For Immediate Release
March 17, 2022
Contact:
Alex Rossman
arossman@mlpp.org
517-775-9053
As ARPA anniversary comes and goes and state funds sit, housing help still needed for up to two million older, disabled Michiganders
With over 50% of disabled American renters worried about eviction, Michigan policymakers must invest ARPA, 2023 budget funding to tackle crisis
LANSING—Older adults and people with disabilities face some of the greatest barriers to housing, according to a new report from the Michigan League for Public Policy. The report, Homes for a lifetime: Housing justice for older adults and people with disabilities, shows that systemic ableism and ageism force many Michiganders to live in poverty and struggle with access to affordable housing. And racism within systems has led to higher disability rates among people of color, which contributes to persistent racial disparities in housing instability and homelessness.
Michigan is one of the fastest aging states in the nation, and disability is common, with nearly 1 in 3 Michigan adults having a disability. People aged 75 and older are two to eight times more likely to have a disability, often related to mobility, vision, hearing or self-care.
“It’s important to remember that we are all aging, and the likelihood of becoming disabled increases as we grow older. Michigan has been battling an affordable housing crisis for years, and we need to address–and invest in–this population that faces discrimination in all parts of life, from education to the workplace to the legal system. People with disabilities are overrepresented in the homeless population, and homelessness among older adults is rising. The world has historically left so many people out when it comes to basic needs, including the very essential need to have a home,” said Monique Stanton, President and CEO of the Michigan League for Public Policy.
Renter households living at or below 30% of area median income are 77% more likely than all other renter households to include older adults or people with disabilities. And for every 10 Michigan renter families in this income bracket, there are fewer than 4 affordable rental units–and many of them are inaccessible as well.
Due to higher costs for basic needs, low incomes and discrimination, disabled renters face higher eviction rates, which can blacklist tenants from quality rental housing indefinitely, pushing them into homelessness or substandard housing with serious health and safety hazards. From April to October 2021, over 50% of American renters with disabilities reported being worried about eviction. Fortunately, there is movement in the Michigan Legislature to allow for the sealing of eviction records under certain conditions–a key recommendation of the League’s report. The League and its allies have put support behind Senate Bill 949, bipartisan legislation introduced by Sen. Winnie Brinks, which would allow for the sealing of eviction records under certain conditions.
The report also raises concerns about institutional care, which is widely used for older adults and people with disabilities, citing that residents and staff of long-term facilities account for one-third of COVID-related deaths nationwide, with a death rate more than three times higher in nursing homes that serve communities of color.
“This is what happens when we fail to provide the resources people need to remain in their homes or in strong communities. With an aging population, we will increasingly have to address housing accessibility and affordability over the next several decades,” Stanton said. “Doing nothing is not an option. And right now, with the historic influx of American Rescue Plan dollars, Michigan has a chance to transform our system and make safe, healthy housing a reality for all of us.”
There is much Michigan can do to support older and disabled Michiganders and their housing needs, and with the federal government’s historic investment in states and communities under the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), now is the time to do it.
The report notes that the state can use ARPA funding to expand the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly and similar programs and services that help older adults and people with disabilities stay in their homes or other community-based settings. Michigan also can use ARPA funds to transform the delivery of care for people who still don’t have the option to live at home, or who prefer to live in a congregate setting, such as converting multi-bed long-term care rooms to private rooms. Single-occupancy nursing home rooms are associated with better infection control, better health outcomes and higher resident satisfaction—reducing crowding while ensuring that residents have continued opportunities for healthy socialization.
The state should also use ARPA funding to invest more in the essential workers who provide supportive services. Michigan has a shortage of direct care workers, such as home health and personal care aides, of nearly 40,000. Even after a pay increase instituted during the COVID-19 pandemic, the average wage for a home health aide in Michigan is less than the $14.71 full-time hourly wage needed to afford a one-bedroom apartment. These workers are virtually all women and disproportionately women of color and immigrants. The state must recruit and retain workers by ensuring safe working conditions and increasing wages, professional development opportunities and other benefits to cover housing, child care and other basic needs.
Additional factors continue to keep many disabled and elderly Michiganders from living in safe, healthy homes, many of which are rooted in discriminatory policies. For example, in Michigan it is legal for some employers to pay disabled people less than minimum wage, preventing many with a disability from affording a place to live. The report offers a number of policy recommendations in addition to eviction expungement and ARPA investment, including ending employment discrimination and strengthening accessibility and inclusion requirements for developers receiving subsidies to build affordable housing. Ensuring access to safe, affordable housing is also a League priority for the 2023 state budget.
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The Michigan League for Public Policy, www.mlpp.org, is a nonprofit policy institute focused on opportunity for all. Its mission is to advance economic security, racial equity, health and well-being for all people in Michigan through policy change. It is the only state-level organization that addresses poverty in a comprehensive way.
Jay Cutler joined the League in March 2026 as the Kids Count Senior Data Analyst, where he collects, analyzes, and prepares data for Kids Count in Michigan.
Danielle Taylor-Basemore joined the League as the Development Data and Stewardship Coordinator in June 2025. She brings with her five years of nonprofit experience with a special focus on community engagement, data visualization and strategic programming. Prior to joining the League, Danielle served as the Business District, Safety, and Digital Manager at Jefferson East, Inc.
