ICCF Community Homes - Blueprints - Spring 2023

Past Injustice, New Possibilities

A MESSAGE FROM OUR CEO ICCF COMMUNITY HOMES BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Lee Hardy, Chair

Calvin University Emeritus

Eunice Lopez-Martin, Vice-Chair Steelcase

Tom Prince, Treasurer

Hungerford Nichols

Arlen-Dean Gaddy, Secretary

Erhardt Construction

Jamecia Adams, Past Chair

Keller Williams Realty

David Contant

Build Design Restore (BDR)

Mary DeYoung

Gray Space Collaborative

Marjorie Dood

BASIC Benefits LLC

William Jackson

Corewell Health

Teresa Jones

Christian Reformed Church in North America

Rhoda Kreuzer

Partners in Action, Inc.

Brianne Pitchford

Triangle Associates Inc.

Lexi M. Woods

Great Lakes Commercial Finance

Cameron Young

Behler-Young

Dear ICCF Community Homes friends and partners,

On March 16, hundreds of ICCF friends gathered for the 2023 Houses to Homes Gala. It was truly a blessing to get together once again in person to celebrate the progress made toward housing justice in the last year.

During the program, I talked about the current realities of the housing market and also introduced a special neighbor. Devetta Blakely, pictured with her family on the cover of this issue, came to ICCF seeking a new home and a new life for herself and her grandkids. It took years and a few setbacks, but she finally completed her homebuyer education and was able to purchase a home in the Community Homes Land Trust. Devetta now serves on the Land Trust board and hopes to help others find “home” too.

A recent study concluded that Kent County needs nearly 35,000 new housing units to be built between 2022 and 2027, just to meet demand. Within the city of Grand Rapids, the need is estimated at 7,951 rental units and 6,155 homeownership units. In the rest of Kent County, the need is 5,107 rental units and 15,486 homeownership units.

Friends, these are big numbers, bigger than any single company or organization can provide. It would be easy to become paralyzed by the enormity of the need. But when we step closer, we find ways to fill in our part of the puzzle. For example, in the last 12 months ICCF Community Homes built over 56 new homes and apartments, preserved 650 affordable rentals, and sold 9 houses, and we are not slowing down in the coming years.

We know that others in the for-profit and nonprofit housing industry are doing their part as well. Regular economic forces will handle much of the demand at the highest price points, but at ICCF Community Homes we also operate with God’s economy in mind. Here, Jesus taught us that the last will be first, and needs are addressed from the bottom up instead of top down. It’s challenging work, it’s not profitable, and it does not always make sense from the world’s point of view. But it is God’s path for us, and for our neighbors like Devetta who have found safety even in the midst of the economic storm.

Wherever you are, I hope you can experience the safety and peace of home. Thank you for continuing to support housing justice for all.

Grace and peace,

Learn more about our vision for housing justice and how YOU can make an impact. RSVP to: Ellen Hekman at ehekman@iccf.org or 616.336.9333 x617

Ryan VerWys President and CEO rverwys@iccf.org

P.S.

Hear more of Devetta’s story at iccf.org/stories

Meeting the Need Requires Urgency and Endurance

The lack of affordable houses and apartments in our area has become a real ordeal for individuals and families of all income levels. But for those whose incomes are limited, finding something decent and affordable has become a problem of crisis proportions!

Reasonably-priced suitable housing means so much more than a roof for the night, as essential as that is. It is also a key foundation for productive daily lives and a significant stake towards a secure and wholesome future for our families. Especially in today’s super-charged Grand Rapids housing market, ICCF Community Homes’ vision for equitable opportunity, affordable homes and thriving neighborhoods requires BOTH a sense of urgency AND an enduring long-term commitment.

The ICCF Homes & Hope Legacy Society is a group of donors who recognize the vital importance of this long-range timeframe. Most have been faithful ICCF donors for years, if not decades. And now they’ve chosen to extend that support into the future, typically by way of a bequest gift commitment in their will or estate plan.

To learn more about including a gift to ICCF Community Homes in your will in a way that is flexible, versatile and simple to accomplish, visit iccf.org/planned-gifts/gifts-in-a-will or contact Hank Kroondyk, ICCF Planned Giving Specialist, at hkroondyk@iccf.org.

"Safe and affordable housing is indispensable if individuals and families are to flourish. ICCF Community Homes has been a leader in this essential struggle for years, and that’s why we’ve gratefully supported its work and also provided for its future endeavors in our estate plan.”

LARRY & MARY GERBENS

Reaching Homeownership Goals

Buying a home is a big deal! ICCF Community Homes works with individuals and families to determine whether or not homeownership is an appropriate next step for them. In an effort to provide accessible education to households, ICCF teaches the Introduction to Homeownership class through Zoom webinars, in-person classes, and self-paced online modules.

This course covers homeownership readiness, credit and budgeting, choosing the right home, fair housing, purchase and closing processes, and more. Last year, 440 individuals completed a homebuyer education series either online or in-person with ICCF.

The ballroom was packed with energy and goodwill on March 16 for our annual Houses to Homes Gala. Our emcee, author and speaker Shannon Cohen, led us through an evening of encouragement and challenge. The Ebenezer Award was presented to three outstanding groups of dedicated ICCF supporters. Our CEO Ryan VerWys presented a compelling story of two families that ICCF has helped in the last year, along with the stark view of increased need for affordable housing in Kent County. Throughout the night, we were treated to music by the Edye Evans Hyde Quintet and guests had the chance to win door prizes and enjoy a wonderful meal. We are looking forward to next year’s gala, when ICCF Community Homes will celebrate our 50th anniversary! Thank you to all who attended, sponsored, and made this event so special.

ebenezer award recipients

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR 2022 AWARD RECIPIENTS FOR THEIR AMAZING SERVICE!

