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Consultants Tell Grand Rapids Planning Commission city needs far more affordable housing, fewer policy gaps won't solve it alone
Summary
A housing needs assessment presented to the Grand Rapids Planning Commission found substantial deficits in rental and for‑sale housing at lower income levels and urged regulatory change, incentives alignment and targeted subsidies to address the shortfall.
Grand Rapids — A consultant-led presentation to the Grand Rapids Planning Commission on Oct. 9 warned the city must substantially increase housing production — particularly at lower income levels — or face continued affordability pressures.
Ryan Kilpatrick, lead consultant for Housing Next and owner of Flywheel Consultants, summarized a countywide report with a city‑level element prepared with Bowen National Research. “We need 10 times more affordable housing” for the lowest income households, Kilpatrick said, adding that construction costs and insufficient subsidy make that segment especially difficult to serve.
The assessment looked at population, job growth, commuting patterns and household formation. Kilpatrick said job growth in the region has outpaced housing production — “a 5 to 1 growth in jobs compared to housing units over the last decade” — and that household formation can increase housing demand even where population totals remain flat.
Why it matters: The study…
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