Note: As of 4/26/2016, the bill has been thrown out by the House Committee on Local Government. It may or may not be reassigned to another committee. We will continue to update this page as the issue plays out across the media.

The fight to save Michigan’s historic districts is on.

City councils are passing resolutions that protest House Bill 5232 and Senate Bill 720–two identical bills, currently under consideration by legislative committee, that would gut, destroy, and virtually eliminate historic districts in Michigan. Historical commissions and history organizations are speaking out across the state–and across the nation.

We’re maintaining an updated list of all the news coverage supporting the issue. Read what everyone’s saying…then sign the email petition to add your voice.

• History burners by the Toledo Blade editorial staff (Toledo)
• Controversial historic preservation reforms are now history by John McNeill, 106.5 FM (Kalamazoo)
• Concern for Mackinac Island stops bill to change historic preservation rules by Peter Payette, Interlochen Public Radio (4/27)
• Michigan historic districts overhaul legislation shelved by committee by Garret Ellison, MLive (4/27)
• Lessenberry discusses historic district legislation and kids with incarcerated parents by Jack Lessenberry, Michigan Radio (4/27)
• Rep. Lee Chatfield stops HB5232 in Michigan House Local Government Committeee! by Michigan Historic Preservation Network (4/26)

• A millennial resident and small business owner’s perspective on the historic district debate by Stephanie Kolbe, Heritage Herald (March/April 2016)
• New legislation threaten the future of Michigan’s local historic districts by Nancy Finegood, Bridge Magazine (4/7)
• Finegood: Current historic districts work by Nancy Finegood, Lansing State Journal (4/2)
• Where do historic districts come from? by Vincent Michael, Traditional Building (March 2016)

• Vinyl siding for the capitol: Preservationists fear Republican bill would dismantle 78 historic districts by Lawrence Cosentino, Lansing City Pulse (3/9)
• Local group opposes bills changing historical districts by Mike Koury, C&G Newspapers (3/9)
• Preserving our right to preserve: What proposed historic district legislation could mean locally by Natalie Burg, Concentrate (3/9)
• Meet the Detroiter whose historic restoration skills are in demand around the country by MJ Galbraith, Model D Media (3/8)

• Mr. Murray of Meijers: Friend or foe of democracy in Michigan? by Nancy Kotting, Watapama (3/3)
• Commission passes resolution opposing historic district act modifications by Elena Hines, Three Rivers Commercial-News (3/2)
• Why Meijer executive is thumbs down on Michigan historic districts by Garret Ellison, MLive (3/1)
• Meijer poised to potentially reap millions if HB 5232 approved by Nancy Kotting, Watapama (3/1)

• Battle lines drawn over Michigan historic districts by Louis Aguilar, The Detroit News (2/29)
• The big reason historic preservation districts are a good idea by Matt Carmichael, Livability (2/29)
• Local Historic Districts Act should remain unaltered by the Three Rivers Historic District Commission, Three Rivers Commercial-News (2/27)
• Historic preservation threatened? by Jack Lessenberry, Dome Magazine, 2/26 (also printed in The Blade [Toledo], 2/26 and the Traverse City Record-Eagle, 2/27)

• Grand Rapids pens letter to lawmakers over threat to historic districts by Monica Scott, MLive (2/24)
• Planning expert: Legislation could “abolish historic districts” in Michigan via Stateside, Michigan Radio (2/24)
• Why we support historic districts & oppose Michigan HB5232 by Amy Haimer, amyhaimerl.com (2/24)
• Overhaul of historic district law puts burden on property owners by Sharon Ferraro, MLive (2/24)

• How not to preserve our past by The Blade [Toledo] editorial board (2/23)
• Affluent suburb behind push to dismantle Michigan historic districts by Garret Ellison, MLive (2/22)
• Developers, preservationists puzzled by bills to update historic district statutes by Nick Manes, MiBiz (2/21)
• Feedback: ‘Historic’ legislation flawed by Paul Keep, Detroit Free Press (2/20)
• Bill could threaten existence of historic Heritage Hill by Tom Hillen, WOOD TV (2/19)

• City balks at bill revising regulations for historic districts by Dean Cousino, The Monroe News (2/18)
• Fight to preserve historic preservation tools for cities by Anna Clark, Next City (2/18)
• Livonia historical, cultural heritage threatened by Joe Neussendorfer, Livonia Observer (2/18)
• Preserving our past by Jack Lessenberry, Michigan Radio (2/17)
• Afendoulis bill should disappear, not Grand Rapids’ historic districts by Rebecca Smith-Hoffman, Rapid Growth (2/16)

• Historic districts give Michigan cities character, so no need to change law by Barry LaRue, Bridge Magazine (2/12)
• Michigan legislation endangers historic districts, empowers property owners by Shafaq Hasan, Nonprofit Quarterly (2/10)
• Michigan’s primary tool for preserving historic buildings and neighborhoods could disappear by Aaron Mondry, MetroMode (2/10)
• City opposes changes to historic district regulations by Adrian Hedden, The Morning Sun (2/10)

• Preservation overhaul will cause damage of historic, economic proportions by Nancy Kotting, MLive (2/9)
• Ann Arbor preservationists sound alarm on threat to historic districts by Ryan Stanton, The Ann Arbor News (2/9)
• Leave Michigan’s historic districts alone by the Detroit Free Press editorial board (2/9)
• Proposed law would ‘kill’ Bay City’s Historic District, official says by Andrew Dodson, The Bay City Times (2/9)
• State lawmakers consider changes to historic preservation laws by WOOD 106.9 (2/8)
• Why bother with historic preservation by Amy Miller, MDET 101.9 (2/8)
• Letter to Rep. Chatfield, House Local Government Committee by the National Trust for Historic Preservation (2/8)
• Bills could dismantle local historic districts across state by Beth Dalby, Wyandotte Patch (2/7)

• Bills threaten local historic districts in Michigan by John Gallagher, Detroit Free Press (2/6)
• Leave laws that protect historic districts alone by Amy Elliott Bragg, Birmingham Eccentric (2/4)
• Detroit city council quickly opposes historic district amendments by Robin Runyan, Curbed Detroit (2/3)
• Local group expresses concern for fate of historic districts by WWMT (2/3)
• “It’s absolutely despicable,” Ypsilanti council member says of bill to weaken historic districts by Tom Perkins, The Ann Arbor News (2/3)
• Historic districts: keeping the great places we already have by Richard Murphy, Michigan Municipal League (2/2)
• Historic district process changed with proposed amendment by Robin Runyan, Curbed Detroit (2/1)

• Legislation threatens historic districts, neighbors say by Angela Cunningham, WZZM 13 (1/29)
• Bills would make it harder to get, keep historic district status by Sarah Cweik, Michigan Radio (1/28)
• Historic preservation vs. private property rights in Michigan House bill by Matt Vande Bunte, MLive (1/27)
• Local historic districts under threat in Michigan by Lisa Phillips, Preservation Detroit (1/27)