Updates About People

Gotion, Inc., the developer of the proposed $2.36 billion electric vehicle battery plant near Big Rapids that was approved in 2022, is disputing The Michigan Strategic Funds’ efforts to recover $23.7 million in previously given grant money. The Michigan Strategic Fund issued a notice of default in September 2025, citing a lack of activity at the project site for three months. Recently, the Department of Attorney General weighed in and called for all Site Strategic Readiness Plan grant dollars given to the company to be repaid immediately.

In a letter to the state (first reported by Crain’s Detroit Business), Gotion asserted it is not in default under the grant agreement and instead said that project delays have occurred due to local opposition and legal challenges. The company claims that much of the funding has already been spent on buying land for the project and early construction. The only resolutions offered by Gotion included the township buying back the land for same amount that Gotion previously paid, or transferring the land to the state instead of repaying the grant funds.

McCall Hamilton is looking for a talented Office Manager to join our team in Lansing. This in-office role is perfect for someone who is organized, detail-oriented, and enjoys managing both office operations and client association services. Bookkeeping experience is a must!

If you know someone who would be a great fit, please send their name our way—or encourage them to send their resume and cover letter to abby@mccallhamilton.com!

State Attorney General Dana Nessel has launched a pair of legal challenges in recent weeks aimed at protecting vulnerable residents from abrupt federal policy changes. Most recently, Nessel joined 21 other attorneys general in suing the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) over new Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) guidance that she argues unlawfully restricts benefits for thousands of lawful permanent residents. The USDA memo directs states to treat refugees, asylees, humanitarian parolees, and other legally admitted immigrants as permanently ineligible for SNAP, despite federal law explicitly allowing these groups to qualify once standard requirements are met. Nessel warns the guidance would create widespread confusion, risk wrongful terminations, and expose states to major financial penalties due to the USDA’s misapplication of its own rules.

The lawsuit also highlights a procedural issue: USDA claims that states’ 120-day compliance window expired the day after the guidance was released, leaving agencies without enough time to adjust eligibility systems. According to the coalition, this interpretation is impossible under the agency’s own regulations and forces states into an untenable choice to violate federal statute or absorb significant administrative liability. The attorneys general are asking the court to block implementation of the memo to ensure families do not lose critical food assistance because of what they view as unlawful and rushed federal policymaking.

Just a week earlier, Nessel joined another multistate lawsuit, this time targeting the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The challenge centers on sweeping changes to the Continuum of Care (CoC) program, including sharp reductions in allowable spending on permanent housing, new gender-based service limitations, and penalties tied to local homelessness policies. States argue that HUD’s decision to cut traditional funding levels from 90% down to 30% and impose new conditions on housing providers undermines long-standing federal policy, including the widely adopted Housing First model. Nessel and her counterparts contend that HUD enacted these changes without congressional authorization or adequate explanation, and warn the shifts could destabilize housing providers, create uncertainty in local markets, and leave thousands of the most vulnerable at risk of losing long-term housing.