Housing Readiness Incentive Grant Program

Purpose: The Housing Readiness Incentive Grant Program provided state grants to help local units of government adopt policies and code changes that increase housing supply and affordability. Project eligibility: Grants could fund costs to adopt land use policies, master plan updates that include pro-housing actions, zoning text amendments, and similar measures. Work could be done by existing or contracted staff and third-party consultants; indirect costs and general grant administration were ineligible. Applicant criteria: Eligible entities were cities, villages, townships, and later counties; councils of government, universities, and for-profit and nonprofit organizations were ineligible. Additional requirements included enrolling in the state IGX grant system and providing UEI and FEIN identifiers. Application process: Applicants created an IGX profile, accessed the Housing Readiness Incentive application, and submitted proposals describing activities and how they would increase supply and affordability and align with the Statewide Housing Plan or Regional Housing Partnership Action Plans. MSHDA reviewed applications on a first-come, first-served basis, issued grant agreements, advanced initial funds upon contract execution, and reimbursed the balance after completion. Grants carried a 24-month term. As of mid-2025, funding was fully subscribed and applications are no longer being accepted.