GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Multiple city leaders attended Grand Rapids' City Commission meeting to discuss repeated complaints to the city from the Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce, regarding the Chamber's multiple letters about concerns of safety in downtown GR.
The Chamber suggested the city adopt an ordinance that would impose a fine for people who are laying or sitting down in the right of way in Grand Rapids.
A further review of Grand Rapids' existing city ordinances show that much of what the Chamber is requesting is already on the city's books in section 152 of the municipal code.
City leaders agree: something needs to be done to address safety in downtown Grand Rapids.
Mel Trotter Ministries CEO Dennis Van Kampen says that a good place to start is by the city enforcing their existing ordinances in a compassionate way.
"In 2013, we started something called Street Court. It’s a partnership between many organizations and the 61st District Court. They can get cited, but they don’t go to jail. They are given the option to engage with the services at one of the agencies that are there, and go through those services to help them leave those circumstances. If they make it through those services, they don’t have to pay the fine. That charge goes off their record. It becomes a win/win. We’ve had people graduate who says 'I was living this way, but now I’m not. I have a job, and housing, because of these services,'” Van Kampen said.
Nothing official was decided at Tuesday night's meeting. Van Kampen says the best thing that came out of the meeting: starting the conversation.
Van Kampen maintains— if he thought any ordinance would actually have been adopted that would criminalize homelessness— Mel Trotter would never have been part of the conversation.
“I think last night was a starting point, to talk about some really tough issues. Then use that… to take us to solutions that could really make a difference,” Van Kampen said.
