Mayor LaGrand earned the $2000 campaign contribution from the GR Chamber of Commerce by endorsing Josh Lunger for the Grand Rapids Housing Commission

There is this notion in our society that says, “it’s not what you know, but who you know.” This plays out in many ways, both positively and negatively depending on the circumstances.

At the most recent Grand Rapids Committee on Appointments meeting this past Tuesday one can see how the “who you know” dynamic plays out within City Government. There were several new appointments discussed at the Committee on Appointments meeting, specifically appointments for the Grand Rapids Police Civilian Appeal Board and the Grand Rapids Housing Commission.

Mayor LaGrand proposed to appoint Daniel Savage to the Grand Rapids Police Civilian Appeal Board, which was unanimously approved. Unfortunately there was no discussion or disclosure about Daniel Savage who is a retired Deputy Chief with the GRPD and is currently a background investigator for the Kent County Sheriff’s Office. Seems like important information to discuss at a public meeting. It also seems that Mayor LaGrand wants to further insulate the GRPD from public scrutiny over the GRPD killing of Black residents and their collaboration with ICE.

In regards to the Grand Rapids Housing Commission, it was agreed to continue to have Monica App be on that committee, even though she works for one of the largest developers in this city, Rockford Construction. The other appointee to the Grand Rapids Housing Commission was Josh Lunger, who is the Senior Vice President of Advocacy at Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce.

On the appointment of Lunger there was some pushback, specifically from 3rd Ward Commissioner Marshall Kilgore. You can watch/listen to his comments beginning at 7:50 in the video at this link.  Commissioner Kilgore had two main objections, one being that the Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce opposed the City’s Climate plan and the fact that the Chamber supported the two ordinances that the City adopted that essentially criminalized the unhoused.

On top of all of that, it is important to note that Josh Lunger was also the main GR Chamber of Commerce person who initiated the discussion around the “problem” of unhoused people in downtown Grand Rapids. In the summer of 2022, Lunger sent a letter to the Grand Rapids City Commission on behalf of the GR Chamber of Commerce about how business owners and some residents of downtown GR were upset about the “homeless, which you can read here.

Josh Lunger then took the next step on behalf of the GR Chamber of Commerce in December of 2022, where he sent another letter that proposed the City of Grand Rapids adopt ordinances that would criminalize the unhoused in downtown Grand Rapids. Lunger and the GR Chamber got over 100 of their friends to endorse the proposal to criminalize the unhoused, which can read here.

In the summer of 2023, the City of Grand Rapids then adopted two ordinances that essentially fulfilled the GR Chamber’s proposal intent, despite their being significant public opposition to the ordinances.

What was interesting is that Commissioner Ysasi then stated (12:50 into the video) that she needed to set the record straight by saying that the ordinances that the City adopted in 2023 and were supported by Lunger and the GR Chamber of Commerce did not criminalize “homelessness.” In fact, Ysasi says she was proud of that vote. To set the record straight 4 of the 5 commissioners that did vote to adopt the two ordinances that will punish and criminalize the unhoused, have all receive campaign contributions from the Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce. Commissioner O’Connor $750, Commissioner Ysasi $1250, Mayor Bliss $1350, and Commissioner Robbins $10,500.

Later that day during the regular City Commission meeting there was further discussion about Josh Lunger being appointed to the Housing Commission, since Commissioner Kilgore was a dissenting vote in the Committee on Appointments. At 12:50 into the City Commission meeting you can hear again Commissioner Kilgore’s objections, which were pretty much the same thing he said earlier that day.

Mayor LaGrand responded to Commissioner Kilgore’s objections by saying, Josh Lunger has done an extremely large amount of work on dealing with the unhoused (15:25 into the video ) and transformative work with care housing, although the Mayor offers no concrete examples of how Lunger has done transformative work.

Mayor LaGrand goes on to say that he thinks it is not a good idea to not appoint people to committees because of the relationship they have with their employer. Here LaGrand is not only defending Lunger, but he is defending the GR Chamber of Commerce. This tracks considering that the GR Chamber of Commerce was one of the largest contributors to his campaign to get elected as Mayor of Grand Rapids giving $2000 to his campaign in 2024.

Mayor LaGrand then says that he thinks that making blanket statements about the GR Chamber of Commerce is problematic and that they have demonstrated real investment in housing issues in Grand Rapids. Again, the Mayor doesn’t substantiate his claims about the GR Chamber of Commerce, which of course he can’t because the GR Chamber of Commerce offers no concrete support in addressing the current housing crisis.

In fact, the GR Chamber of Commerce role has been to insert itself in the housing issue by promoting market based solutions to housing, which is exactly why there is a housing crisis, since housing is treated as a commodity and not a right for people. The GR Chamber of Commerce created the group Housing Next, which has inserted itself into the housing issue and offered only false solutions to the housing crisis.

Mayor LaGrand failed to mention Lunger’s role in assisting the 2023 ordinances that criminalized the unhoused in Grand Rapids or the fact that Lunger helped to lobby state legislators to change a law that will allow developers to use public dollars when converting former office space into housing, housing which primarily caters to the professional class and is unaffordable to most people.

Mayor LaGrand ended his comments by endorsing Lunger to be on the Grand Rapids Housing Commission, thus dismissing Commissioner Kilgore’s thoughtful objections and  simultaneously demonstrating his allegiance to the Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce.