The newly formed Grand Rapids Land Bank Authority does not include people most affected by housing insecurity

During last Tuesday City Commission meeting, all six commissioners and Mayor LaGrand approved the appointment of 6 people to the newly formed Grand Rapids Land Bank Authority.

All 6 of these individuals were appointed by Mayor LaGrand, which means that only one person had a say in suggesting people to the newly formed Grand Rapids Land Bank Authority. Here are the 6 people:

• Mayor LaGrand
• Eric Brown – Grand Rapids Urban League 
• Guillermo Cisneros – West Michigan Hispanic Chamber of Commerce 
• Kurt Reppart – former 1st Ward City Commissioner 
• Kris Spaulding – owner of Brewery Vivant 
• Randy Thelen – CEO of the Right Place Inc.

Yes, it is true that the Mayor appointed himself. So, we have a former elected official, someone who manages a non-profit, someone who is the CEO of a Chamber of Commerce, the owner of a brewery and the CEO of the Right Place Inc., which is part of the Grand Rapids Power Structure. The Right Place Inc. has worked to bring companies to the Grand Rapids area, such as 1) their attempt to bring Amazon to the area, which included massive public subsidies , and 2) The Right Place Inc’s role in attracting Israeli military companies to the area, using taxpayer subsidies. On top of that, The Right Place Inc is also a member of the Michigan/Israeli Business Bridge, an entity which develops and encourages trade and business interaction between Michigan-based companies and Israeli companies.

The Board of Directors at the Right Place Inc. is also a who’s who of the Grand Rapids Power Structure, both tier 1 and tier 2. Not surprising, many of these people signed on the letter that supported the GR Chamber of Commerce proposed ordinance that would criminalize the unhoused, a list you can read here.

These appointments fit what we have seen from Mayor LaGrand on the matter of housing so far. Take for example what he said during the State of the City address in March:

“We all know that Grand Rapids is no longer a cheap housing market. And that makes sense – housing is cheap in places people don’t want to live, and more expensive when there’s demand.” The Mayor then provided some data about the growing need for housing, the increased cost of housing, while income increases are nowhere near what the housing costs are. 

LaGrand even acknowledges the increase in the number of unhoused people across the country, but then praises what Grand Rapids is doing, citing the 100 in 100 days program, a program that is limited in scope and is ultimately a false solution to the bigger issue of housing insecurity. Central to the issue of the housing crisis is the fact that 47% of Grand Rapidians are one paycheck away from being on the streets or having to live with family/friends. In February, there was a new report on the housing crisis in Kent County, which stated two things that the Mayor did not acknowledge: 

• Even if rents froze tomorrow, and wages increased at their current rate, it would take until 2036 for people in similarly earning professions to be able to live comfortably and affordably in Kent County, according to the report.
• If home prices remained at the rate they are now, people in those occupations still wouldn’t be able to afford a home in Kent County until 2041, the report stated.

While those who now make up the Grand Rapids Land Bank Authority may be well intentioned people, but they area also mostly made up of people who are not challenging the fundamental causes of housing insecurity in this city, which is that housing is driven by Capitalism…..meaning housing is NOT a right, it is a commodity.

Equally important is the fact that those who now make up the Grand Rapids Land Bank Authority are not from the very large number of people in Grand Rapids that are experiencing housing insecurity because of the market-driven housing model. 

No matter the issue, Grand Rapids City Officials keep making the same fundamental mistake by bringing together people who are not part of the affected community, the community that would have the most expertise on how to address housing insecurity in Grand Rapids. Don’t expect the Grand Rapids Land Bank Authority members to propose real solutions on how to use the vacant land in Grand Rapids when it comes to housing issues. Until we center those from affected communities and have them directing what we should do, we will only perpetuate the problems and create false solutions.

Graphic used is from the group Deadly Connections https://deadlyconnections.org.au/