120+ TWM Members Overflow City Commission Meeting & Press Conference: Contribute More or "Show us the Math!"

Together West Michigan members packed the Grand Rapids City Commission Chamber yesterday, calling for equity and transparency in the proposed Three Towers project downtown.  Citizens are being asked to forgo over $565 million in future tax revenue to subsidize developers — receiving just $8.5 million for affordable housing spread over 20 years in return.

“We don’t oppose private development,” said Rev. Lynette Sparks of Westminster Presbyterian Church. “What we DO oppose is this insultingly small contribution to affordable housing. Public dollars demand real public benefit.”

“We keep hearing this project isn't ‘viable’ with a greater contribution,” added Pastor Peter Tewinkle of Oakdale Park Church. “Then show us the math. If it’s true, put it on paper and make it public.”

Despite assurances from the City Clerk’s office, over 40 TWM members were forced to watch the meeting from the lobby on their phones due to lack of space.

The fight isn’t over—TWM will be back when the Commission meets again.

After publicly calling on Kent County to put expanded support of childcare on the upcoming November ballot, 120 Together West Michigan leaders, including multiple religious pastors, piled into a County Commissioners meeting to reinforce that call. 

Parents, grandparents, clergy and supportive members of the community asked, "How are the children?" before demanding that Kent County allow voters to decide on a millage that would finance the expansion of childcare services for residents.  

Advocates Call for Expanded Childcare Funding, WZZM 13 News

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“What I would say to those in Together West Michigan: If your hope was to ensure that homeownership was a priority and focus, you have succeeded.”

Commissioner Stephen Wooden’s comment was one of many acknowledgements Together West Michigan (TWM) won on August 10 from Kent County commissioners as they voted on the rules for the county’s new Affordable Housing Revolving Loan Fund.  Because of TWM’s months of work, the fund includes a goal that 10% of the affordable units be owned by families, rather than rented.

10% Ownership Goal Included In County’s Affordable Housing Fund, Together West Michigan

Kent County Launching $58M Affordable Housing Loan Program, MLive [pdf]

Kent County to Launch Affordable Housing Revolving Loan Fund with Initial $58M, Crain's Grand Rapids Business [pdf]

TWM Leader Testimony, Kent County Commissioners Court [video from 02:30]

More TWM Testimony, Kent County Commissioners Court [video from 18:00]

A standing-room-only crowd of 350 people packed Trinity Reformed Church on a Saturday morning for Together West Michigan’s (TWM) first public action assembly since its launch last year.  In this meeting, institutional leaders secured commitments from: 

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Tired of nothing seemingly happening to better God’s world, the 1,300-member Westminster Presbyterian Church, located in downtown Grand Rapids, Michigan, decided it was time to join ranks with other churches and organizations through the Industrial Areas Foundation (IAF)...

[IAF affiliate] Together West Michigan, comprised of 20-plus organizations seeking to create substantive change in the greater Grand Rapids area, was exactly what Westminster wanted to get involved with.

According to the Rev. Lynette Sparks, senior pastor of Westminster, Together West Michigan — whose name was chosen for easy translation into Spanish — is about building relationships and encouraging people and institutions to come together to make change.

“Jesus was about building relationships across lines, and we are about building power and defining power as the ability to act. Power itself is neutral. How you use it is what matters,” she said, adding, “So many families don’t have a voice or the power to right the injustices they encounter, but churches and secular organizations do — especially when they join together for a common cause.”

[Photo Credit: Westminster Presbyterian Church]

PC(USA) Churches Are Changing the World, Presbyterian Mission [pdf]