Engineering a Better Housing Pipeline
By: Joe LaRussa – Mayor, City of Farmington,
December 18, 2025
As an engineer and a mayor, I’m drawn to systems that work. Good systems balance vision with practicality. They’re built on feedback, iteration, and cooperation. That’s why I support the MI Home Program and its guiding philosophy of “partnership over preemption.”
In Farmington, we’ve long taken a thoughtful, data-driven approach to planning and redevelopment. Our city has invested in walkability, preserved historic character, and encouraged diverse housing options within our compact boundaries. But like many Michigan communities, we face a supply challenge: too many people chasing too few attainable homes.
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“The MI Home Program rewards local governments that lead, supports innovation in zoning, and ensures long-term affordability for Michigan families.”
— Joe LaRussa
The MI Home Program gets to the root of that problem. By investing $160 million annually for five years, the program would empower local governments to create pathways for new construction that fit community needs. What sets it apart is its respect for local processes. It recognizes that communities know themselves and their needs, without Lansing telling us what to do.
Housing is a complex system. Each variable—zoning, infrastructure, financing, workforce, community support—must be aligned. The MI Home Program is engineered for alignment. It rewards local governments that lead, supports innovation in zoning, and ensures long-term affordability for Michigan families.
These are the kinds of initiatives that work when local and state partnerships meet in the middle. Our state can’t preempt its way into more housing; it has to encourage partnership. Farmington is ready. Let’s get to work.
Click here for additional information on MI Home. List your support for MI Home here.