🎯 STRisker: Bulletin - Grand Rapids, MI
Airbnb Tax at the Center of Benson’s Housing Plan
Benson’s Housing Agenda: Tackling STRs, Investors, and Affordability
Photo by HBmagazine
Michigan’s Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jocelyn Benson rolled out a sweeping housing affordability plan Monday in Grand Rapids, with a new tax on Airbnbs at its core.
“I want every single family who wants to call Michigan home to be able to afford a home,” Benson said, framing her proposals as a way to expand access and rein in costs.
Her plan includes:
✔️ A tax credit for families struggling to save for down payments.
✔️ Expansion of the Homestead Property Tax Credit.
✔️ A ban on private equity firms buying single-family homes in the first 100 days.
✔️ Tracking and taxing short-term rentals like Airbnbs to “fund local issues.”
✔️ Tougher inspections for apartments and penalties for absentee landlords.
✔️ Expanded rental assistance for families.
“We need to eliminate a lot of red tape,” Benson said. “I want to make it as easy to build in this state as it is to renew your driver’s license.”
Michigan currently faces a 119,000-unit housing shortage, and Benson’s plan aims to close the gap by encouraging construction while protecting affordability. She emphasized flexibility, saying tax credits should apply broadly, including to “second-time homeowners” moving into larger homes.
The Airbnb tax proposal has drawn attention. Benson argued it would allow municipalities to regulate or ban STRs while generating revenue for local needs. “Track short-term rentals like Airbnbs and tax them to fund local issues,” she said, adding that enforcement would be key.
Occupancy tax collection and remittance by Airbnb in Michigan
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Her plan also calls for tougher inspections to protect renters and punish “absentee landlords who neglect their properties.”
Housing has become a politically hot topic, with bipartisan pushes for zoning reform and affordability. Whitmer recently endorsed a state-level affordable housing tax credit, while Republicans like Tom Leonard have called for cutting regulations. Benson’s plan adds momentum to the debate, positioning her as a candidate willing to challenge both investors and landlords.
At the federal level, Trump proposed banning home sales to private equity firms, a move Benson echoed at the state level. Meanwhile, Republican Speaker Matt Hall has argued eliminating the 6-mill property tax could make housing more affordable.
Benson’s proposals are ambitious, but she insists they will be guided by “flexibility and data.” She wants a statewide housing database to track needs and inform policy.
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