Are campgrounds a solution to Michigan housing crunch? Some lawmakers think so

Michigan bill would redefine temporary residency to allow stays beyond six months
Supporters say the proposal is necessary because of housing shortages.
Opponents say it’s not a real solution

As Michigan faces housing and worker shortages, state lawmakers are weighing a proposal that would allow people in areas of need to live in campgrounds for more than half a year.

Legislation sponsored by state Rep. Rachel Smit, R-Shelbyville, would allow longer campground stays by amending the Michigan Health Code, which currently only allows temporary campground living for up to six months.

“In many situations, people have turned to their RVs and Michigan campgrounds as temporary housing solutions,” Smit said during a recent hearing in the House Natural Resources and Tourism Committee.

“People who seek these alternative living arrangements include utility linemen and women sent to northern Michigan for nine months following last year’s ice storm, (and) visiting nurses and other health care providers temporarily serving in a rural community.”

Under the bill, prolonged says would be allowed at campgrounds within 50 miles of communities facing specific challenges, such as states of emergency, housing shortages, worker shortages or tight rental markets based on government data.

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The proposal comes months after state regulators clarified how they interpret “temporary” stays at campgrounds, setting off concerns among some campground owners and lawmakers about how the rule is being enforced.

In an October 2024 letter to campgrounds and local health departments, the Michigan Department of the Environment, Great Lakes and Energy said stays of more than 180 days in a year could trigger possible enforcement action.

Smit argued the department “arbitrarily interpreted” Michigan law in a way that “people seeking necessary housing in a campground are being booted out prematurely, with nowhere else to go.”

Changing the law now could “help solve the housing problem in our state,” said Smit, whose legislation is co-sponsored by four other lawmakers, including Democratic state Rep. Will Snyder, D-Muskegon.

While the bill aims to provide a temporary solution for individuals who may have been displaced due to a natural disaster or an emergency, opponents caution that campgrounds used outside of their intended purpose may present public safety concerns.

“Providing residency at campgrounds designed for temporary use has many consequences that must be carefully considered,” Dylan Gebhard, legislative liaison for EGLE, said during the committee hearing. “Residency will change the type of water supply under the campground and subject the campground to much more stringent regulations.”

Currently, Michigan campgrounds are required to provide a drinkable water supply that meets the Michigan Safe Drinking Water Act standards, according to the state’s Public Health Code. Modern campgrounds with sewer connections must either connect to a municipal sewer system when available or install an onsite sewage disposal system approved by EGLE and the local health department.

Individual campgrounds that would like to extend temporary housing to people for more than six months would need to establish an individual water-site, sewer and electrical connection and place fire hydrants within the campground based on local specifications.

“Water and sewer systems that serve campgrounds are usually designed to be operated seasonally and are not designed for year-round operations through the cold temperatures experienced in Michigan,” Gebhard said. “Converting year-round sewer service may require significant source water distribution upgrades, along with collection and treatment upgrades.“

A housing shortage Band-aid?

Smit’s proposal would also allow individuals to seek permanent residence at a campground in counties where the rental vacancy rate is below 5% and the median gross rent exceeds 30% of the median family income, benchmarks commonly used to measure housing strain.

While the bill does not explicitly authorize permanent residency, such as allowing individuals to list a campground as their home address or receive mail there, some lawmakers worry that broadening the definition of “temporary” would not address the state’s larger housing shortage.

“There is a documented affordable housing shortage for the entire state, and it has been for a long time,” said Rep.Tonya Myers Phillips, D-Detroit. “If we begin to shift the affordable housing shortage to the campgrounds, I don’t know if we’re moving the ball forward as a state.”

An analysis of Census data from the Michigan State Housing Development Authority suggests that the state has a housing shortage of about 119,000 units, even after adding 22,000 additional units in recent years.

Supporters of the bill note that campgrounds are intended for recreational purposes, but individuals who have been displaced may need more than six months to find permanent housing.

“We are not operating a manufactured housing community, nor do we wish to have the authority to permit customers to occupy campsites permanently,” said Jeff Sweitzer, park president of Sandy Pines Recreational Community in Hopkins. “That said, there are situations that arise in the state of Michigan routinely that don’t comply with the divine 6-month timeline.”

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