[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6502963,"mediaKeyId","5681726-bb23eef5def1b08840f0f370779cc2a5","parentId",5681726,"title","Votes at a glance: committee approves minutes and two human‑services funding allocations","audioSeconds",4971,"startMs",553000,"endMs",5524000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5681726-bb23eef5def1b08840f0f370779cc2a5&start=553&end=5524","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5681726-bb23eef5def1b08840f0f370779cc2a5/thumbnail_553000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6502963/Kent-County/Michigan/Votes-at-a-glance-committee-approves-minutes-and-two-humanservices-funding-allocations","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6502963-3e792785087fe1cab33a6c2ac89ca4c4/orig.mp4?Expires=1771155674&Signature=G53WvYnizwb8e7KkJn9UhaBLWLPUjNl0y69WQr5dk4xcYMjOqDP9XX~YxhAeQlmnmUpXsX1qIgfvZ4ll6xppwmSyaj9OzSzk8vAztWlvEdVoFrE~khLyHdd6nGF~QRKcde0EzGixiLAA2JTQrgc1yX5HJb4O5bs3OSH1msjRiJw989cg~NOmTH~TuHSZmKaDCpFcL1akPcmmxaqDNX7q9fjsOhpvPHExmha2kd2rAv9c1bEN0YtpBwA8jcV2id3oLSV4qHOhVhWjLDCFTxQeV7aBFU~mG-aDWGWwGtTVpYbUfGllMJfWpvjQbBYrx-NoPfCsp9-v51gGgIbDgGUVUQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Kent County","date","2025-08-26T14:42:22.383Z","article","The Kent County Community Health & Safety Committee took three formal, recorded actions during its Aug. 26 meeting:

- Approval of minutes: The committee moved to approve the minutes from the July 22, 2025 meeting. Motion moved by Commissioner LeGrand, supported by Commissioner Bujek; the committee adopted the minutes by voice vote.

- Prevention initiative funding allocation: Administrator Vanderburgh presented a recommendation to allocate $1,465,000 for fiscal year 2026 prevention programming (early‑intervention and family support programs). Motion to adopt the recommendation was moved by Commissioner LeGrand and supported by Commissioner Hennessy; the committee voted in favor and the motion carried.

- Unmet needs human‑services funding allocation: Administrator Vanderburgh presented a recommendation to allocate $412,000 in FY2026 funds to address unmet human‑service needs; the Department of Health and Human Services board had reviewed proposals and recommended awards. Commissioner Hennessy moved the recommendation, Commissioner LeGrand supported; the committee voted in favor and the motion carried.

Other formal actions: The committee also recorded a motion to adjourn moved by Commissioner Merchant and supported by Commissioner Morales; the motion carried.

Ending: All recorded funding recommendations will be forwarded to the Board of Commissioners or processed through county purchasing and counsel for contract development as described in the administrator’s presentation.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Kent County Board of Commissioners Community, Health, and Safety Committee Meeting 08/26/25","oneSentenceSummary","On Aug. 26 the Kent County Community Health & Safety Committee approved minutes from its July meeting and recommended two allocations to the full Board of Commissioners: $1,465,000 for prevention initiative programming and $412,000 for unmet human‑service needs.","taxTitle","Kent County, Michigan","taxId",2830,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6502967,"Housing assessment: Kent County needs about 33,400 units; planners urge infill, corridor strategy",1136,2784000,3920000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5681726-bb23eef5def1b08840f0f370779cc2a5&start=2784&end=3920","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5681726-bb23eef5def1b08840f0f370779cc2a5/thumbnail_2784000.jpg","/articles/6502967/Kent-County/Michigan/Housing-assessment-Kent-County-needs-about-33400-units-planners-urge-infill-corridor-strategy","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6502967-531b05d1fdd228543fd9be16988de303/orig.mp4?Expires=1771155674&Signature=Ybjxzj~7jM5hWNQcGbf6UqbckKaoEWkj201mADiXWQGcf8q4OtmXWz9sTC252ng6O8RQd0bI~g~IRnWcqgpT3Licgj-dImQCXOK9f05Us2YaSU0-nz-zXE5OUDQkq8Q5LZ-5~choQpPBa6hhwobBNHT97hZkIKfBS3fTM6NQOVO0jgvVgL7KXWkTZkjp1Zw-F6CG5lB~pmmLEfdFU1cxWwR26oksxrigZkqq-AuBS5QqS9PVyQN1eVC-wz5nVFRA-4rOMd20vUaFLs7Y22TIcUfvO-jnEfM~H4l1iYMmEFEGn8oFV5l1nw7MX8uFLHX5JKgB6iyhmF5mglBZb1RWWw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Housing Next and the Greater Grand Rapids Chamber presented Kent County’s updated housing needs assessment to the Community Health & Safety Committee on Aug. 26, reporting a countywide shortfall the consultants estimated at about 33,400 housing units and urging a strategy that prioritizes infill on existing sewer and water corridors.