Scott Preston is a Senior Policy Analyst with the Michigan League for Public Policy, where he leads the organization’s immigration and criminal justice reform portfolios. In the three years prior to joining the League, Scott facilitated the Southeast Michigan Refugee Collaborative and managed a small business economic development program at Global Detroit. His work included launching Michigan’s first Refugee Film Festival and building on a trusted connector model that linked marginalized communities with crucial resources. Scott’s work at the League is informed by his background in journalism and research. He spent four years covering the Syrian refugee crisis in the Middle East for publications such as The Economist, and later worked with unaccompanied refugee minors through Samaritas. Scott holds a master’s degree in international migration and public policy from the London School of Economics and Political Science.
Kate Powers joined the League as the Chief Development Officer in February 2025. Prior to joining the League, Kate held leadership positions at many Michigan nonprofit organizations, most recently serving as the COO and Chief Development Officer of Ele’s Place. Kate has spent the bulk of her career in fundraising, with a short stint in the state Legislature as a legislative aide to members in both chambers. Kate is a graduate of Michigan State University’s James Madison College with a Bachelor of Arts in Social Relations and has a certificate in fundraising management from the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy at Indiana University. Additionally, Kate served on the East Lansing Public Schools Board of Education and is a past President of the Junior League of Lansing. In her free time, she enjoys traveling with her husband and her son and saving outfit of the day and home decor ideas on Pinterest. 
Nicholas Hess joined the League as the Fiscal Policy Analyst in September of 2024. In this role, Nicholas focuses on tax policy, government revenue, and their impact on working families and racial equity, including the effects of the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and Child Tax Credit (CTC). Nicholas values the role that judicious fiscal policy can play in the improvement of people’s lives and the economy, alleviating inequities along the way.
Audrey Matusz joined the League as the Visual Communications Specialist in September 2024. She supports the team with implementing social media strategies and brainstorming creative ways to talk about public policy. She brings with her nearly a decade of experience in producing digital products for evidence-based social justice initiatives. 
Jacob Kaplan 
Donald Stuckey 
Alexandra Stamm 
Amari Fuller
Mikell Frey is a communications professional with a passion for using the art of storytelling to positively impact lives. She strongly believes that positive social change can be inspired by the sharing of data-driven information coupled with the unique perspectives of people from all walks of life across Michigan, especially those who have faced extraordinary barriers. 
Yona Isaacs (she/hers) is an Early Childhood Data Analyst for the Kids Count project. After earning her Bachelor of Science in Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience at the University of Michigan, she began her career as a research coordinator in pediatric psychiatry using data to understand the impacts of brain activity and genetics on children’s behavior and mental health symptoms. This work prompted an interest in exploring social determinants of health and the role of policy in promoting equitable opportunities for all children, families, and communities. She returned to the University of Michigan to complete her Masters in Social Work focused on Social Policy and Evaluation, during which she interned with the ACLU of Michigan’s policy and legislative team and assisted local nonprofit organizations in creating data and evaluation metrics. She currently serves as a coordinator for the Michigan Center for Youth Justice on a project aiming to increase placement options and enhance cultural competency within the juvenile justice system for LGBTQIA+ youth. Yona is eager to put her data skills to work at the League in support of data-driven policies that advocate for equitable access to healthcare, education, economic security, and opportunity for 0-5 year old children. In her free time, she enjoys tackling DIY house projects and trying new outdoor activities with her dog.
Rachel Richards rejoined the League in December 2020 as the Fiscal Policy Director working on state budget and tax policies. Prior to returning to the League, she served as the Director of Legislative Affairs for the Michigan Department of Treasury, the tax policy analyst and Legislative Director for the Michigan League for Public Policy, and a policy analyst and the Appropriations Coordinator for the Democratic Caucus of the Michigan House of Representatives. She brings with her over a decade of experience in policies focused on economic opportunity, including workforce issues, tax, and state budget.
Simon Marshall-Shah joined the Michigan League for Public Policy as a State Policy Fellow in August 2019. His work focuses on state policy as it relates to the budget, immigration, health care and other League policy priorities. Before joining the League, he worked in Washington, D.C. at the Association for Community Affiliated Plans (ACAP), providing federal policy and advocacy support to nonprofit, Medicaid health plans (Safety Net Health Plans) related to the ACA Marketplaces as well as Quality & Operations.
Renell Weathers, Michigan League for Public Policy (MLPP) Community Engagement Consultant. As community engagement consultant, Renell works with organizations throughout the state in connecting the impact of budget and tax policies to their communities. She is motivated by the belief that all children and adults deserve the opportunity to achieve their dreams regardless of race, ethnicity, religion or economic class.
Emily Jorgensen joined the Michigan League for Public Policy in July 2019. She deeply cares about the well-being of individuals and families and has a great love for Michigan. She is grateful that her position at the League enables her to combine these passions and work to help promote policies that will lead to better opportunities and security for all Michiganders.
Megan Farnsworth joined the League’s staff in December 2022 as Executive Assistant. Megan is driven by work that is personally fulfilling, and feels honored to help support the work of an organization that pushes for more robust programming and opportunities for the residents of our state. She’s excited and motivated to gain overarching knowledge of the policies and agendas that the League supports.
