrastructure, stormwater systems, public safety service delivery and neighborhood character. MI-Home represents that kind of collaborative, stakeholder-driven approach that can help communities expand housing options without undermining local accountability."

Sterling Heights has invested in planning and analysis to expand housing options in ways that fit local conditions, including a housing study completed through the Master Land Use Plan, a parking study and analysis of key nodes and corridors. The City is using these tools to support a mix of housing types, including multi-family housing and emerging options such as accessory dwelling units (ADUs), that can help residents "age in community," provide workforce housing opportunities, and offer choices for new households seeking to move into Sterling Heights.

Sterling Heights is also undertaking a comprehensive zoning ordinance rewrite over the coming year, with housing as a central focus. This work is expected to evaluate how ADUs may fit on existing lots to support aging-in-place as well as explore new tools where duplexes or similar forms might make sense under well-researched, locally justified conditions.

Sterling Heights was recently named the "Best City in Michigan for First-Time Home Buyers," reflecting the City's strong quality of life, parks system, schools and commitment to public safety. Continued progress on housing requires policies that strengthen local planning and community engagement.

"We can increase housing choice and support affordability while still protecting what makes Sterling Heights a great place to live," said Sterling Heights City Planner Dr. Jake Parcell. "The best outcomes come from local solutions built with local data, local infrastructure realities and local community support, and from statewide efforts like MI-Home that are built through collaboration with residents, future homeowners and the development community."

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