Kent County administrator Al Vandenberg on housing, homelessness and transit challenges
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Summary
On a Talk of the County episode, Kent County administrator Al Vandenberg discussed the county’s growth and the pressing challenges of affordable housing, homelessness and fragmented transit service, and described local projects such as a proposed $400 million aquarium and new stadium plans.
Al Vandenberg, Kent County administrator, told listeners that rapid population growth and shifting land use are creating acute challenges for housing, homelessness and transportation across Kent County.
"We don't have enough land for the manufacturing growth that's trying to come our way," Vandenberg said, linking a constrained land supply to limits on industrial expansion and tax-base growth. He said Kent County's population is approaching 700,000 and described a relatively young demographic profile, noting about 55% of residents are around age 35.
Vandenberg said homelessness remains a major focus. He described multiple nonprofit efforts and a Chamber-led program adapted from Houston's "100 by 100" approach, saying the county had "42 nonprofits working on homelessness at a cost of over a $130,000,000 a year" and that the local effort had reached an improved outcome level—"I think they're up to, like, 180 now"—with only a small number of people remaining outside the program.
On transit, Vandenberg explained why countywide systems are difficult in a jurisdiction that mixes dense cities and rural farmland. "We have communities where the rail would have gone where not that long ago, 40 acres was the smallest lot," he said, and described the Rapid as a city-focused bus system that is not feasible to scale countywide.
Vandenberg also described new and proposed regional projects tied to economic development and tourism. He said the John Ball Zoo is leading plans for a world-class aquarium on the Grand River, an effort the county may support through lodging-excise-tax bonds; he described the project as roughly a $400,000,000 effort and said economic studies indicated a large share of visitors would come from outside Michigan. He also noted a planned soccer stadium with roughly 8,000 seats that is expected to open in May 2027.
Vandenberg flagged longer-term risks to cultural institutions that have relied on a small set of major donors and foundation support. "As their money's divided, as new generations come in, they have other priorities," he said, and urged local leaders to plan for sustainable funding.
Kenneth Wilson, host and county administrator, framed the conversation around intergovernmental collaboration, citing Franklin County's "Columbus Way" model as an example of city–county partnership. Vandenberg emphasized that close cooperation between city and county leaders—he cited his relationship with Grand Rapids city manager Mark Washington—helps deliver large projects.
The episode closed with Vandenberg outlining a Kent County 2050 vision in which housing is more available and affordable, homelessness is eliminated and transit options are widely accessible. He said officials are working backward from those goals to identify near-term actions.
What’s next: the conversation was a policy-focused overview rather than a formal meeting; no votes or formal actions were recorded on the episode.
