Written by Tanya Terry, with photos courtesy of the Michigan Growth Office
Featured photo: MTA Director of Maintenance Robert Ellsworth and Michigan’s Chief Growth Officer Hilary Doe tour a hydrogen fuel cell bus.
Many Flint residents have been getting excited because Flint’s population grew this year for the first time in a quarter of a century!
Michigan had previously been part of about 34% of states nationwide that had seen population stagnation, according to Hilary Doe, chief growth officer for the State of Michigan.
Doe added: “That can mean eroding tax bases, or declining public school enrollment – and that can mean you don’t have as much money to invest in quality of life.”
Doe pointed out Michigan is the first state in the United States to start an initiative to take on population growth, as the first state to hired a chief growth officer about two years ago.
The Michigan Growth Office’s Flint Roadshow took place on August 28.
Doe’s first stop for the Flint Roadshow was the Genesee County Landbank’s the Gatehouse development, located at 211 W. 5th Avenue. The development is Flint’s first mixed-income condominium development.
Doe stated: “Across the state, we hear from folks that access to housing that’s affordable is going to be the top factor for them in considering the place they ultimately call home.”
She said it was wonderful to talk to the Landbank about the Gatehouse.
“They’re bringing new housing units online in that missing middle income band – so at a price that’s affordable for workers and families.”
The State recently announced they completed 75,000 new units, with a goal of 115,000 units by next fall, as part of their growth strategy for the state. Doe said this investment would be important for many regions, including Flint.
Doe, along with some members of her team, next stopped at the MTA Grand Blanc Alternative Fuel Facility, at 5051 S. Dort Hwy. Doe noted Flint is the only place in the state that uses hydrogen fuel cell buses, and they have three online
“We know transit is one of those things that’s critically important, especially to young workers and young families in deciding where they’re going to live,” said Doe. “They want to have access to walkable, transit-rich communities.
“In addition, MTA is offering this alternative fuel option. That means it’s quieter. That means there is less negative contribution to the environment. So, our communities are cleaner, and it makes our communities better places to live.”
Doe noted other communities around the state were traveling to Flint to learn about how to get onboard with the technology.
“We’ve pulled down more federal funding than almost any other state in the nation to make sure we could continue investing in making sure we get hydrogen technology online,” Doe also said.
Doe noted Michigan has one of the fastest growing clean energy job sectors in America, growing at two times the rate of U.S. employment.
Additionally, Doe was able to visit Flint River GREEN (Global River Environmental Education Network).
“The Flint River GREEN crew talked to us a lot about the environmental work they’re doing. But, a part that was particularly interesting to us – since we talk about talent, retention and attraction-were all the youth engagement programs they’re doing.”
These programs are geared at engaging the Flint communities in the natural resources in their backyards and at encouraging them to take on stewardship of the resources.
“They are engaging young people in Flint and connecting them to an incredible local asset like the Flint River, which I’m sure will help with ensuring exposure and ensuring folks choose to stay.”
The last stop of the Flint Roadshow was Kettering University.
“I mentioned we need to keep creating here in the state to retain talent. We also know we need to make sure we’re getting more coursed in the classroom…Arguably, Kettering is doing a better job at this than anybody because they have such innovative models to making sure their students get connected to local employers, making sure they’re connected to future oriented careers-semiconductors, hydrogen technology.
“There are 140,000 open jobs in Michigan. But, that only matters if our young people are prepared for the roles we have available and get connected to those employers before they graduate so they know they have opportunities here in Michigan.”
In May 2025, as part of Make MI Home, a statewide talent retention and attraction program, the Michigan Growth Office said it was awarding $769,000 in grant funding to five new consortiums across the state. The grantees’ innovative programs will help kick-start population growth, according to the Michigan Growth Office.
The International Center of Greater Flint was awarded $100,000 as part of this initiative to attract and retain college and university students in Genesee County by connecting them with local employers.
The Growth Office’s Flint stop was the final stop on the summer roadshow, which included previous stops in Detroit, Lansing, Grand Rapids and Traverse City.
