Across the 78th District, working families are facing an impossible choice: pay the rent or pay the bills. That kind of uncertainty is exhausting, and no family should have to live that way.

You cannot build a stable life without a stable place to live. That sounds simple because it is. As a nurse, I’ve seen firsthand what happens when basic needs go unmet. Housing is a basic need, the foundation from which everything else begins. It affects your health, your family, your future. I will bring that same dedication I give my patients to Lansing, making sure the system works for you, not against you.

To address the rural rental housing crisis, we need rural solutions, and the answers are right here in our own communities. Instead of waiting for outside corporate developers to step in and profit from our housing shortage, we should invest in organizations that are already committed to Michigan communities.

One example is Michigan Community Capital, a nonprofit focused on developing and preserving affordable housing across our state. Since 2005, they have helped support more than $1.4 billion in housing projects and the creation of over 1,500 housing units in Michigan. I will work to ensure the state, through the Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA), prioritizes partnerships with organizations like this. Public dollars should strengthen Michigan communities and expand access to housing, not increase profits for outside investors with no long-term stake in our towns.

Accessory Dwelling Units, often called ADUs, are small independent living spaces located on the same property as an existing home. They can be a finished space above a garage, a basement apartment, or a small unit added to an existing property. ADUs provide flexible housing options for renters while also helping homeowners generate income and stay financially stable. They allow seniors to live close to family, give young workers a place to live in the communities where they work, and increase housing supply without changing the character of our neighborhoods.

Research has consistently shown that ADUs do not lower property values or create the problems some people fear. Instead, they offer a practical, evidence-supported way to expand housing availability while supporting homeowners and strengthening local communities.

Leaders in both parties are recognizing this. In February 2026, a bipartisan group of Michigan lawmakers unveiled the Housing Readiness Package, focused on modernizing zoning laws and cutting the red tape that drives up housing costs in rural communities before a single nail is hammered. Rural Michigan has faced housing shortages for years, and fixing it will require practical solutions and leaders willing to work together. That is the kind of evidence-based problem-solving I will bring to Lansing.

We have already seen what success can look like right here in the 78th District. In Portland, the former middle school was transformed into the Portland School Apartments, preserving the historic character of the building while creating housing people actually need. Projects like this use tools such as historic preservation credits and state housing tax credits through MSHDA, and they have become a model for how communities can creatively expand affordable housing.

We do not need massive apartment complexes to make a difference. Fifteen units here, twenty units there, spread across our communities, adds up to real relief for real families.

I will push for state reforms that expand tax incentives for smaller, community-scale housing projects and ensure rural communities like ours are not left behind when housing investments are made.

The people of the 78th District are rooted in this land, these towns, and these communities. As your State House Representative, I will fight to make sure they can afford to stay.