$900,000 could be going towards Central Michigan University, and $4 million could go towards three Habitat for Humanity organizations if the proposals from Rep. Dan Kildee (D-MI) pass Congress.
Midland currently needs around one-thousand affordable housing units, said Jennifer Chappel, president and CEO of Midland Habitat for Humanity. Others need to be repaired or refurbished.
"Pre-flood, pre-pandemic we’d be able to replace the roof for 7-8 thousand dollars. Now we’re seeing it in 10-15 thousand dollars," she said. "It’s a huge difference. If you do not protect the integrity of the roof of the home, that results in other damage to the homes."
It’s the first time Chappel's Midland branch applied for this type of funding, she said.
Central Michigan University could also be granted some funding to help secondary schools in rural Michigan learn with augmented reality.
It would allow students to learn about biology and get them interested in the medical field, said Dr. Gregory Zimmerman, associate dean of health professions at the university.
"We already have a strong component with our rural communities, and this is just one more extension of that partnership and collaboration—bringing now education into the classroom," he said.
Zimmerman said the technology could also be used for other disciplines.
A full list of proposed projects can be found on Kildee's website.