How City of Grand Rapids and the MEDC are using Permit-Ready Plans to enhance new housing development (04-13-25)

On this episode host Phil Tower speaks with Michelle Parkkonen, Managing Director of technical assistance programs at the Michigan Economic Development Corporation MEDC.Michele spoke with us about the exciting new collaboration between the City of Grand Rapids and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) is unveiling resources that will streamline the process for communities to add housing in existing neighborhoods. Permit-Ready Plans, a collaborative partnership between the City of Grand Rapids, MEDC, Michigan Municipal League (MML), and Driven Design, LLC, lowers the barrier for infill housing development by decreasing construction costs and shortening permit processing timelines. Infill housing is the process of putting additional housing units into an already-approved subdivision or neighborhood. They can be provided as additional units built on the same lot, by dividing existing homes into multiple units, or by creating new residential lots by further subdivision or lot line adjustments.Housing plans include single-family, two-family and multi-family housing types, providing communities and prospective developers with options that will work best for each property. Plans for the three housing types can be found here.The target audiences are small- to medium-sized developers trying to enter the housing market and local municipalities seeking to line up pre-reviewed plans with fewer barriers to building more homes.” 

The City of Grand Rapids Planning Department will be hosting a Lunch & Learn at the Development Center, which will provide a comprehensive review of the Permit-Ready Plans Program, how to participate, and what to expect on May 20th. Online: Permit-Ready Plans ProgramResource Links MEDC Developer Toolkit City of Grand Rapids Permit-Ready Plans Program Landing Page City of Grand Rapids Emerging Developer GrantMichigan Municipal League Pattern Book Homes