Community Updates: Friday, August 25

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development grants Kent County, City of Grand Rapids funding for lead programs

On Aug. 17, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced that it would be dispersing approximately $140 million in grant funding to municipalities, counties, and other government bodies across 18 states and Puerto Rico. These funds are part of the Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction grant program and the Lead Hazard Reduction Capacity Building grant program.

Of the $140 million, nearly $16 million was allocated to three government entities within the state of Michigan: the Michigan Department of Health & Human Services ($7,997,790), Kent County ($2,493,629), and the City of Grand Rapids ($6,000,000). The City of Grand Rapids was also awarded $600,000 in Healthy Homes supplemental funding.

In a joint press release that was sent out on Wednesday, Kent County and the City of Grand Rapids announced how they plan to use these funds. 

Kent County intends to use their share of the grant funding, in addition to $3.8 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds, to create and foster a "new lead program for communities located primarily outside of the City of Grand Rapids." This program will focus on things such as "abatement activities, contractor development, and a countywide educational campaign." According to Stan Stek, Chair of the Kent County Board of Commissioners:

"With over 50 percent of our homes constructed prior to the ban on lead paint, the health and safety of our community is a top priority. This grant will provide the necessary funds to ramp up our capacity and further tackle in-home lead hazards."

The press release also states that the City of Grand Rapids plans to use these federal dollars to "address lead-based paint hazards in 180 homes, assist 40 individuals or businesses in obtaining lead abatement supervisor certifications, and train 600 rental property owners, contractors, and others in lead-safe work practices." Although the City has been working to mitigate the impact of lead in Grand Rapids since 2004, the process is still ongoing. According to Mayor Rosalynn Bliss:

"We have operated a successful program for nearly 20 years, but there is still much work to do. We are thrilled to receive another round of funding to protect children's health and preserve housing affordability in Grand Rapids."

For more information, visit the City of Grand Rapids's website or Kent County's website.

$585.5 million Fiscal Year 2024 budget unanimously approved by the Kent County Board of Commissioners

On Thursday, Kent County sent out a press release to announce that its $585.5 million Fiscal Year 2024 budget has been officially approved by the Kent County Board of Commissioners.

The press release states that the budget "reflects" the County's Strategic Plan and Fiscal Year 2022-2023 Business Plan. Many government bodies were involved in the preparation of the budget, including the County's Fiscal Services Department and Finance & Physical Resources Committee. The Kent County Board of Commissioners also "conducted an in-depth review of the proposed budget during two work sessions" and held a public hearing session at its meeting on Thursday, Aug. 10. 

The budget was broken down into seven "functions" (not including the General Fund): community & economic development, general government & debt, judicial, recreation & culture, social services, public safety, and public works. This would include funding for things such as the Kent County Sheriff's Office (public safety), Kent County Animal Shelter (public safety), Kent County Parks (recreation & culture), Network 180 (social services), and many other programs and services.  

The budget breakdown that was provided in the press release is as follows:

The County is feeling confident in this budget and believes that it demonstrates "the County's commitment to providing exceptional services to residents through a strategic allocation of resources." According to Stan Stek, Chair of the Kent County Board of Commissioners:

"The budget reflects our strategic priorities and emphasizes the importance of investing in core services such as public safety. It truly reflects our commitment to serving the needs of our community while being mindful of every tax dollar spent." 

Fiscal Year 2024 will begin on October 1, 2023. 

For more information about the Fiscal Year 2024 budget, visit Kent County's website. 

Also in the News:

• The Rapid has announced a couple of upcoming changes to Route 33 and Rapid Connect in order to "[expand] services in Walker." These changes will take effect on Monday, Aug. 28. For more information, visit The Rapid's website.

• Cascade Township has announced that it is partnering with Hope Network to introduce "a new and more flexible transportation option" for users of public transportation. The Cascade-Hope Network Wheels to Work route will service part of the 28th Street corridor and the surrounding area. The contract is good for four months. For more information, visit Cascade Township's website.    

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