State lawmakers will discuss a bill this week to give financial incentives to build grocery stores in Michigan’s "urban food deserts."
Lansing Representative Andy Schor wants to use about 5% of the Michigan Strategic Fund to bring grocery stores to downtowns and commercial corridors in urban areas, which have seen other types of economic development in recent years.
“The use is to help revitalize a community,” says Schor, “and right now grocery options are probably one of the bigger pieces lacking.”
Schor says, while his bill would help attract more grocery stores in larger cities like Detroit and Flint, it should also help smaller villages which have also seen local grocery stores close in recent years.
