YOUTUBE I5fBi9Z8T8M Episode 2: Housing - Shantel Spears
**March 12 Script** Brief overview of Project 2026 - Lanier This weeks discussion is about Housing -short intro of the topic - Tanya -next week will have a code blue and we invite any of our unhoused neighbors to drop in and talk with us about housing - Jerry **Describe the Housing Problem** Housing is a complex topic As stated in Project 2026, “housing encompasses more than just a roof over one's head—it includes safe, stable, affordable shelter that provides dignity, security, and a foundation for all other aspects of life. Housing is where we rest, raise families, build community, and establish roots. When housing is treated as a commodity rather than a right, people are forced to choose between shelter and other basic needs, creating cycles of instability that ripple through entire communities.”
Here are a couple of data points on housing locally: The average home value in Lansing is approximately $157,000 (up 4.3% over the last year), while the average rent sits around $1,261. 4256 Off Market To afford a modest two-bedroom apartment at Fair Market Rent, one would need to work roughly 78 hours per week at minimum wage (or hold 2 full-time jobs). There are only 37 affordable rental homes available for every 100 "extremely low-income" households in Michigan. In Lansing, this manifests as a "landlord's market" where available low-cost units are snapped up instantly. Another layer of understanding housing instability is to look at data on those who are unhoused locally, that Jerry is going to tell us about. -# of unhoused in Lansing --2025 Point in Time - 1200 to 1500 --2023 City Commissioned Study - 2371 throughout the Year --2025 School District 604 Students -Lansing Land and Houses --6100 Vacant Lots --600 - 800 Red Tags --500+ lots ready to fuild on --We need enough rooms for 1000 people -ALICE numbers Introduction of our guest: Shantel Spears -need a bio What are some underlying causes - How are we ever going to get causal loop diagrams into this? - Unpredictable rent increases - private equity - cost of living increases, especially utilities - Low paying wages - Evictions - Not enough houses or rooms in the market What are some solutions? - Stop Evictions - Lower cost of living - Rent Control - Community Ownership, not private equity - Housing First What is our call to action? - Show-up Calendar - Speak-up Contacts - Create a True Democracy - Review Relocalize Governance and sketch out how you think decisions in our local or state government are made. Hint: https://rhinocerii.github.io/blahrgg/posts/garza-union-conflicts.html
YOUTUBE HT65Ha3ovfw Project 2026
YOUTUBE 9fUTlJOiSwE The Housing Crisis_ Why Are So Many People Unhoused
YOUTUBE _cIlyipZ3DI Understanding the ALICE Threshold and Its Impact on Lansing Residents
YOUTUBE hw1VRMF_m6w Stereotypes and Misunderstandings_ The Truth About Homelessness
YOUTUBE NTKcwDxkr9o Shantel_s Journey_ From Homelessness to Advocacy
YOUTUBE mnM2KlZUbvw The Hidden Struggles of the Unhoused_ More Than Just Shelter
YOUTUBE mhl109yotuY How to Truly Help the Homeless Beyond Money
YOUTUBE wLKLfssCT3M Empowering Change_ How You Can Make a Difference
YOUTUBE mdvyKBGKBb0 Building Our Future_ The Power of Community Ownership
YOUTUBE MU_Ayftcmc8 Exploring Cooperative Housing Solutions for Community Dignity