Michigan’s 2025 Fiscal Year Budget was approved in the early hours of June 27th, and the benefits to Ingham County are substantial. 

A number of critical County projects received funding including $12,500,000 toward a new Youth Center to replace the existing center built in 1986, $10,000,000 toward the renovation of the historic 1930 Feline Primate Building at the Potter Park Zoo, $15,000,000 to the Ingham County Housing Trust Fund for affordable housing initiatives, and $1,500,000 for paving of the Kinneville Road/Kirby Road corridor. 

“We are really excited about the funding Ingham County received, and incredibly thankful to our legislative delegation, Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Sarah Anthony, Senator Sam Singh, and Representatives Kara Hope, Julie Brixie, Penelope Tsernoglou, and Emily Dievendorf,” said Board of Commissioners Chairperson Ryan Sebolt. “Without the State’s support, we would not be able to proceed with these important projects without putting additional burdens on our taxpayers.” 

The $12,500,000 commitment to a replacement Ingham County Youth Center will enable the County to proceed with the planned $32,000,000 project by utilizing the Juvenile Justice Millage to offset the remaining $19,500,000. “The existing Youth Center was built in 1986, and the Raise the Age legislation, which was passed by the State in 2021, has led to a population of older juveniles with more serious charges,” Law & Courts Committee Chair Commissioner Mark Polsdofer said. “This older population has led to challenges in appropriately segregating juveniles, longer-term detention stays, and a greater need for programming and behavioral and mental health care, which was not a consideration 40 years ago. 

The proposed new state of the art facility will address these issues.” The $10,000,000 commitment to the renovations of the Potter Park Zoo’s historical 1930 Feline Primate Building will include building a new cat holding area, renovating the current outdoor cat exhibits, renovating indoor and outdoor primate exhibits, replacing the roof and the HVAC system, renovating the public area to be more accessible and natural, and replacing aging and insufficient infrastructure associated with this project. “Ensuring the Zoo’s facilities address the welfare of the animals is essential to maintaining the accreditation of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA),” Human Services Committee Chair Commissioner Irene Cahill said. “The Feline Primate Building currently houses an African lion, an Amur tiger, a snow leopard, ring-tailed lemurs and spider monkeys, and this renovation is critical to ensuring the sustainability of these incredible animals at the Potter Park Zoo.” 

The $15,000,000 contribution to the Ingham County Housing Trust Fund, $5,000,000 of which is dedicated to projects in the City of Lansing, will further the efforts to support housing that began with the Ingham County Board of Commissioners allocation of $9,000,000 in ARPA funding to the Housing Trust Fund in 2022. County Services Committee Chair and Housing Trust Fund Committee Member Commissioner Robert Peña stated, “the funding provided by the State for affordable housing initiatives is incredibly timely due to the fact that the original allocation of ARPA funds have been committed. This generous allocation will ensure that we can continue to provide innovative and cost-effective housing solutions to address Ingham County’s affordable housing crisis.”

For more information on Ingham County’s allocations from the State’s 2025 Fiscal Year Budget, contact Controller Gregg Todd at (517) 676-7203 or e-mail [email protected].