What Lansing Council

At the October 26th Lansing city council meeting the council passed an ordinance requiring cryptocurrency ATM kiosks to register with the city and clearly display warnings about the nature of digital currency.  They also passed an ordinance for “supportive housing services” to allocate more city budget to an existing program to help qualifying homeowners make emergency repairs to their homes. There was a thorough presentation by local property management company Simtob requesting tax break payment in lieu of taxes (PILOT) programs to continue renovations of over 400 units across four properties around the city. In automatic license plate readers (ALPR) updates, the continued funding for Flock cameras was removed from a police grant.

Our guest this episode is Dr. Deyanira Nevarez Martinez. She is the Ward 2 representative on the Lansing City Council and an Assistant Professor of Urban and Regional Planning at Michigan State University, where her research focuses on housing insecurity, homelessness, and the criminalization of poverty. The daughter and granddaughter of migrant farmworkers, she brings both lived experience and academic expertise to her work advancing housing justice, equitable development, and opportunities for working families. Before joining City Council in January 2026, she served on the Lansing School District Board of Education.

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Dr. Nevarez Martinez’s next constituent contact meeting is October 29th from 6-8pm at fire station 44 -  1435 E. miller Rd.

https://www.facebook.com/share/17S8CHQ1DE/

You can follow her on The Facebook here: 

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61586132716716

Support this podcast financially:

https://www.patreon.com/cw/WhatLansingCouncil

At the Monday October 12th Lansing city council meetings the council gave a heartwarming tribute to a special olympics sports team, they witnessed two developer tax break presentations hoping to revitalize obsolete properties, and the public comments were focused on disappointment with continued use of automatic license plate reader cameras, and disappointment with the treatment of unhoused people in the city. 

This episode we are joined by two special guests, members of the DeFlock Lansing Group, Chelsea Ransom and Lia Lilley! Chelsea Ransom is from Lansing and she passionately believes in a right to privacy and has surrendered her own privacy in its defense. Lia Lilley has also lived in Lansing more often than not over the course of her life, and is waiting with bated breath for the day when Big Penny is the only non-human entity with eyes on Pennsylvania Avenue!

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Learn more about DeFlock Lansing here: https://www.deflocklansing.com/

Event with DeFlock Lansing at the Avenue Cafe TUESDAY NIGHT Oct 13th: https://www.facebook.com/share/185tKynGR8/

Support this podcast financially: ⁠https://www.patreon.com/cw/WhatLansingCouncil 

At the September 28th Lansing city council meetings the council discussed their budget priorities, which will be sent to the mayor for review. Many stories were shared honoring the late Mayor David C. Hollister. An ordinance aiming to regulate cryptocurrency exchange machines in the city was introduced. Public comment focused on continuing to pressure the mayor to remove automatic license plate readers from the city and the city budget. 

Our guest, Eric Walcott, works as a State Specialist in Government and Public Policy at Michigan State University Extension. He facilitates strategic planning and trains officials for local governments throughout the state. Eric is also the President of the Lansing Common Football Club.

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Eric’s write up of the State Ballot Proposal 2: https://www.canr.msu.edu/resources/statewide-ballot-proposal-26-2-michiganders-for-money-out-of-politics

Eric’s webinar on both state ballot proposals on October 14th: 

https://www.canr.msu.edu/michigan-ballot-proposal-forum/

Lansing Commons Football Club:https://lansingcommonfc.com/

Support this podcast financially: ⁠https://www.patreon.com/cw/WhatLansingCouncil 

Under a proposed ordinance change the Economic Development and Planning department would receive funds earmarked for the Human Relations and Community Services department to prioritize more “safe a secure housing”, as presented at the September 14th Lansing City Council Meeting. There were eleven comments from citizens specifically aimed at the Mayor - urging him to at least, comment, and at most, act to terminate contracts with Flock Surveillance for automatic license plate reader cameras in use by the police department. Two developer tax break presentations were shepherded by the Lansing Economic Development Corporation.

Our guest Heidi Butler works as a Local History Specialist with the Capital Area District Library, she is a certified archivist and has presided over the preservation of documents across the country and the world!

Check out the local history center: https://www.cadl.org/localhistory

Support this podcast financially: ⁠https://www.patreon.com/cw/WhatLansingCouncil

In meeting dance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PYLVXXaXU2Y&t=5385s

Over 150 people attended the August 24th Lansing city council meeting, with 60 giving public comments about a proposed letter urging the mayor to direct the police department to cancel their Flock camera contracts. The police chief made a surprise appearance to explain and defend the department’s use of the cameras. In a seven to one vote the letter was approved. 

Our special guest this episode is Joanne Galloway. Joanne is the founder and Executive Director of "Michigan Country", a non-profit focused on promoting the vote in rural areas in Michigan. She is a transplant to the Lansing area from the Upper Peninsula where she managed a farm and advocated for better representation of rural issues at a statewide level.

**********CORRECTION****The noise permit vote was 5 to 3 as I reported, but this particular vote needed 6 to pass, so actually no Saturday work for the combined sewer overflow project on the westside. City of Lansing updates on this project: https://www.lansingmi.gov/cso-015s-project-updates

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Michigan Country - Joanne Galloway’s organization: https://www.michigancountry.org/

Support this podcast financially: https://www.patreon.com/cw/WhatLansingCouncil

Thanks!

