ESCANABA — When Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist II — who is running for governor in 2026 — came to the Upper Peninsula State Fair last week for the special luncheon Thursday on Honored Citizens Day, he said people he spoke with kept bringing up a handful of key issues.

“I’ve been to all 83 counties in Michigan, like, three or more times, and in every single conversation — in the Upper Peninsula in particular — the question of how do we increase affordability and availability of housing comes up every single time,” Gilchrist said.

He pointed to some things that have been done. Launched in 2024, the Michigan State Housing Development Authority Rate Relief Mortgage program lowers the mortgage interest rate for eligible first-time homebuyers by a full percentage point- creating “savings of $1,500

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