In an effort to address affordable housing in the city, The Grand Rapids City Commission has adopted the seventh recommendation made by the Housing Advisory Committee.
Part of 11 recommendations the city has branded “Housing Now!” that all hope to address the affordable housing crisis, the adopted ordinance limits the amount of money landlords can charge for application fees while requiring a refund of the application fee if an applicant is rejected.
The lone “no” vote on the ordinance surprisingly came from City Commissioner Jon O’Connor, who chaired the Housing Advisory Committee that drafted the 11 recommendations.
While the city is marketing the ordinance as a move that will improve housing affordability and housing choices in the city, O’Connor says, the City Commission took the ordinance too far, and it will ultimately do the opposite of what it was originally intended to do.
The residential rental application ordinance is the seventh Housing NOW! initiative recommendation adopted by the City Commission. It will go into effect November 7th.