New tiny homes in Grand Rapids provide both shelter and work

Yahoo

25-04-2025

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — A new tiny home community is being built in Grand Rapids, offering one solution to the ongoing affordable housing crisis.
The new development, called Hope Village, has been a vision for more than five years. Now, six of the 16 houses are in the works. The community will provide fully-furnished homes for individuals or families transitioning out of homelessness or unstable housing situations.
'Every Michigander, every one of us deserves to have a safe, affordable place to raise a family to build a life we want in a vibrant community,' said Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, who visited the site Thursday. 'Unfortunately we know that it's a tough housing market right now.'
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Located near Mel Trotter Ministries' Next Step facility on Garden Street SE near Jefferson Avenue, the homes will range from 400 to 530 square feet and include private bathrooms, in-unit washers and dryers as well as access to nearby job opportunities.
Whitmer joined local leaders to tour the homes and speak on the state's investment in affordable housing. In her remarks, she emphasized the urgency of addressing housing needs across the state.
'It all comes down to supply,' Whitmer said. 'Right now, we are short more than 140,000 homes statewide. In response, we are going to build, baby, build,'
In the governor's 2025 , she announced the state's largest investment to build, fix or buy housing: $2 billion for nearly 11,000 homes.
The tiny home development is a partnership between several local nonprofits. Many of the people constructing the homes are participants in a job training program — learning skills like carpentry. Those involved will be eligible to apply for housing in the very community they helped create.
Darion Boyd, one of those workers who has been involved in Next Step for nearly two years, says the program gave him direction and purpose.
'I was not making the best decisions in my life and I wanted to be doing something more positive,' he said.
Mel Trotter CEO Chris Palusky said Hope Village is part of a broader plan to break the cycle of poverty and homelessness.
'We have emergency at the shelter — but we have hope here,' Palusky said. 'It's expensive across the country, it's really expensive in West Michigan and we see this as one of the solutions to help people that need homes.'
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Other leaders in attendance included State Rep. Kristian Grant and Grand Rapids Mayor David LaGrand, both of whom echoed the importance of building communities where people can live, work and grow.
'Housing is the bedrock for an individual's stability for a family future and also for the opportunity for community members to build wealth,' said Rep. Grant. 'It starts with a roof over your head.'
Ten of the sixteen homes are expected to be completed by the end of the year. Whitmer said residents will pay no more than 30% of their income for rent and the units will be available to those making less than 65% of the area median income.
As demand for affordable housing continues to rise across the state, Hope Village is a model for community-based solutions.
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