Mike Rogers unveils housing affordability plan to attract young Michigan voters

The Republican Senate candidate proposes expanding 529 savings accounts and cutting regulatory barriers to boost home construction.

Published on Feb. 15, 2026

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Former Rep. Mike Rogers, who is running for Senate in Michigan, has unveiled a housing affordability plan aimed at winning over young homebuyers struggling to break into the market. The plan includes expanding 529 savings accounts to allow first-time homebuyers to use them for down payments, eliminating transfer fees, and partnering with states to cut regulatory barriers that drive up housing costs. Rogers also wants to create residential housing zones with tax incentives for builders to construct more homes, particularly in areas with poor housing stock.

Why it matters

Housing affordability is a major concern for many young Michiganders, with some saying they may have to leave the state due to the challenges of breaking into the housing market. Rogers' plan is an attempt to address these concerns and win over a key voting bloc in a competitive Senate race.

The details

Rogers' housing affordability plan includes several key components: expanding 529 savings accounts to allow first-time homebuyers to use them for down payments, eliminating transfer fees, ensuring 529 plans don't count against private mortgage insurance eligibility, allowing renters to build credit through timely rent payments, and deferring student loan payments while saving for a home. The plan also calls for slashing regulatory barriers that drive up housing costs, as well as creating residential housing zones with tax incentives for builders to construct more homes, particularly in areas with poor housing stock.

  • Rogers unveiled the housing affordability plan in February 2026 as part of his campaign for the open Senate seat in Michigan.

The players

Mike Rogers

A former Republican Congressman from Michigan who is running for the open Senate seat in 2026.

Elissa Slotkin

The Democratic incumbent Senator from Michigan whom Rogers previously ran against in 2024, losing by a narrow margin.

Home Builders Association of Michigan

An industry group that estimates regulations, building codes, and land-use rules add nearly $94,000 to the cost of a new home in the state.

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What they’re saying

“Most of these conversations start with people saying, 'My kids walk [up] to me and say, you know, I just don't have the same kind of opportunity here in Michigan, I'm going to have to leave the state.'”

— Mike Rogers, Republican Senate candidate (Washington Examiner)

“They're just adding these needless regulatory environments for housing — they're not any safer, they're not any better, they're just a lot more expensive.”

— Mike Rogers, Republican Senate candidate (Washington Examiner)

“More home ownership in those neighborhoods means less crime, it means better schools, better community, better sense of community, I mean it has all the positives.”

— Mike Rogers, Republican Senate candidate (Washington Examiner)

What’s next

Rogers said he hopes to gain a seat on the Senate Banking Committee if elected, which would allow him to further advance his housing affordability agenda.

The takeaway

Rogers' housing plan reflects the growing concern among young Michiganders about the challenges of homeownership, and his attempt to position himself as a champion for this key voting bloc in a competitive Senate race.