Mayor LaGrand Highlights Public Safety Improvements and Housing Growth

GRAND RAPIDS, MI — Grand Rapids Mayor David LaGrand focused on a growing city and public safety progress during his second State of the City address on Wednesday, March 25.

In a roughly 30-minute speech at a downtown event venue, LaGrand outlined his vision for the city, noting significant improvements in the areas he identified at his inaugural address last year: public safety, housing, and neighborhood design.

"We have to progress into the future, and we have to protect what works. The things that got us to this point," LaGrand said. "In Grand Rapids, we're doing both."

Public Safety Numbers Show Progress

LaGrand touted the city's efforts to reduce crime, highlighting work by the Grand Rapids Police Department and fire departments. In the last year, he said, shootings in Grand Rapids went down 18 percent, officers confiscated 481 illegally possessed firearms, and auto thefts dropped 27 percent.

The city's social worker co-response team also responded to 2,750 calls, while the Crisis Stabilization Unit handled 368 cases diverted from incarceration and emergency departments.

Despite these improvements, LaGrand acknowledged ongoing concerns about policing. Over the past year, he said, incidents sparked real concern about policing policies. He hopes in the coming year to expand the city's conflict resolution and mediation efforts.

"This work fits with our commitment to finding responses to public safety concerns that don't always involve calling 911," LaGrand said. "Because the best outcome of a conflict is not solving a crime. The best outcome is preventing it."

Housing Development Accelerates

LaGrand discussed the city's cultural investments, highlighting the Grand Rapids Public Museum's work to connect the Grand River to the community as a classroom and visitor experience. He also shared that the city received federal permission to begin work on an $11 million project to restore the rapids.

Various physical projects came to fruition this year, including the Acrisure Amphitheater, the soccer stadium, the Martin Luther King Jr. Park Community Center, the HUB community center, and the city's first new fire station in 37 years.

"As for housing, I know that the city needs more of it," LaGrand said. "Developers pulled permits for nearly $1 billion in new construction, and nearly 1,400 new units were permitted, with one-third being designated as affordable."

Last year, the city convened an accessory dwelling task force to discuss how to better get smaller homes onto existing lots in order to increase housing supply. That task force issued recommendations involving changes to the process, zoning, and even state building code.

In the coming year, LaGrand expects the city will make policies that fit those recommendations and allow for construction of more new small housing units quicker and cheaper than in the past.

Community Connection and New Venues

Along with the 175th anniversary of Grand Rapids, LaGrand mentioned the 250th year since the United States' founding. He added that this year is a good opportunity for Grand Rapidians to showcase their compassion to the nation.

"Maybe the best thing about the amphitheater and the soccer stadium is that they will invite more people to visit our city, find out what a great place it is, and maybe join us in living here," LaGrand said.

LaGrand noted that although Grand Rapids is growing, it's essential to stay closely connected as a community. When the city plans, acts and builds, he wants to make sure they ask themselves, will this include everyone?

"Let's renew our commitments to independence and also celebrate and reinforce our interdependence," LaGrand said.

City Commissioners Respond to Address

City commissioners shared their thoughts on LaGrand's address, describing it as reflective, exciting, and motivating.

"I think it was reflective, it was exciting, and it was motivating for all of us, our colleagues, to say, what else do we have to do," said city commissioner Milinda Ysasi.

"I think we all are proud that we are the number one LinkedIn city for the entire nation, and with all the new venues opening and the new economic development that could come because of that, but also, I think there will be more and more opportunities for neighbors and regular people to step into roles where they can also prosper," said city commissioner AliciaMarie Belchak.

Interim Police Chief Joe Trigg agreed with LaGrand's sentiment about community policing.

"Grand Rapids is a destination, so we just want to make sure that we have the men and women that can provide a good service," Trigg said. "So, looking at adding more community officers in the fall and keep growing that program."