David and Barbara Huyser

Kamminga & Roodvoets, Inc.

Standale Lumber and Standale Home Studio

More pictures from the evening available at iccf.org/gala-2023

GRAND SPONSORS BENEFACTOR SPONSORS

CHAMPION SPONSORS

PATRON SPONSORS

Behler-Young

Bill and Annette Byl

Bill and Pat Waanders

Blu House Properties, LLC

ChoiceOne Bank

Cinnaire

Community

Automotive, Inc.

Crossroads Bible Church

Dehamer Landscaping

Duane and Jeannette Kelderman

Etna Supply Company

Growtrust Partners

Helmholdt LLC

Hungerford Nichols

CPAs + Advisors

InOnTime

Kynda

Lumbermen’s, Inc.

Marsha and Larry Veenstra Family

Mercantile Bank of Michigan

Michigan State Housing Development Authority

Old National Bank

OVD Insurance

PNC Bank

Ron and Ruth VerWys

Summit Point Roofing

Triangle Associates

VanderLugt, Mulder, DeVries & Elders

Dave & barb huyser

FRIEND SPONSORS

Ajacs Die Sales Corporation

Beene Garter, A Doeren

Mayhew Firm

Bethany Christian Services

Brewery Vivant and Broad Leaf

Brewery + Spirits

CapTrust Financial Advisors

Catalyst Partners

Chesapeake Community Advisors, Inc.

Corbett Family

DeStigter Architecture & Planning

DK Security

Dominican Sisters – Grand Rapids

Eastbrook Homes, Inc.

Express Employment Professionals

Fence Consultants of West Michigan

Grand Rapids

Community Foundation

Huntington National Bank

Jonathan and Grace Bradford

Kuiper Kraemer PC

Macatawa Bank

Marc and Claudia Beversluis

Martin and Melissa Balk

Mitchell and Jill DeJonge

Monsma Marketing Corporation

Overhead Door Co. of Grand Rapids

Partners in Action, Inc.

Pinnacle Construction Group

Rite-Way Plumbing & Heating

Riverside Integrated Systems, Inc.

Ryan and Rachel VerWys

Sable Developing, Inc.

Steve and Barb Timmermans

The Power Company

Urban League of West Michigan

Past Injustice, New Possibilities

Racially restrictive deed covenants are a permanent stain on the record of many Grand Rapids properties, but ICCF is helping change the narrative for future generations.

by Andrew Hakken ICCF General Counsel

Soon after the American Civil War ended in 1866, the United States of America ratified the 14th Amendment to the United States Constitution. Section 1 of the 14th Amendment provides:

“All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.”

This text was primarily intended to outlaw statutes and practices in southern (and northern) states that discriminated against their citizenry based on race. Despite the broad application the 14th Amendment was intended to have on racially discriminatory practices of the day, defiant property owners who benefitted from these practices devised a scheme to enable racial discrimination to continue in the housing industry—racially restrictive deed covenants.

The now-debunked theory of how racially restrictive deed covenants are permissible under the 14th Amendment is as follows: the 14th Amendment only applies to a “State” making or enforcing a discriminatory “law.” Accordingly, private citizens, who are not state

actors, may freely impose whatever restrictions they like on their private property, whether the restrictions are based on race or otherwise.

Tragically, even in our own backyard, deed restrictions like this increased rapidly for decades after ratification of the 14th Amendment, until the United States Supreme Court unanimously decided the case of Shelley v Kraemer in 1948. The Shelley court held that although the 14th Amendment does not apply to private deed restrictions themselves, enforcement of the restrictions through a state’s judicial branch clearly involves state action, and states may not do so when a restriction is based on race.

An example of a racially restrictive deed covenant in Grand Rapids’ Alger Heights neighborhood from 1940: (highlighting added)

Even though Shelley eliminated enforcement of racially restrictive deed covenants, their damage had already been done. The housing stock in countless cities across the country was deeply segregated by race, as or more decisively than if the states had directly legislated the result. Racially restrictive covenants were the common and normal practice embedded in the Grand Rapids housing market all the way into the 1960s, and we are still dealing with the aftermath of this ugly chapter in our nation’s history.

Eradicating the effects of generational housing injustice takes time, but ICCF Community Homes is committed to doing so, including in this very same Alger Heights neighborhood, where we are currently planning affordable housing at the Seymour Development (see right).

Seymour Christian School Reimagined

ICCF Community Homes is currently in the planning stages for a redevelopment of the former Seymour Christian School at 2550 Eastern Ave SE in the Alger Heights neighborhood. The proposal would convert the existing, vacant school building into 27 homes in a condominium association. All units would be two stories, contain two or three bedrooms, and include a small, private patio space.

The development would include a beautiful shared common courtyard and gazebo. Inside the building, residents would share a community room, mail room, and extra storage spaces. ICCF’s intent is to make at least half of the units available to households with limited income. The homes would be sold through ICCF’s Community Homes Land Trust model, maintaining the affordability of the homes beyond the first generation of owners. To date, ICCF has sold 15 homes at other locations through the land trust, which was the first of its kind in Grand Rapids.

Our next step is to secure funding for this development in order to ensure that half the units can remain affordable. If you are interested in learning more, please contact Dakota Riehl, Real Estate Development Manager, at driehl@iccf.org.