GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Dozens of people turned out to Tuesday evening’s city commission meeting in Grand Rapids over proposed changes to the city code.
The main topics discussed concerned changes to the disorderly conduct and nuisance ordinances.
The proposed changes stirred controversy, as many contend it unfairly targets people experiencing homelessness.
Both proposals passed 5 to 2. Commissioners Knight and Perdue both voted no.
“This is just like clear Class Warfare,” one commenter stated. “This is like people who have money in deep pockets get what they want and the rest of us … to hell with us, right? The same that seems to be the case.”
“Not all of us are sidewalk bums thinking the government is supposed to take care of us,” another person said. “We do try. I come from a … disadvantaged background, like a lot of people in this room. And every time I've tried to get on my feet and join a program that was supposed to be geared towards people like me, it was always a major stipulation. So how the hell are we supposed to get on our feet when these programs don't want to help us is copious amounts of money for homelessness, and it's not enough being allocated for programs. I've had enough of Grand Rapids; this place is absolutely trash.”
The first round of public comments lasted more than 90 minutes.
Most people who participated — some of them unhoused — verbally stated their opposition to the ordinances, which would impose new limits to how much of a person’s property is allowed to be kept in a public area — among other changes, such as a ban on loitering in doorways and accosting others in places like another person’s vehicle or near an ATM.
While most attendees opposed the changes, several people showed up to support the updated ordinances.
“I work in the city. I spend a lot of time here, and I have a lot of friends who live downtown,” one person said. “I'm all for solutions that help fix the root causes of homelessness. I mean, nobody wants to see that out there. But at the same time, I have friends that live downtown, a young female friend, and she gets catcalled; she gets accosted for money. I've witnessed people walking in the middle of the streets, knocking on windows, asking for money, doing other things. And regardless of housing status, that's not acceptable behavior. And so I think that these ordinances are there to help that.”
Another person stated, “I see it every day, working downtown. I often visit some restaurants; I visit other friends who live downtown. … I see people catcalling; I see people yelling at me for no apparent reason. And these are ordinances I think are very narrow and narrow, narrowly tailored to help those things to make our city a better place for everybody, especially someone like me, who pays taxes by working downtown.”
City leaders received numerous letters about the proposed changes, including some from local businesses.
The ACLU already expressed disagreement with the ordinances.
City officials say the updated ordinances will be implement within the next 30 days, adding they will do what they can to solve the city’s housing problems alongside area partners and nonprofits.
