Housing unit shortage
Studies project Kent County needs roughly 33,900–34,000 additional housing units by about 2029, with acute gaps in middle-income for-sale homes and lower-income/affordable rentals. High cost-burden rates (households spending over 30–50% of income on housing) and prices outpacing wages are worsened by population growth. County tools include an ARPA-seeded affordable housing revolving loan fund, corridor redevelopment to add density on existing infrastructure, brownfield TIF, and partnerships, while housing ranks as the top community need.
How should Kent County address its projected shortage of roughly 34,000 housing units?
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Sources
MLive — https://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/2025/06/kent-county-faces-shortage-of-33914-housing-units-by-2029-study-finds.html
Kent County faces shortage of 33,914 housing units by 2029 study finds
Housing Next / Citizen Portal — https://citizenportal.ai/articles/7227368/michigan/kent-county/housing-next-kent-county-needs-thousands-more-homes-corridor-strategy-would-reduce-sprawl-and-infrastructure-costs
corridor strategy would reduce sprawl and infrastructure costs
MLive / county leaders — https://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/2025/09/kent-county-affordable-housing-fund-needs-more-investors-leaders-say.html
Kent County affordable housing fund needs more investors leaders say
Positions on this issue · liberal → conservative
- Heavily subsidize and mandate large-scale affordable and public housing construction
- Expand the revolving loan fund and density bonuses focused on low- and middle-income units
- Support mixed public-private corridor redevelopment without new mandates
- Prioritize market-rate supply and zoning streamlining while limiting direct county spending
- Avoid county housing subsidies and let private developers respond only to demand