affordable housing

More affordable housing is coming to Grand Rapids and the Belknap Lookout neighborhood. Grand Valley State University and the City of Grand Rapids are working on a Memorandum of Understanding with neighborhood representatives.

Grand Valley State University will lease .85 acres of its Grand Rapids health campus to Three CPK, a joint venture of Third Coast Development and PK Housing.

Officials in a western Michigan city are considering new rules aimed at protecting renters from predatory landlords.

The City Commission in Grand Rapids is reviewing a proposed ordinance that would add a $50 fine for landlords and leasing companies if they failed to return application fees to prospective tenants for no justifiable reason.

The measure is part of its "Housing NOW" package that's designed to help address problems with affordable housing in the city.

A vote could take place in July and specifics likely would change.

A four-story, mixed-use affordable housing project is in the works for downtown Grand Rapids. Dirt is being moved near Grand Rapids Medical Mile. Along Michigan Street a number of homes have been demolished making room for Midtown CityZen; a four-story, 44-residential unit project offering affordable housing.

The 40,000 square foot development will also include space for a restaurant on its ground floor.

Grand Rapids residents will have a chance to weigh in on the Affordable Housing Crisis, as a public hearing is set for Tuesday evening at City Hall.

In the first regular session meeting of the New Year, The Grand Rapids City Commission will listen to feedback from the public on four strategies aimed at addressing affordable housing.

Inner City Christian Federation has closed on the purchase of 177 properties with 150 of those single-family homes located in Greater Grand Rapids and Wyoming. As ICCF leadership explains the acquisition is one way to preserve affordable housing at a time when rents and home prices are quickly climbing.

“We are excited to be a part of preserving the affordability of housing in our community.”

Ryan VerWys is President and CEO of Inner City Christian Federation.

Built by local non-profit Habitat for Humanity of Kent County, an army veteran, his wife and children are just days away from moving into their brand new house. Jon and Lindsay Droski learned the non-profit had accepted their application more than a year ago when Habitat Kent called her on the phone and gave her the good news. 

“I couldn’t believe it,” Lindsay said. “I started jumping up and down, and I ran down to the main floor telling everybody I worked with. It was a great, phenomenal feeling to hear those words: ‘we’re going to build you a house.’

The site plan for Grand Rapids’ $40 million Plaza Roosevelt is unveiled. WGVU takes a look at the details

When completed, Plaza Roosevelt will be a mixed-use development situated on two Grand Rapids city blocks on the east side of Grandville Avenue between Graham and Franklin Streets. 

What has been four years in the making and dubbed a $40 million “Neighborhood-Driven Development,” Habitat for Humanity of Kent County is taking the lead.

Findings from an internal investigation by the Kent County Land Bank authority were released this week, and the study's conclusions were welcome news to county officials.

“I’m just very pleased with the results of this, I have always felt good about the work that we do, and it’s really nice to have it validated,” Ken Parrish, the Kent County Treasurer and Kent County Land Bank Authority Board Chair said.

The Grand Rapids housing market is the most competitive it's been in memory--that's according to a number of real estate brokers in the area who cite an influx of people moving to Kent County coupled with a shortage of houses available for first time buyers as the cause. 

“Quite honestly, I’ve been doing this for 26 years now, and I’ve never seen anything like it,” Bob Novosad, managing broker for Keller Williams Realty said.