Downtown Grand Rapids Inc. Planning Manager Tim Kelly emails a weekly GR Forward update to the project Steering Committee. Here's this week's communication:

Happy Friday Everyone:

I hope you all had a tremendous week.

This week we continued editing the draft GR Forward document. Next week both the Downtown and River Steering Committees will convene to review portions as well, including an outline of steps to implementation. We are looking forward to sharing the draft with all of you in the coming weeks.

In addition, we are continuing to get the word out in the community about GR Forward. This week we gave presentations to the groups listed below, and we are looking forward to participating this Saturday at events with SMG during their 10th Anniversary Celebration of DeVos Place and LINC during their Rock the Block. Again, if anyone knows of a group or organization that would be interested in having a presentation, please let me know.

  • Rogue River Watershed Partners
  • Downtown Development Authority

Web Numbers

The latest web and social media numbers are below. Be sure to continue to share the links below in your network so everyone can stay up to date with GR Forward activities.

Resources

This article on Seattle’s proposed solutions to combat rising housing costs is a good read.

Seattle is experiencing a housing boom, and high rents and home prices are driving the need for innovative strategies to accomplish their goal of 30,000 new market rate units and 20,000 rent-restricted units (no more than 80% of the area median income) in the next 10 years.

A range of solutions are being explored, including tax exemptions for developers who set aside new units, increased housing levies, zoning changes and renter protections. The one approach that seems to be gaining the most traction, however, is a proposed linkage fee.

The fees are based on the concept that new development drives up rents and creates low-wage jobs, which increases the need for accessible housing. The proposal in Seattle would require developers of new commercial or residential construction in the City’s densest neighborhoods to pay into a fund used to create or preserve affordable housing. While some members of the development community will naturally oppose the additional fee, community leaders are drawn to the dedicated funding stream and the belief the new fees will help them achieve their ambitious housing targets.

While it will likely take a varied approach to address Seattle’s challenges, it is interesting to see some of the thinking going on around the country on this important issue.

As always, let me know if you have any questions. Otherwise, have a great weekend.