A version of this column originally appeared in Michigan Advance.
A significant challenge in social justice work is apathy from people who don’t see how they will personally benefit from the policies we promote. It can be easy for people who haven’t been directly harmed by existing policies to shrug off the resulting inequities. It can be hard for them to understand why their tax dollars should pay for someone else’s “special” need.
But no one’s needs are “special” — we all need things like education, food, healthcare and housing. We all deserve to live with safety, dignity and self-determination. We’re all growing older. We all have been, are currently, or could be disabled in the future. As Michigan’s population ages and the costs of healthcare and long-term care continue to rise, all families face the possibility of being primary caregivers for loved ones.
Despite this reality, few housing options meet the needs of older adults and people with disabilities.
That’s why the Michigan League for Public Policy’s new report focuses on ways to ensure safe, accessible, and affordable homes regardless of age, disability, or race. With Michigan’s historic infusion of COVID-19 recovery funds under the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), we can jumpstart a housing transformation toward a healthier and more just society.
Everything, including suitable housing, costs more for people with disabilities. Discrimination in school, the criminal legal system, and the workplace leads to worse health, low incomes and high unemployment for disabled people. Disability program benefits are difficult to obtain, and meager benefit levels and strict income and asset limits force recipients to live in poverty.
Disability becomes more common with age, and systemic racism has created disparities. Exposure to pollution, poor housing conditions, health care access barriers and experience of toxic stress are just some of the factors that contribute to higher disability rates among Black, Indigenous and other people of color–a striking legacy of the residential segregation stemming from historical and contemporary racist housing policies.
These disparities also grow with age: disability prevalence increases much more rapidly among people of color compared to white people. The convergence of systemic racism, ableism, and ageism helps explain why disabled, Black and Indigenous people are overrepresented among homeless people, and why homelessness among older adults has been rising in our state.
The pandemic has further revealed America’s disregard for the lives of older adults and disabled people, particularly people of color. Nationwide, long-term care residents and staff account for nearly one-third of COVID-related deaths. People have gone without critical home- and community-based services amid a dire shortage of direct care workers.
People with disabilities and people of color disproportionately work in low-wage service jobs with a heightened risk of coronavirus exposure and layoffs. Health and economic crises have threatened housing stability for elderly and disabled members of our communities while healthcare providers have adopted rationing policies signaling that their lives are not worth saving.
Our nation can’t recover from COVID-19 if we continue to neglect the needs of the people most directly affected. ARPA gives our state an invaluable opportunity to invest in: home modifications, home- and community-based services, and the caregiving workforce that make it possible for people to age in their homes; improved safety and quality of life for long-term care residents; and the creation of tools that older or disabled Michiganders can use to more easily find homes that meet their needs and budgets.
There are other ways Michigan can nurture a more inclusive housing environment: ending employment discrimination, including preventing employers from paying workers with disabilities a subminimum wage, and ensuring that accessible housing developed with public money promotes community integration.
Additionally, we are pleased to support Senate Bill 949, introduced by Sen. Winnie Brinks (D-Grand Rapids) to allow for the sealing of eviction records under certain conditions. Eviction disproportionately affects renters with disabilities and these records can lock entire families out of safe housing indefinitely, regardless of the circumstances.
Michigan has suffered from a crisis-level shortage of affordable homes for years and housing programs have been underfunded for decades, but our policy choices in this brief moment will have an impact for generations. By focusing these unprecedented federal resources and our political will on safer, accessible, and inclusive housing for people with disabilities and older adults, we will ensure that all individuals and families are valued.
Betsy Zobl-Tar 
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.