At the August 10th Lansing city council meetings council heard from the CATA (Capital Area Transportation Authority) leadership about upcoming reductions in bus services. They heard from BWL (the Board of Water and Light, our municipal electric and water utility company) about increases in electric and water service rates. Two projects shepherded by the LEDC (Lansing Economic Development Corporation) are hoping to win council’s approval to proceed with reduced tax incentives. Council approved the language for a ballot proposal aiming to change the city charter to include the creation of a “Citizens’ Advisory Healthcare Action Board”.

Our guest this episode is Ethan Schmitt. Ethan currently works as the Director of Special Projects for the Michigan Avenue Corridor Improvement Authority. He has previously served as the Allen Neighborhood Center's Volunteer and Communications Manager, and as a Senior Community Organizer for Planned Parenthood Michigan. Ethan is a fierce advocate for inclusivity and people-based placemaking in Lansing.

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City Pulse article on the “Wind Lord” sculpture: https://lansingcitypulse.com/29184-2/

Board of water and light wages from 2025: https://steveharrypublicpolicy.com/essaysLTE/Essay20260420.html

Article about the ballot proposal for the citizens’ healthcare advisory board: https://michiganadvance.com/2026/07/14/signatures-submitted-for-lansing-ballot-proposal-on-healthcare-access-one-of-6-in-the-state/

Support this podcast financially: ⁠https://www.patreon.com/cw/WhatLansingCouncil 

Thanks!

At the July 27th Lansing city council meeting. Council heard a progress update on the modular pod housing project. A team of consultants are working on the site plan but they are still searching for a construction management partner and there is no project timeline. Council had a “spirited debate” about a proposed ordinance change aiming to streamline the process for developers applying to build low-income housing units in the city using some state and federal assistance programs. This resulted in a 4 to 4 vote - and the failure of the proposed ordinance. The Capital Area District Library gave their annual presentation - membership, circulation, and usage of the library system is up. Two public comments called for greater Board of Water and Light scrutiny and oversight.

Our guest this episode is Michael Lynn Jr. Michael and partner Erica, combined to "Merica", are the force behind the wildly successful Lansing podcast "Merica 20 to Life". They champion community driven change everyday through their leadership at the Lansing Empowerment Network - a space they created to bring people together to impact the big issues in our city: Gun violence prevention, education, housing, and economic development. Michael was appointed to the city’s fire board of commissioners in April this year.

The Lansing Empowerment Network: https://www.empowerlansing.org/about

Michael and partner Erica’s podcast: https://merica20tolife.com/

Support this podcast financially: https://www.patreon.com/cw/WhatLansingCouncil

During the July 13th Lansing City Council meeting the council voted seven to one to put a six month moratorium on issuing building permits or processing zoning amendments for data centers. This will give them time to make ordinance changes to specifically regulate these projects. They also denied a trash claim appeal and began the process to re-structure the city boards and commissions to include seats for the upcoming fifth ward, as ordered by the charter commission.

Our guests this episode are Dr. Nichole Keway Biber and Gabriel Biber. Nichole is a community organizer and citizen of the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians. She works as an organizer for the environmental non-profit Clean Water Action. Gabriel works as the executive director for Fenner Nature Conservancy, is the vice-chair for Ingham County’s Farmland & Open Space Preservation Advisory Board, and a member of the Michigan Homeless Policy Council.

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Best Dressed T-shirt: https://modern-legend.com/products/hate-billionaires-tee?variant=40117994520618

This Thursday - Poetry in the city: https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1152988066944068&set=gm.1997151861079893

This Saturday - Fenner Nature Conservancy Milkweeds and Monarchs: https://mynaturecenter.org/product/milkweed-and-monarchs/

Michigan Interfaith Solar and Light organization: https://www.miipl.org/

Support this podcast financially:  ⁠https://www.patreon.com/cw/WhatLansingCouncil

At the June 22nd Lansing City Council meeting the council hosted an effective public hearing about a proposed ordinance change to make it more favorable for developers to finance projects in the city that promise 30% of the units are “affordable housing”. There were seven “show of cause” hearings for buildings the city wishes to demolish because they are not up to building code. Some end of the fiscal year budgetary updates were given and a presentation by an Ingham County official about the ballot proposal for the increased hotel tax.

This episode is a quick meeting recap with no guest commentary, regularly scheduled guests will return in July!

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Support this podcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/WhatLansingCouncil

At the June 8th Lansing city council meeting the council heard from a dozen folks unhappy with code compliance fees and procedures: snow and ice removal, weed cutting, make safe or demolish orders, and red-tag fees. Council honored Lansing’s Juneteenth celebration committee, and they debated a new ordinance introduced with the intention of making it more enticing for developers to build lower and moderate income housing.

This episode is a quick meeting recap with no guest commentary, regularly scheduled guests will return in July!

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Support this podcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/WhatLansingCouncil

Check out the Lansing Juneteenth events this year: https://www.lansingjuneteenthcelebration.org/