It’s as if MLive doesn’t care about how most tenants are struggling to afford rent

On Saturday, MLive posted an article entitled, 3 Michigan cities among most competitive rental markets in the country.

The article is based on recent data from the group RentCafe, which is nothing more than an entity that provides information about rental markets and quaint tips for renters on how to decorate their apartment. RentCafe should not be seen as a serious source, especially since most of their staff come out of the Real Estate industry.

While the MLive article does provide some information on the cost of rent in Michigan and how Grand Rapids, Lansing and Detroit are in the top 20 of the most expensive in the country, the article fails to provide details on the actual cost of rent in each of these cities. MLive does cite the National Low Income Housing Coalition date for Michigan, but not for each of the three cities where the rent is too damn high. See above graphic.

However, the most egregious aspect of the MLive article is the complete lack of perspective on the realities that most tenants in Michigan are facing, especially when it comes to rental costs. Why does the MLive reporter fail to talk to renters and get their take, their lived experience of just how expensive rent is in Grand Rapids, Lansing and Detroit? Are we likely to see a follow up article or even an entire series of articles dedicated to sharing the stories of working people, many of who have multiple jobs just so they can afford rent? Hell no!

In fact, the only thing that the MLive article said about renters in Grand Rapids, was a quote from RentCafe, a quote that should clarify who RentCafe’s target market is. “The Grand Rapids metro area thrives on a diverse and expanding economy attracting recent graduates and young professionals who want to be close to major Midwestern cities like Detroit and Chicago.”

None of this, however, is surprising, when one comes to terms with the ongoing mantra of places like Grand Rapids, which has been saying for decades that they want to attract “talent” to move to this city. Of course, what city officials and other so-called city leaders mean by talent is just what RentCafe cites – recent graduates and young professionals. 

Grand Rapids leaders and the commercial media has long abandoned working class people and people who are subjected to poverty conditions. These people, roughly 47% of Grand Rapids residents, live paycheck to paycheck. They just don’t matter, especially since they are not entrepreneurs. Welcome to the harsh realities of West Michigan Nice!