Lansing · issues
Civic issues
Topics getting the most attention in Lansing public meetings, ranked by how frequently they come up.
Michigan Avenue Corridor 2026 activities update
The raingardens along Michigan Avenue aren't being maintained at all. The committee may organize county, city, Peckham and MSU partners — or volunteers — to fix that, and might make it a budget priority.
Saginaw Street Corridor 2026 Activities
Several art projects are moving: a traffic cabinet vinyl-wrap plan headed to MDOT, a mural planned by Amy's Catering, and finished Durant Park mural installations. Public art aims to brighten and brand the corridor.
Renaming E. Cesar E. Chavez Avenue
The committee continues its quarterly review of the street renaming, including a resident survey of affected parties and a budget priority to reimburse street name change costs.
Stop sign and turn restrictions at five intersections
The committee is scheduled to act on five intersection traffic changes: stop signs at Ellen/Brookland, State/Daleford, and Lincoln/Forest, and a yield sign at Pico/Moores River Drive.
Darby Drive parking near Cumberland Elementary
Residents near Cumberland Elementary report school drop-off and pick-up vehicles staging on both sides of Darby Drive, blocking travel and driveways. The proposed rule would bar parking on school days from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the west side between Cumberland Road and Tecumseh River Drive.
Parking regulation on the 500 block of W. Ionia Street
A proposed traffic control order would change parking rules along the 500 block of West Ionia Street downtown.
Bike lane and non-motorized plan concerns
A downtown resident says Lansing's bike lanes are too narrow, misplaced, and that the non-motorized plan has no downtown lanes and big gaps — and is falling behind other Michigan cities.
Anishinaabe Park Proposal
A community team pitched turning the city-owned parking lots at Kalamazoo, Cedar and Larch — once eyed for a data center — into an indigenous-themed native plant green space, but their RFP was flagged incomplete on financing.
Entheogen decriminalization request
The Lansing Entheogens and Psychedelic Society asked Council to make psilocybin and entheogenic plants the lowest law enforcement priority, following Ann Arbor's 2020 example.
Homeless Encampment Sweeps and Winter Shelter
Residents and some council members criticized the ongoing sweeps of homeless encampments, arguing they destabilize people and destroy belongings. Council Member Kost raised the idea of sanctioned encampments; HRCS said it conducts outreach before sweeps.
Fair Chance Access to Housing ordinance
A new ordinance would stop landlords from automatically rejecting applicants over criminal records, requiring a chance to show rehabilitation first. It heads to a November 16 public hearing.
Flock license plate reader surveillance
A resident said the city attorney's opinion on ALPRs didn't address private operators and urged Council to ban private automated license plate readers, citing the crypto-kiosk precedent.
Support for State Homeless and Tenant Bills of Rights
Council discussed supporting Michigan HB 4197 (homeless bill of rights) and HBs 6086-6089 (tenant right to purchase, relocation assistance, tenants' unions, 90-day rent increase notice), with action expected December 7.
City Homelessness Response and Overnight Shelter
HRCS laid out a phased plan: a Code Blue warming center at Letts, a 70-bed low-barrier overnight drop-in center targeted for early December, family sheltering at Union Baptist Church, and a permanent drop-in center later. The mod pods won't open until 2027, frustrating some council members.
Mod Pod homeless housing delays
Council Member Nevarez Martinez pressed staff on why the mod pods slipped from this winter to 2027, citing conflicting explanations about site location and costs. Mayor Schor said Clark Construction found significant site work needs, including sewer and water crossings across Cedar.
District Court treatment grants
The 54A District Court's Sobriety Court and Adult Drug Court grants would fund treatment, testing, and supplies.
Make Safe or Demolish order at 1606 Reo Rd.
The committee was scheduled to consider a resolution ordering a property at 4507 Devonshire Avenue to be made safe or demolished. These orders typically address dangerous or blighted structures and affect the neighborhood's safety and appearance.
Rewrite of the city noise ordinance
The city rewrote its noise rules to cover all properties, drop decibel meters in favor of a 'plainly audible' standard, and make enforcement more practical for police.
PILOT Tax Incentives for Affordable and Workforce Housing
A $37 million project would bring 124 affordable apartments to a underused parcel on S. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.; the tax-break proposal gets its public hearing Monday.
Brownfield Plan #87 (New Vision) agreements
The New Vision project's reimbursement agreement and interlocal agreement determine how and when the developer gets repaid using tax increment dollars captured on the brownfield site. The board got a status update scheduled on where those agreements stand.
South Lansing Roadmap and Neighborhoods of Focus redevelopment
The LEDC board was scheduled to receive presentations on targeted redevelopment work in South Lansing, including the South Lansing Roadmap and the Neighborhoods of Focus initiative. These efforts shape which neighborhoods see new investment and development opportunities.
ARPA funds spending plan
The board was set to review what the agency accomplished with federal ARPA funds as those programs wind down. That affects how remaining recovery money is spent locally and what comes next.
City Tax and Debt Dashboard
The TIFA district's tax increment capture is currently being used to pay off existing debt rather than fund new projects. The scheduled financial update matters for anyone watching how downtown and district redevelopment gets funded.
