Continuing his "transform and consolidate government" mantra, Governor Snyder has proposed many new plans to reform previous legislation to encourage consolidation of economic development on a state or metropolitan level, rather than our current fragmented system. His ultimate goal is to create more than just a couple great Michigan cities, but rather a whole "region" of placemaking. By adhering to the following proposals, Governor Snyder believes it will encourage economic development as well as develop a sense of place among Michiganders.

There exists an alarming problem at many higher education institutions today-a startling gap between the graduation rates of White and African American undergraduate students. Nationally, African American students earn bachelor's degrees at rates 20 percentage points below those of their White peers (Lynch & Engle, 2010, p. 2). Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan has recently garnered national attention after the release of a study by The Education Trust (2010) which reports that the institution has the worst graduation gap between White and African American students for all public institutions in the United States (Lynch & Engle). Over a three year period (2006-2008), less than one in ten (9.5%) African Americans graduates from the institution, while more than four times (43.5%) that many White students do. Not only is this an educational issue, but it is also an urban public policy issue for the city of Detroit (Lynch & Engle).

The economic recession has dealt homeowners with a devastating blow. As unemployment rates continue to remain the highest that they have in years, thousands of homes are being repossessed by lenders. Michigan residents have undoubtedly encountered the most troubling economic situation out of all of the states. With the highest unemployment rate, foreclosures on homes are an all too common sight throughout the state. New measures are being taken in order to allow both first time homebuyers and current homeowners to have more control over their real estate financial situation.

Housing discrimination occurs not only in conventional home sales and rentals, but also in farm labor housing camps- dwellings that are subsidized by Michigan agricultural employers. Low wages and rural farm locations force employers to provide housing for its workers, according to Michigan Department of Civil Rights (9). As with any business, farming depends on efficiency for increased revenues. The problem, however, is that equity is compromised- since their is an inverse relationship between the preferred quantity of workers and the amount of housing. Consequently, housing discrimination based on familial status, sex, race, and national origin is practiced to achieve efficiency, because many employers prefer to have more workers without having to supply more housing.