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A Smart Homeless Response System
Create a unified strategy for shelter, care standards, and cross-sector referrals while rapidly expanding access to housing options and aligned services. -
Safe & Welcoming Downtown
Clear standards and protocols for public behavior & services while transforming Heartside public spaces into clean, vibrant community assets that everyone can enjoy. -
Connected Stakeholders, Clear Roles
Equip downtown businesses, service providers, and community members with shared protocols and a feedback loop so no one falls through the cracks. -
Radical Transparency
Communicate frequently, honestly, and strategically about what’s working and what isn’t — building the public trust needed to sustain long-term change.
Q1 Objectives
By April 17, we are working to:
Secure funding for and launch Fair Market Rent study.
Why: A successful appeal would allow the Grand Rapids Housing Commission to deploy up to an additional 300 housing vouchers. (One-third would be available for chronic homelessness.)
Launch a communications strategy that defines terms, metrics, and engagement strategies with additional providers and key partners is approved by project partners.
Why: A central hub for explaining the “who, what, where, why, and how” we are working to end chronic and unsheltered homelessness will improve trust and transparency.
Identify location and plan for expanded housing units with complex care services.
Why: Improving outcomes for individuals experiencing severe mental health and/or substance use disorders requires housing with more intensive wraparound services that are currently extremely limited in Kent County.
Identify location(s) and plan for expanded housing units.
Why: To relieve the bottleneck in moving people out of shelters, we need to identify targets and plan for additional housing options.