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Expanding Affordable Housing

With the goal of ensuring equitable access to affordable housing for those who need it, the university is currently exploring strategies to significantly increase on-campus options for both undergraduate and graduate students and is also giving serious consideration to the longer-term goal of adding workforce housing on or near campus.

Munger Graduate Residences

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Progress to Date

Workforce Housing

In support of Campus Planning 2050 initiatives and with the assistance of ISR, the Office of U-M’s CFO conducted a survey to inform decisions about future housing strategies for the campus community. The key goals were to:

  • Understand and quantify the need for affordable housing among U-M faculty and staff (including Michigan Medicine) who work on the Ann Arbor campus
  • Study the process and factors that shape individual decisions on housing location
  • Identify the perceived advantages and disadvantages of living in Ann Arbor

Responses from approximately 2100 faculty and staff are now being analyzed. Once key findings have been shared with leaders from Student Life and the Office of Business and Finance, the workgroup will identify short- and long-term goals.

Michigan Housing

In support of Campus Plan 2050—and in keeping with its commitment to house every first-year student who prefers to live on campus—Student Life is exploring ways to increase affordable, on-campus options. Currently, Fall 2026 openings are planned for 5 new residence halls on Central Campus housing 2,300 undergraduate students and a new 822-seat dining facility.

To support returning students unable to live on campus, Michigan Housing and the Division of Student Life are:

  • Keeping student applications on file in the event spaces become available prior to Fall term
  • Working closely with campus partners such as the Dean of Students Office’s Beyond the Diag program to ensure that housing fairs are held shortly after the next year’s returning resident housing assignments are shared
  • Offering a website that features off-campus housing options for student (https://offcampushousing.umich.edu).

Responsible Unit(s): Business & Finance and Student Life