Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has declared November 2021 as Homeless Awareness month.
This proclamation comes after Gov. Whitmer announced a goal of providing 75,000 new or rehabilitated housing units in the next five years, according to her MI New Economy plan.
“Housing is about so much more than a roof over your head. It’s also about the dignity, stability and opportunity that a home provides,” Whitmer said in a statement. “In Michigan, we made great progress in reducing homelessness by 19% last year, but there is still work to be done, and I have a plan to make critical investments in affordable housing to increase access and opportunity.”
2020 saw a significant decline in Michiganders experiencing homelessness from the year previous. A statewide total of 30,805 people were without homes last year as opposed to 38,247 the year before, according to the 2020 Michigan Campaign to End Homelessness Annual Report.
Gov. Whitmer announced earlier this year a proposal to invest in affordable housing that would help 6,000 Michigan residents by producing 2,000 rental housing units and creating 1,600 jobs. The proposal would also leverage $380 million in private funding to assist with the campaign.
