At the January 12th Lansing city council meeting citizens encouraged the mayor and council to give unhoused folks recently re-located to a hotel on the southside more time at the hotel, and to work on a holistic plan for addressing housing needs in the city. Council set their schedule for the sale and rezoning of the site for the Deep Green proposed data center. Residents spoke up for and against a rezoning request for the planned development of a 29-unit apartment complex on W Mt Hope Ave.

Be advised, violence is discussed in this episode.

Our special guest is Julie Powers. Julie currently works as the Executive Director of Immigration Law and Justice Michigan. She has worked in the non-profit sector for 30 years in and out of Lansing. Immigration Law and Justice Michigan is dedicated to fighting for justice and advocating for the rights of immigrants in Michigan, to create a more inclusive and compassionate society, where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.

To report ICE activity reach out to Michigan Immigrants Rights Center:

https://michiganimmigrant.org/

Immigration Law and Justice Michigan where Julie Powers works:

www.iljmi.org

Deep Green more info for Lansing website:

https://deepgreen.energy/lansing-public-info

Mayor’s budget input request form:

https://mi-lansing.form.transform.civicplus.com/60941

Merica 20 to life conversation with Loretta Stanaway:

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1GVPcz7WeV/

Recycle Rama April 25th:

https://www.facebook.com/MidMichiganRecycling/

Lansing City Council meeting schedules and documents:

https://www.lansingmi.gov/186/City-Council

Find meeting issues maps and bingo results from the meetings on the podcast’s Patreon page here:

https://www.patreon.com/whatLansingCouncil

At the January 5th Lansing City Council meetings the council chose their new president and vice president: fourth ward representative Peter Spadafore and at-large councilmember Trini Pehlivanoglu. A failure of the accessible commenting option, disagreement about the procedure for signing up for public comment, and a racially charged comment had this council off to a rocky start.

Our guest William Lawrence is running for United States Congress to represent Mid-Michigan's 7th Congressional District in Washington D.C. A lifelong organizer, he founded a youth-led national climate action organization, Sunrise Movement, and has been working on housing issues at the local and state level as the founder of the Michigan Rent is Too Damn High Coalition. He was raised in East Lansing and now lives near downtown Lansing.

You can learn more about William’s campaign here:

https://wewill2026.com/

Here is where you can get involved with The Rent Is Too Damn High:

https://mirentistoodamnhigh.com/lansing/

Support this independent podcast and find meeting issue maps and bingo results on the patreon page here:

https://www.patreon.com/whatLansingCouncil

Check out the Lansing City Council here:

https://www.lansingmi.gov/186/City-Council

At the December 15th Lansing city council meeting the council heard from 18 passionate residents about the transitional (mod pod) housing project. People were pissed at the 13 state house republicans who created massive state funding cuts. Six Old Town shopkeepers supported expanding the business district boundary. A four to four vote stalled a noise ordinance change. Three board appointments and two redevelopment tax abatements were approved, and there was one comment about the disgraced fire chief.

Our special guest this episode is Khadja Erickson. Khadja is a dedicated housing advocate, organizer, and Executive Director of the Tenant Resource Center Mid Michigan. With years of experience in harm reduction, eviction defense, and grassroots organizing, she has worked tirelessly to ensure Lansing tenants have the tools, knowledge, and support they need to stay housed and assert their rights. She’s also a mom to five fabulous kids, which shapes how she thinks about stability, safety, and the kind of city we’re building for the next generation.

*CORRECTION* In the episode I said Dietrich Park was outside the new Old Town principal shopping district boundary - it looks like it actually inside the boundary.

Learn more about the Tennent Resource Center of Mid-Michigan here:

https://trcmm.org/

Find meeting issues maps and bingo results from the meetings on the podcast’s patreon page here:

https://www.patreon.com/whatLansingCouncil

Check out the Lansing City Council here:

https://www.lansingmi.gov/186/City-Council