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In my city of Harper Woods this summer, we marked a moment of partnership. I mean real partnership: local leaders, residents, and the State of Michigan, all working together. At the groundbreaking of Fraser Square, we celebrated the creation of 71 new homes, many priced for families earning 60–120 percent of Area Median Income. This is the largest new housing development in Harper Woods in decades.

Fraser Square is proof that when local zoning ordinances are respected, when the City of Harper Woods has the power to shape its own future, and when state resources support rather than override our work, we can build housing that is both affordable and rooted in the unique character of our community.

The partners in this project included private developers, the Michigan State Housing Development Authority, the local school system, and city officials—all working together to achieve a common goal.

This kind of collaboration is what's at stake when Lansing considers laws that preempt local zoning. Such laws may promise speed, but they erode accountability. They silence local voices who know where our traffic bottlenecks are, where infrastructure strains exist, and what new neighbors will really need. Fraser Square shows a better path: partnership, local stewardship, and shared responsibility.  

Housing stability builds community stability. Through this partnership, we can strengthen Harper Woods block by block. We can ensure that everyone who wants to call our city home has that opportunity.