State Rep. Matthew Bierlein today criticized legislative Democrats for forcing new regulation onto Michigan residents that will worsen the state’s housing affordability crisis.

The bipartisan, bicameral Joint Committee on Administrative Rules on Tuesday failed to get votes needed to adopt newer, more practical rules to the state’s building and electrical codes after five Democrat legislators on the 10-member committee did not attend a hearing. The meeting was the last opportunity to install commonsense changes that prioritize energy efficiency in new builds while keeping costs low for people already struggling with their budgets.

“Unfortunately, this follows a clear pattern over the last several months of Democrats in Lansing not addressing real priorities people in our state have,” said Bierlein, of Vassar. “At the end of the last legislative term, Democrats failed to act with their voting majorities in the House and Senate to preserve the tip credit for hardworking servers and bartenders across Michigan who were desperate for solutions. They failed to enact changes that would help keep small businesses from having to shut their doors for good. Thankfully, House Republicans continued to prioritize the issue once we moved into a new term, and we were able to get a compromise signed into law. This week, Democrats were back at it by failing to address affordability and pushing plans from environmental activists.

“Our state now continues on with regulations that will add thousands of dollars to new home construction costs, which will inevitably trickle down to homebuyers. These regulations will make our state less attractive for workers and families.”

The Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) moved to update the state’s construction codes in 2021 with more emphasis on energy efficient structures. Groups such as the Home Builders Association of Michigan (HBAM) have expressed concern with these changes and supported more recent code updates that do more to lower utility and construction costs.

“I’m very disappointed that a governor, who has done much to promote the need for more housing, is now poised to add some $15,000 to the cost of each new home,” said HBAM CEO Bob Filka. “We have a housing affordability crisis and other economic headwinds facing us and on Tuesday legislators on JCAR refused to ask LARA to change a 2021 set of code rules and replace them with a newer 2024 model code that is better for the environment.”