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Issue record

Housing costs

In short

Lawrence's campaign backs federal housing investment and a tenant bill of rights; Barrett's backs more building and limits on large investors. No housing position from Dedrick was found. On the record, Lawrence says his coalition won renter protections; committee records do not list it, which does not settle its role. Barrett voted for a 2026 law barring investors with 350-plus homes from buying more; the record does not show the lead role his office describes.

Campaign positions

What each campaign says.

William Lawrence

He calls for major federal investment in housing at every price point, a federal tenant bill of rights, and a Housing First approach to ending homelessness.

Tom Barrett

He says families are being priced out by investors who buy single-family homes, and calls for more building, help for first-time buyers, and limits on large investors.

Shane Dedrick

No position found. His one public statement found, at his party's April 25 convention, named workers' rights, the Green New Deal and Medicare for All. He has no campaign site, and the FEC lists no committee or website for him.

Evidence timeline

What the record shows.

  1. official action

    Tom Barrett: Matches stated direction

    He backed the 2026 law limiting purchases by investors with 350-plus homes, with exceptions, and cosponsored a separate stalled buyer bill. His leadership role is not established.

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    Full detail

    His House office says he helped pass the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, and that it includes an effort he helped lead to ban large corporations from buying up single-family homes. He voted Yea when the House passed H.R. 6644 on February 9, 2026, 390 to 9 (Roll Call 57), and Yea on the final House vote on June 23, 358 to 32 (Roll Call 224). It became Public Law 119-101 on July 11. Section 1001 bars any investor controlling 350 or more single-family homes from buying more, with exceptions such as homes it builds or renovates for sale. On corporate buyers, he joined the American Family Housing Act (H.R. 7186) as a cosponsor on February 24, 2026, a month after it was introduced. That separate bill would bar funds with more than 100 billion dollars under management from buying single-family homes; it has not moved. Limit: His votes for the law are on record. "Helped lead" is more than the record shows: he joined one related bill as a later cosponsor.

  2. campaign position

    William Lawrence: record does not settle this

    Michigan banned housing bias based on a tenant's source of income in laws signed in 2024 and 2025. Their committee records do not name the coalition, which does not rule out other work.

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    Full detail

    He says he is a founder of the Michigan Rent Is Too Damn High Coalition, and that it has won statewide protections for low-income renters. Michigan did pass statewide renter protections in that time. Senate Bills 205, 206 and 207 and House Bills 4062 and 4063 of 2023 ban housing discrimination based on a tenant's source of income. They became Public Acts 178, 179, 180, 199 and 200 of 2024, signed between December 30, 2024 and January 16, 2025. The House committee's analysis of these bills lists 40 groups that testified for or backed them; the coalition is not among them. The one House analysis found that names it is for a different bill, HB 5238 of 2023 on eviction records: "Rent is Too Damn High" testified for it on December 5, 2024. That bill passed the House and died in a Senate committee. The Senate committee's minutes for its May 16, 2023 hearing on Senate Bills 205-207 and its June 13 vote list who testified or turned in cards; neither names Lawrence or the coalition. Why there is no verdict: The laws exist, but the coalition's part in them is not established. Neither the House nor the Senate committee record lists it, which does not rule out work done another way. Limit: His sentence names no law. The card uses the source-of-income laws because news reports tie the coalition to them, which is a lead, not a record. Who founded the coalition was not checked.

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Sources22 source records

How we use sources

  1. Platformhttps://wewill2026.com/platform/

    Friends of William Lawrence · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    Campaign-controlled source, in his own words: nineteen sections. Undated. Its lines about his opponent are out of scope here.

    candidate statement

    For: William Lawrence: campaign position

  2. Blueprint for a Better Americahttps://barrett.house.gov/reform

    Office of Congressman Tom Barrett · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    His House office's agenda page, in his own words, with six pillars and the bills under each. Undated; read October 1, 2026.

    candidate statement

    For: Tom Barrett: campaign position

  3. How an unknown candidate secured the Green Party nod in Michigan with minimal vettinghttps://www.wlns.com/your-local-election-hq/dedrick-michigan-congressional-race-controversy/

    WLNS 6 News (Brad LaPlante) · Published Aug 18, 2026 · Reviewed Oct 2, 2026

    Quotes Dedrick's answers to delegates at the party's April 25 convention, which match the party's recording. Its reporting on his past donations and work is not used.

    original reporting

    For: Shane Dedrick: campaign position

  4. DEDRICK, SHANE, candidate H6MI07306https://www.fec.gov/data/candidate/H6MI07306/

    Federal Election Commission · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    Candidate record: Green Party, House, Michigan 7th, 2026, with a Brighton address. No committee, no filings and no money raised as of October 1, 2026.

    fec filing

    For: Shane Dedrick: campaign position

  5. Candidateshttps://migreenparty.org/candidates/

    Green Party of Michigan · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    The party's candidate page links profiles for its other House nominees; none for Dedrick, and a site search for his name returned nothing, October 1, 2026.

    endorsement

    For: Shane Dedrick: campaign position

  6. Historic, Barrett-Backed Housing Package Becomes Lawhttps://barrett.house.gov/media/press-releases/historic-barrett-backed-housing-package-becomes-law

    Office of Congressman Tom Barrett · Published Jul 11, 2026 · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    His House office's release, in his own words where quoted.

    candidate statement

    For: Tom Barrett: Matches stated direction

  7. Roll Call 57, H.R. 6644, 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, on suspending the rules and passinghttps://clerk.house.gov/Votes/202657

    Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    Recorded vote of February 9, 2026. Passed 390 to 9. Barrett's vote read from the Clerk's roll-call XML by his member ID, B001321.

    official legislative record

    For: Tom Barrett: Matches stated direction

  8. Roll Call 224, H.R. 6644, on suspending the rules and concurring in the Senate amendment to the House amendment to the Senate amendmenthttps://clerk.house.gov/Votes/2026224

    Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    Recorded vote of June 23, 2026. Agreed to 358 to 32; the final House vote. Barrett's vote read from the Clerk's roll-call XML by his member ID, B001321.

    official legislative record

    For: Tom Barrett: Matches stated direction

  9. H.R. 6644, 21st Century ROAD to Housing Acthttps://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/6644

    Congress.gov · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    Became Public Law 119-101 on July 11, 2026.

    official legislative record

    For: Tom Barrett: Matches stated direction

  10. Public Law 119-101, 21st Century ROAD to Housing Acthttps://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/PLAW-119publ101

    U.S. Government Publishing Office · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    The enacted text. Section 1001, "Homes are for people, not corporations", bars a large institutional investor (one controlling 350 or more single-family homes) from buying more, with listed exceptions.

    official legislative record

    For: Tom Barrett: Matches stated direction

  11. H.R. 7186, American Family Housing Acthttps://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/7186

    Congress.gov · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    Sponsored by Rep. Mary Miller, introduced January 21, 2026. Barrett became a cosponsor on February 24, 2026, not an original cosponsor. Would bar investment companies and private funds with more than 100 billion dollars under management from buying single-family homes. Referred to Financial Services.

    official legislative record

    For: Tom Barrett: Matches stated direction

  12. About Willhttps://wewill2026.com/about/

    Friends of William Lawrence · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    Campaign-controlled source, in his own words. Undated.

    candidate statement

    For: William Lawrence: record does not settle this

  13. Senate Bill 205 of 2023 (Public Act 178 of 2024)https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Bills/Bill?ObjectName=2023-SB-0205

    Michigan Legislature · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    Housing discrimination based on source of income; prohibit. Approved December 30, 2024.

    official legislative record

    For: William Lawrence: record does not settle this

  14. Senate Bill 206 of 2023 (Public Act 179 of 2024)https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Bills/Bill?ObjectName=2023-SB-0206

    Michigan Legislature · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    Part of the source-of-income package. Approved December 30, 2024.

    official legislative record

    For: William Lawrence: record does not settle this

  15. Senate Bill 207 of 2023 (Public Act 180 of 2024)https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Bills/Bill?ObjectName=2023-SB-0207

    Michigan Legislature · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    Part of the source-of-income package. Approved December 30, 2024.

    official legislative record

    For: William Lawrence: record does not settle this

  16. House Bill 4062 of 2023 (Public Act 199 of 2024)https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Bills/Bill?ObjectName=2023-HB-4062

    Michigan Legislature · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    Part of the source-of-income package. Approved January 16, 2025.

    official legislative record

    For: William Lawrence: record does not settle this

  17. House Bill 4063 of 2023 (Public Act 200 of 2024)https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Bills/Bill?ObjectName=2023-HB-4063

    Michigan Legislature · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    Part of the source-of-income package. Approved January 16, 2025.

    official legislative record

    For: William Lawrence: record does not settle this

  18. Legislative Analysis, Senate Bills 205, 206 and 207 and House Bills 4062 and 4063 of 2023, as reported from House Judiciary (document)

    House Fiscal Agency, Michigan House of Representatives · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    The source-of-income bills, complete to June 26, 2024. Its Positions section lists 3 groups that testified in support on April 17, 2024 and 37 more that indicated support, with the neutral and opposed groups. The coalition is not among them. The desk also read the eight other analyses linked from the bill pages (House and Senate Fiscal Agency); none names it.

    official legislative record

    For: William Lawrence: record does not settle this

  19. Legislative Analysis, House Bill 5238 of 2023 (document)

    House Fiscal Agency, Michigan House of Representatives · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    An eviction-records bill. Its Positions section lists "Rent is Too Damn High" among groups whose representatives testified in support on December 5, 2024. The bill passed the House on December 13, 2024 and was referred to a Senate committee, where the session ended. Found by searching the legislature's site for the coalition's name.

    official legislative record

    For: William Lawrence: record does not settle this

  20. House Bill 5238 of 2023https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Bills/Bill?ObjectName=2023-HB-5238

    Michigan Legislature · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    Eviction records. Passed the House December 13, 2024, 56 to 0; referred to the Senate Committee on Government Operations December 18, 2024, its last action.

    official legislative record

    For: William Lawrence: record does not settle this

  21. Committee Meeting Minutes, May 16, 2023 (document)

    Michigan Senate Committee on Housing and Human Services · Published May 16, 2023 · Reviewed Oct 2, 2026

    The hearing on Senate Bills 205, 206 and 207: who testified and who turned in cards. Neither Lawrence nor the coalition is listed, and the files posted for this meeting and June 13 do not name them either.

    official legislative record

    For: William Lawrence: record does not settle this

  22. Committee Meeting Minutes, June 13, 2023 (document)

    Michigan Senate Committee on Housing and Human Services · Published Jun 13, 2023 · Reviewed Oct 2, 2026

    The committee's vote reporting Senate Bills 205-207. Its list of cards turned in does not name Lawrence or the coalition.

    official legislative record

    For: William Lawrence: record does not settle this