By Emilio Perez Ibarguen
In 2020, Lawmakers gathered testimony, sought federal funding and considered creating a task force to combat coastal erosion. Local governments looked to replace outdated zoning rules that let people build too close to the shore. Experts suggested fixes, from incentivizing property owners to move their homes farther inland to banning seawalls that ultimately worsen erosion. But the political will for change seemed to recede with the water. Five years since the height of the crisis — with water levels now 6 inches below average — most Michigan communities still allow home construction perilously close to the shore. Bills aiming to curb construction on coastal dunes or make it easier for homeowners to protect their homes with temporary barriers have failed to gain traction in the Legislature.