MDOT US-127 Phase: I-496 to Lake Lansing Road
The board was scheduled to continue discussing MDOT's planned 2027–2029 construction project covering the Frandor area and the I-496 corridor to Lake Lansing Road. Drivers through these corridors could see significant construction impacts over the project window.
Facility and Street Naming Policy
The City's Public Service Department updated the board on street sign toppers, which stay installed pending board authorization. The board also flagged maintenance needs, including trees at The Point.
City Lot #8 Monthly Parking Permit Fee
A new $40 monthly parking permit for City Lot #8 will let employees near the 2000 block of East Michigan Avenue park with more freedom and comfort. The rate matches other similar lots in the area.
LPD Indigenous People's Day Celebration Donation
The police department is accepting donations to fund performers at its 2026 National Indigenous People's Day Celebration. The committee's approval sends the acceptance to the full City Council.
Unsafe structure at 6031 S. MLK Jr. Blvd.
A large red-tagged building with roof and flooring structural failure and nearly $5 million in needed repairs has been stalled in committee since mid-2025. The committee has tabled it twice for 60 days and must now decide whether to order demolition, require it be made safe, or grant another delay.
Art for City Hall artist selection
The commission is weighing artist names for public art at City Hall. The choices made here shape what artwork residents and visitors see in one of the city's most prominent civic buildings.
Commission priority setting
The board is continuing to set its priorities — deciding which arts and culture efforts get attention and resources in the coming year. This shapes what arts programming and support Lansing residents can expect.
Downtown Lansing, Inc. Board Appointment
Mayor Schor has recommended Christopher Buck of the Gillespie Group for a seat on the Downtown Lansing, Inc. Board through June 2027. The board helps guide downtown revitalization efforts.
Mural sponsorship at 221 West Saginaw Street
M3 Group gave a detailed update on the launch of the mural district marketing campaign, promoting the corridor as an arts destination.
Virtual currency machine licensing
Bitcoin kiosks popping up around the city can be a scam vector for seniors. A draft ordinance would require operators to get licensed and pay an annual fee, since the state doesn't regulate these machines.
Water/utility affordability
Mike Smalligan asked council to get real data on the roughly 25,000 BWL customers struggling to pay bills, and to look at Rep. Devendorf's bill capping water bills at 2-3% of income for low-income households.
New City Hall opening and sale of old building
Spadafore gave a history sendoff: 300 people have served since 1859, and the new building puts the council chamber on the ground floor — 'democracy is coming back down to the ground floor.'
César Chávez Avenue renaming
The long-running street renaming debate continues. The committee heard from community members, plans more outreach including possible surveys and door-to-door contact, and will revisit quarterly — with holiday season off the table for timing.
Kalamazoo Street curb, sidewalk and pavement work
The long-planned Kalamazoo Street project — curb and gutter replacement, sidewalk replacement, and pavement resurfacing — is moving forward after years of delays. A public hearing on the noise permit is the next step, and residents can expect detours during construction.
Gobble Wobble Thanksgiving Basket Drive funding
Remnant International Ministries runs an annual drive delivering Thanksgiving meal baskets; it fed about 550 people in 2025 and hopes to reach 600. The committee bumped its community funding grant to $1,000.
Silver Bels Celebration fireworks license
The city's annual downtown Silver Bells fireworks show on November 20 needs its yearly pyrotechnics license, handled by the same contractor as in prior years. It heads to full Council on November 9 once the insurance certificate arrives.
LPD Officer Hiring and Staffing
The department started 19 recruits in August, some former cadets or interns, and made 3 lateral officer offers (1 accepted, 1 pending, 1 declined). Hiring activity could affect response times and neighborhood policing capacity.
Office of the Independent Internal Auditor
A new ordinance creates an independent internal auditor office for the city — a watchdog function to review how the city spends money. A drafting error briefly suggested the City Market was being repealed; that was clarified as a mistake.
OPRA tax abatement for 2231 W. Willow Street renovation
Two properties — on S. Washington Ave. and W. Mt. Hope Ave. — are getting Obsolete Property Rehabilitation Act certificates, which cut property taxes to encourage rehabbing old buildings. The upside is more likely redevelopment; the trade-off is reduced tax revenue during the abatement period.
Freestanding sign size limits
The city is tightening its rules on freestanding signs — bigger setbacks, shorter and smaller signs — and cleaning up references to zoning districts that no longer exist. This shapes what commercial corridors look and feel like, and affects businesses that want visible signage.
Supportive housing services funding
An ordinance would allocate city funding for supportive housing services, but the committee wants more time to review amendments circulated last week before voting.
CATA Board reappointment of Eric Tans
Eric Tans returns to the Capital Area Transportation Authority Board through September 2029, keeping continuity in regional transit oversight.
Code compliance treatment of fire victim
A speaker described code enforcement piling fees on 70-year-old Angela Washington's fire-damaged, underinsured property and demanded the mayor intervene.
Census 2030 proposed rule opposition
The council formally opposed a federal rule that could leave noncitizens out of the census count and drop race/ethnicity questions — which would cost Lansing federal dollars and distort redistricting.