Ryan Kilpatrick of Housing Next said the assessment, performed for Kent County, found the county’s estimated housing need fell modestly since the prior update—from about 35,000 units to roughly 33,400—reflecting increased production but still leaving a substantial shortfall. Kilpatrick said the county needs a mix of housing: about 12,000 rental units and roughly 21,000 for‑sale units. In the city of Grand Rapids, Kilpatrick said the gap is roughly 14,000 units split about evenly between rental and for‑sale.

Kilpatrick described two development scenarios. Under current (status‑quo) zoning, Kent County has nearly 130,000 acres of vacant or residentially zoned land; if developed at current patterns it could accommodate roughly 79,000 additional units but would consume nearly all vacant land and require extensive new infrastructure. By contrast, a corridor‑focused infill strategy on a much smaller footprint (Kilpatrick cited an example using about 3,100 acres on existing sewer/water corridors) could deliver a comparable number of units at a fraction of the infrastructure cost.

Kilpatrick gave an illustrative Walker corridor example showing a hypothetical redevelopment on 17 acres that he said could increase taxable value and county/city tax receipts substantially compared with low‑density uses; he and chamber representatives stressed these are illustrative scenarios and that local jurisdictions must decide appropriate forms and densities.

Speakers and commissioners discussed barriers to compact development: political opposition at public hearings, financing and appraisal gaps for new housing forms, competition with drive‑through commercial uses for high‑value corner parcels, and the need to align zoning and infrastructure planning. Josh Long of the Grand Rapids Chamber said the county’s revolving loan fund and Brownfield Redevelopment Authority have helped in early projects; Kilpatrick said local zoning updates that reduce minimum lot sizes and allow missing‑middle housing can enable production without requiring major subsidies for every unit.

Kilpatrick and chamber staff also cited recent county‑supported zoning assistance grants that enabled changes in some jurisdictions. He said Gaines Township’s zoning update enabled an estimated 17,600 additional housing units under new zoning and that the village of Sparta’s ordinance changes and accessory dwelling provisions enabled more than 1,200 additional units — figures staff said they are using as examples for other townships.

Commissioners asked for more granular data and requested Housing Next and chamber staff provide detailed PDFs and maps; Kilpatrick and Long offered to supply additional breakdowns on price points, income levels and tract‑level needs.

Ending: Staff recommended county coordination with local jurisdictions to identify corridors for prioritized infill and to pair zoning and financing tools with design investments to make underutilized sewer‑served land attractive and livable.","Housing Next and the Greater Grand Rapids Chamber presented a countywide housing needs assessment on Aug. 26. The assessment estimated a gap of roughly 33,400 housing units by 2030, proposed prioritizing underused land on existing sewer/water corridors, and identified political and financing barriers to denser infill development.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6502972,"Kent County reports dozens of acres preserved under Purchase of Development Rights program",647,2007000,2654000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5681726-bb23eef5def1b08840f0f370779cc2a5&start=2007&end=2654","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5681726-bb23eef5def1b08840f0f370779cc2a5/thumbnail_2007000.jpg","/articles/6502972/Kent-County/Michigan/Kent-County-reports-dozens-of-acres-preserved-under-Purchase-of-Development-Rights-program","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6502972-70722e2b5b27b55cab35178d9c7ee0d1/orig.mp4?Expires=1771155674&Signature=Uv4nBZ8rs9NfM6Qus6WkX69dVOt0U5q~6va3FGfXJha4yoWyswgnZ1BKLfmHH0XAXSiGLTATu5qa~YAJgFsxeyoWPTDmySx~PbG0hbXZU4LZuZxD0UUxwUXia3t8abqKNWPcLOEJVwNjEt9vGpdIYQJ31YH-gEvtQHwc8I2qj1WmzCMdeAbmRPeYCTYJvG7ia3FES37GOcGKSm9o6VUMd4gNRXNSJ4DuTN68HCyMM3Hvz9XqolfZxgf08q3Vfs-bh3BnDXOX-5ObsFFRL~Rye0g0k~0fJp5o9e6MyBCjQpomJXmSD7fDkxzmudDrYIFJ3KM49IqlTanvZ56z9smpIQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Haley Stichman, community development coordinator, briefed the Kent County Community Health & Safety Committee on Aug. 26 on the county’s agricultural preservation work, reporting recent closings and a multi‑year strategy aimed at keeping farmland in production.

Stichman said Kent County used its Purchase of Development Rights (PDR) program to close on 77.5 acres in Algoma Township and that three additional projects totaling approximately 325 acres are currently under contract and expected to close next year. Together, she said, the pending and completed projects represent more than 400 acres preserved to date and are supported by nearly $1,000,000 in state and federal grant funds.

Citing the 2022 Agricultural Census, Stichman said Kent County is home to over 1,000 farms operating on about 144,000 acres, but that the county lost about 9% of farmland in five years—she described that loss as roughly 13,000 acres and “the greatest concern” for the agricultural preservation board.

Stichman described other recent activity: submission of a Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) grant application in December 2024, a competitive PDR application round this spring that produced six applications, and township approvals for the two top applications recommended by the agricultural preservation board. She also described joint workshops with Ottawa County funded by a $100,000, four‑year American Farmland Trust grant to help landowners explore transfers and succession planning.

