Why I Love Living in Grand Rapids

You might wonder why I love Grand Rapids enough to start a blog and share my favorite restaurants, boutiques and people in this city. As someone who was born and raised here I know all too well the incredible growth Grand Rapids has seen in the past few years. For this post I’ve partnered with the Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA) to highlight some of reasons why affordable housing is so important.

I always used to dream of the day I was living somewhere warm all year round (no, I’m not a fan of winter) and experience “big city” life. So I moved to Chicago (yes, they still have terrible winters) to escape the Grand Rapids bubble, and more importantly experience a new city and community. I could talk for hours about my time in Chicago, the amazing restaurants, the people I met, and the captivating energy of the city. I don’t take those 5 years for granted because they led me back here to Grand Rapids: my home.

Why did I move back? I frequently came back to Grand Rapids to see friends and family and observed a major shift happening here with new restaurants popping up, unique boutiques opening, more housing options and more people moving to the area. I loved living in Chicago, but I missed the tight knit community here in Grand Rapids and wanted to get back to my roots. Grand Rapids is home for so many reasons, but let’s dive into what makes a community and why it’s so important.

What Do I Look For in a Community?

When it comes to looking for a community here are some of the things that are important to me:

Activities and Events

I like to research the types of activities or events that are happening in the community. Do these events fit with my interests, goals or hold true to things I value? Also, take a look at what your community offers for volunteering opportunities.

Neighborhoods

I love that different cities offer different types of neighborhoods that all have unique vibe. When I moved back to Grand Rapids I looked at all the different neighborhoods and made a pro/con list for each before deciding where to live.

Culture

I also like to dive into looking at the culture of a community. The culture can really impact your views, building relationships with those around you and give you perspective on your city.

Let’s Talk About Housing Options

When you move to a new community you have to decide if you’re going to own a home, rent an apartment or look into affordable housing. The Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA) helps to oversee different rental housing programs here in Michigan. Many affordable housing options are attractive, well-maintained and designed to fit the character or style of the community.

Why is Affordable Housing Important?

Affordable housing can help stabilize families and reduces poverty and homelessness in some communities. Did you know Kent County achieved “functional zero” to ending veterans homelessness last fall with MSHDA’s leadership? You might not know this but when it comes to design standards and building restrictions affordable housing must comply with these the same as market-rate housing. Michigan actually has a great demand for access to affordable housing in communities. Here are some important reasons why affordable housing is beneficial to the community:

Rehabilitates Older Buildings

Many times affordable housing can replace or rehabilitate an older or deteriorated building. This can help building up the community and cause new investment in the area.

Reduces Poverty

Affordable housing can help low-paid workers to pursue education and training that leads to higher paying careers.

Promotes Socioeconomic Diversity in Neighborhoods

With affordable housing a neighborhood can see a great increase in socioeconomic diversity which can be very beneficial to the community.

So tell me what do you look for in a community? Why do you live where you live? Leave a comment below letting me know!

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by the Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA) but all opinions here are my own. Thank you for supporting the sponsors who allow me to continue to create content on The GR Guide.