Public hearing held for ICCF plan to convert vacant post office into income‑qualified apartments

The Grand Rapids City Commission held a public hearing on an Obsolete Property Rehabilitation Exemption (OPRA) request from ICCF to convert a vacant U.S. Postal Service building at Eastern Avenue and Burton into about 15 one‑ and two‑bedroom income‑qualified apartments.

ICCF representative Dakota Reel said the project will preserve and retrofit the existing 17,000‑square‑foot, two‑story structure and market it as income‑qualified housing rather than market‑rate units. "Every single unit in this location will serve neighbors at or below a 120% AMI," Reel said, adding that most units will target 60% AMI or below and that the developer has priced rents below those caps in many cases.

The presenter described funding and incentive layers that support affordability: a $1.4 million award from a new MSHDA program to preserve the project as affordable housing; a Southtown Community Improvement Area façade grant of $10,000; and plans to pursue seven project‑based vouchers with the Grand Rapids Housing Commission to serve households at 0–30% AMI. Staff said ICCF aims for an aspirational 20% goal for subcontractor participation from local or targeted firms.

Commissioner Balter asked for a clearer, plain‑language description of what the AMI percentages mean for neighborhood incomes. Reel replied that rents are priced to serve households at roughly 45–75% AMI in practice — "which looks like a household earning an annual gross income of about $33,525 to $55,000 in that area," she said — and that household‑size adjustments apply.

Reel also said the project will be all‑electric and retain the existing building shell rather than demolish it, with upgrades to insulation and systems intended to keep utility bills low for tenants. "We're doing as much as we can to green the existing structure and make it as energy efficient as possible," Reel said.

Members of the public expressed a mix of support and skepticism. Some speakers welcomed additional affordable units; others — including seniors — asked whether advertised rents (examples cited by speakers ranged from $1,500 to $1,700 per month) would be affordable to fixed‑income residents. A late filing echoed that concern and asked the city to clarify which income bands the project would serve.

The commission closed the hearing with no vote on incentives or exemptions at the meeting and did not adopt the OPRA certificate at this session. Staff indicated follow‑up material can be provided to answer outstanding clarifying details about household sizes, exact rent schedules, and final subsidy commitments before any future approval.

Next steps: the project record will remain open for the city’s OPRA process; no formal approval occurred at this meeting.