Stichman said 19 of Kent County’s 21 townships participate in the PDR program and outlined a new strategic planning effort focused on farmer and assessor education, improved planning tools, consistent local practices and an agricultural economic development plan to strengthen grant competitiveness.

Commissioners asked about minimum acreage thresholds and succession planning. Stichman said any amount of land can be preserved under the PDR program but that federal and state grant competitiveness typically improves for parcels of about 40 acres or more; she said land should be farmable at the time of application. Commissioner questions also asked whether the agricultural preservation board provides support to townships revising land‑use plans; Stichman said that is a developing priority.

Ending: Stichman asked for continued commissioner support as staff pursue pending closings, further outreach to landowners and new grant applications in early 2026.","Kent County staff reported Aug. 26 that the county closed on 77.5 acres in Algoma Township and has roughly 325 acres under contract, with nearly $1 million in leveraged grant funding supporting anticipated preservation.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6502978,"MSU Extension outlines programs reaching thousands as SNAP‑Ed funding ends next month",964,592000,1556000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5681726-bb23eef5def1b08840f0f370779cc2a5&start=592&end=1556","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5681726-bb23eef5def1b08840f0f370779cc2a5/thumbnail_592000.jpg","/articles/6502978/Kent-County/Michigan/MSU-Extension-outlines-programs-reaching-thousands-as-SNAPEd-funding-ends-next-month","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6502978-bbe2b475df1d051286e1253d74ca2aba/orig.mp4?Expires=1771155674&Signature=Atf3EurfgNpAgq4zA-oj7ebD69zpaG5xyBLpco8jb9svEe~ER-Eu~pVVmoXh1942zBDu-WgSHx3gwsOsdkhQU-U1ymUP2chWl6Vyw-o6ftY~cUYRNsSpmkplZ-yXJ7mQhduk5Sat~dNcxn4S3bLZWNN~qZLDRnA1NRCMNqrNd0wZvqDkx7qY6ISx8D3c~NXLMAeCUwHNaTuANqEy8TH8r2n4~xowWH3G1kULwCIg~SEKtkAKZw0vZqQYCQ5bKAHBJp7SSmjKp8LNOy2YlXxuZqv9p6ijJlYadTrAwlKSqPj1e2uUA18q0ZBPNOuhwQU6lZz4qqxYo2pSbo-wnlfTgw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Kent County Community Health & Safety Committee heard an overview of Michigan State University Extension programs on Aug. 26, with district director Kai Gritter saying the extension served more than 7,500 Kent County residents in 2024 across nutrition, gardening, youth and agribusiness programs.

MSU Extension District 7 Director Kai Gritter said the office ran about 906 programs last year and worked with more than 300 volunteers, including about 120 4‑H volunteers, and more than 100 community partners. “These numbers really represent lives touched, skills gained, and communities strengthened,” Gritter said.

The presentation covered multiple institute programs. Jennifer Ortquist, senior extension educator, described financial and homeownership education, saying the extension partners with the Michigan State Housing Development Authority and lenders on down‑payment assistance and money‑management training. “Our free money management resources cover a variety of topics,” Ortquist said, and she highlighted expected pressure on households if SNAP benefits are reduced.

Garrett Ziegler, community food systems educator, described work with growers, farm markets and agritourism and noted MSU Extension support for the Great Lakes Fruit and Vegetable Expo and for small and medium farms seeking diversified income. Deanna Headland and other extension staff outlined consumer horticulture and soil‑testing services the extension provides, and Samantha Bloom summarized 4‑H youth programming, including STEM camps, livestock clubs and school garden partnerships.

Gritter and other staff flagged a program change: federal SNAP‑Ed funding that supported nutrition education in Kent County will end Sept. 30. Gritter said some nutrition education will continue through the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) but characterized the loss of SNAP‑Ed funding as “devastating.”

Public comment at the start of the meeting included a recommendation that the county explore 3‑D‑printed housing. Dee Jones, who identified themself as a local entrepreneur, urged the committee to “think about 3‑D printed houses” as a way to expand affordable housing options and to consider economic opportunity as part of community health and safety.

Commissioners thanked the MSU Extension delegation and asked about partnerships with neighborhood associations and local housing groups. Gritter and staff said extension programs already partner with housing authorities, community action groups and schools and that staff would work to expand connections with neighborhood associations.

The extension requested the committee continue outreach and partnership; staff fielded questions about specific programs and offered materials and contact information for follow‑up.

Ending: Committee members commended the breadth of services and encouraged continued collaboration between the county and MSU Extension.","MSU Extension staff told the Kent County Community Health & Safety Committee on Aug. 26 that the extension served more than 7,500 county residents in 2024 across nutrition, youth and agricultural programs. Presenters warned the county that federal SNAP‑Ed funding will end Sept. 30 and described alternative education options.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Votes at a glance: committee approves minutes and two human‑services funding allocations

Housing assessment: Kent County needs about 33,400 units; planners urge infill, corridor strategy

Kent County reports dozens of acres preserved under Purchase of Development Rights program

MSU Extension outlines programs reaching thousands as SNAP‑Ed funding ends next month