Grand Rapids Committee of the Whole Meeting – April 14, 2026

The Committee of the Whole met on April 14, 2026 at 10:00 a.m., chaired by a commissioner filling in for Mayor David LeGrand (who was absent but expected for closed session and the 2:00 p.m. meeting). The meeting covered routine consent items, a downtown improvement district reauthorization presentation, the affirmation of the city attorney, and briefings on the Affordable Housing Fund Board's progress and the Climate Action Adaptation Plan (CAP). All agenda items were approved unanimously.

Consent Calendar

• Resolution approving election day polling locations for the May 5, 2026 special election and fixing inspector pay: The May 5 special election is for a Kentwood Public School Millage. Because fewer than 5,000 voters are expected, state law allows precinct consolidation to one location: Brookside Christian Reformed Church at 28th and 36th Street. Inspector pay is being increased due to the rise in the minimum wage. All election costs are paid by Kentwood Public Schools. Motion carried unanimously.
• Resolution establishing an obsolete property rehabilitation district for the Gideon Project LLC at 801 Oakdale Street Southeast: The project will rehabilitate existing connected commercial properties into two main-floor commercial spaces and two second-story apartment units. One unit will be rented at 80% Area Median Income (AMI) and the other at 50% AMI. The project qualifies for a base 10-year property tax abatement, with an additional year added for the deeply affordable unit. Motion carried unanimously.
• Resolution approving an 11-year obsolete property rehabilitation exemption certificate for the same project: Companion item to the previous resolution. Motion carried unanimously.
• Resolution to set a public hearing on April 28, 2026 on the necessity of a special assessment roll for the Downtown Improvement District (DID): This sets the hearing for the reauthorization of the DID. Motion carried unanimously.

Discussion Items

• Downtown Improvement District (DID) Reauthorization Briefing: Melvin Elledge, director of operations at Downtown Grand Rapids Inc. (DGRI), presented an overview of the DID. The district was established in 2000 to provide enhanced place management services (sidewalk sweeping, snow removal, public safety assistance, homeless outreach) beyond city services. It is funded by a special assessment on properties within the district. The proposed 2027–2029 operations plan includes: a 3% assessment increase in FY2027 (to a total budget of $1.5 million, including snowmelt funds), a corresponding increase in the residential flat rate to $124 annually, 4% increases in FY2028 and FY2029 (capped at the state inflation multiplier), and an expansion of the service area to include the newly constructed amphitheater. The snowmelt assessment (for properties adjacent to the steam-based snowmelt infrastructure) would remain flat. A stakeholder survey (110 respondents, the most ever) showed approximately 70% rated DID services as “very good” or “good.” Commissioners asked about the unhoused storage program (not included in the current plan but open to future conversation), snowmelt details, and the impact of DID expansion on city tax revenue (none, as it is a separate assessment). The presentation concluded with approval to set the public hearing.
• Affordable Housing Fund Board Update: Deputy City Manager Kate Barrens and Ryan Kilpatrick presented the board’s progress. The Affordable Housing Fund (a separate donor-directed fund held by the Community Foundation) was established to catalyze affordable housing at 80% and below AMI for rentals and 100% and below for homeownership. The board has already invested $5 million in ARPA funds and has focused on building units at scale, leveraging the Neighborhood Investment Plan process. A “grow the fund” subcommittee evaluated multiple housing finance tools used by other communities: municipal bonds (general obligation vs. revenue bonds), property tax millages, tax increment financing (TIF), public-private partnerships, and special assessment districts. Their recommendation, endorsed by the full board, is to conduct further due diligence on revenue bonds as a short-term priority, as they can provide lower-cost financing for 60–100% AMI housing when paired with other subsidies. Longer-term, a millage may be pursued. Commissioners expressed strong support for moving forward with the revenue bond analysis, requested better metrics than AMI (e.g., housing + transportation index), and noted the need to address emerging developer gaps and home repair costs. The city manager clarified the staff recommendation is to focus on revenue bonds first. Commissioners gave a “head nod” to proceed with due diligence.
• Climate Action Adaptation Plan (CAP) Feasibility and Analysis Update: Chief Sustainability Officer Annabelle Wilkinson presented an analysis of the 20 priority actions selected by the commission in August 2025. The analysis was performed by Fresh Coast Climate Solutions, a Michigan-based firm. Key greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction percentages (against 62.8% by 2030 and 100% by 2050 targets) include: partnering with utilities to meet clean energy commitments (~20%), advocating for community solar legislation (~5%), bike lane expansion (0.63%), tree planting (0.06%), and various smaller actions. Many actions (like resilience hubs, innovative housing, and food system changes) primarily contribute to resiliency and equity, with modest or non-quantifiable GHG reductions. Financial analysis is ongoing for summer 2026 completion. Current fiscal year 2026 investments include $310,000 for the DART EV car share program (pilot continuing), $117,000 for tree planting programs, $195,000 for an in-vessel composter, and $30,000 for compost collection receptacles. Future budget considerations include $30,000 for the DART EV program's final months and potential funding for the ESTEAME program ($310,000 annually) to support property owners near the energy plant. Progress updates: a University of Michigan graduate student will study resilience hub pilots; a WEGA grant application was submitted for a commercial energy coordinator; the urban forestry code revisions are under review; and the urban agriculture committee is reviewing compost and livestock ordinances. Commissioners inquired about timelines for code changes and DART EV usage data. The presentation closed with a note that a full feasibility report and progress update will come in fall 2026.

Key Outcomes

• All resolutions on the consent calendar were passed unanimously.
• The commission approved the resolution to set the public hearing for the Downtown Improvement District reauthorization for April 28, 2026.
• The commission approved the employment agreement and reaffirmation of oath for City Attorney Philip Strom, effective April 1, 2026 through December 31, 2028. His salary is set at Step D of the salary ordinance, with retroactive pay. The oath ceremony will take place at the end of the 2:00 p.m. commission meeting.
• The commission voted unanimously to go into closed session for two pending litigation matters.
• The commission gave direction to proceed with due diligence on revenue bonds as the primary short-term strategy for the Affordable Housing Fund, with a longer-term exploration of a potential millage.
• Staff will return in fall 2026 with the full feasibility and cost analysis for the 20 CAP priority actions and a progress report.