• Michigan Regulatory Cost of Housing

  • A recent national study by NAHB found that government regulation accounts for 26.4% of the average final new home price. To better understand how regulatory costs affect new housing in our state, HBAM is collecting Michigan-specific information from builders and developers. This information will help us provide legislators, regulators and local officials with accurate Michigan data as we advocate for policies that improve housing attainability. 

    Please provide information to the best of your ability. Exact figures are helpful when available, but informed estimates based on recent projects are also valuable. Individual responses will be kept confidential and reported only in aggregate.

    Form responses can be saved and returned to later before submitting. Please submit this survey and any additional comments by EOD July 24, 2026. 

  • Local HBA(s) *
  • Which best describes your company?*
  • What type of new residential work do you primarily do? (Select all that apply)*

  • For this survey, please select a recent, typical Michigan project and answer the remaining questions based on that project.

    This may be one completed project, one current project with known costs, an average of several similar homes or lots within the same development or an average of several similar recent projects.

    Please do not combine very different project types into one response. For example, if your company builds both custom homes and production homes, please choose one representative project type for this response. You are encouraged to complete the survey more than once if you would like to provide information for more than one type of project.

    If you are answering based on several similar homes or lots, please indicate how many are reflected in your answers. This will help HBAM better understand whether the response represents one individual project or a broader sample of similar work.

  • Are you answering based on:*
  • What type of project is this?*
  • Was this project:*
  • Was this project on:*

  • For the rest of the survey, please estimate how much each regulatory category added to the cost of the project, group of similar homes, or development phase you identified above. You may enter a dollar amount, a percentage of the final home price, or both. If a category does not apply or you do not know the cost, you can skip that category. 

  • 1. Cost of Applying for Zoning Approval

    Include costs related to seeking zoning, rezoning, site plan approval, planned unit development approval, special land use approval, variances or other local approvals needed before development can proceed.

  • 2. Hard Costs of Compliance During Development

    Costs required to comply with government rules, studies, reviews or approval conditions during the land development process.

  • 3. Land Dedicated to Government or Otherwise Left Unbuilt

    Costs related to land that could not be used for buildable lots because of government requirements, required dedication or regulatory restrictions.

  • 4. Landscaping or Design Standards Beyond Ordinary Development Practice

    Development-level design requirements that go beyond what you would otherwise provide based on market demand or ordinary business practice.

  • 5. OSHA or Other Regulatory Costs During Development

    Labor, safety, environmental or compliance-related costs tied to site development work.

  • 6. Fees Paid by the Builder After Lot Purchase

    Government or utility-related fees paid after the lot is purchased and before or during construction.

  • 7. Changes to Building Codes Over the Past 10 Years

    Costs added by changes to building codes over the past decade. Estimate the cost compared to how the same home would have been built under older code requirements.

  • 8. Architectural Design Standards Beyond Ordinary Construction Practice

    Construction-level design requirements imposed by a local government, overlay district, development approval or other regulatory standard that go beyond what you would otherwise build based on buyer preference or market demand.

  • 9. OSHA or Other Labor Requirements During Construction

    Labor, safety or compliance costs during the construction phase.

  • 10. Regulatory Delay or Carrying Cost

    Costs caused by delays related to permitting, approvals, inspections, utility connections, code interpretation or other regulatory processes.

  • 11. Other Construction-Related Regulatory Costs

    Regulatory costs that do not fit clearly into another category.
  • Were you required to meet local design standards?

  • Zoning Reform

  • If you could, would you build: (Check all that apply)
  • If these were options, would it bring down the cost of housing?

  • Thank you for helping HBAM collect Michigan-specific data on the cost of regulation. Your response will help us better explain how regulations, fees, delays and code requirements affect housing affordability across the state.

  • Should be Empty: