The Grand Rapids Housing Commission received an award for affordable housing innovation.
The National Association of Housing & Redevelopment Officials (NAHRO), a housing and community development advocacy organization, recently named Grand Rapids Housing Commission (GRHC) the recipient of the 2022 Award of Merit.
“The housing commission is committed to expanding access to affordable housing for veterans, seniors, people with disabilities and all low-income families in our community,” said Lindsey Reames, executive director at GRHC.
As part of the “Program Innovation: Affordable Housing” category, the 2022 Award of Merit is in recognition of the agency’s Antoine Court Apartments development project. The 50-unit, $13.5 million development is located at 901 S. Division Ave. and opened in October 2021.
Innovative aspects of Antoine Court’s development include project financing through public and private resources, barrier-free unit options for residents with disabilities, LEED Gold certification, preference for applicants who are veterans and on-site services for residents such as assessment and case management provided by GRHC staff social workers and community partner organizations.
“We are working with the city, HUD, local nonprofit developers and affordable housing advocates to continue to find innovative ways to promote housing equity,” Reames said.
Reames also said, in addition to developing Antoine Court, GRHC aided a number of local developers’ efforts to build or renovate multi-unit affordable housing projects in Grand Rapids.
This has been done through awarding Section 8 project-based vouchers in support of the organizations’ Low-Income Housing Tax Credit applications.
