The housing non-profit trail-blazes a data accessibility tool to ignite community action.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., March 2024 — The housing sector backbone organization, Housing Kent, provides decision-makers, policy leaders, and community members with an unprecedented data dashboard that reflects the rising unaffordability of housing throughout Kent County. The dashboard, the first of its kind, is open to all Kent County residents and targets key performance indicators (KPIs) including homeownership affordability, rental affordability, homelessness, and equity.

“The dashboard presents a clear overview of the housing issues and serves as an excellent tool for getting everyone on the same page about how we can partner together on solutions,” said President of Housing Kent, Eureka People. “We want this data dashboard to debunk the thought that silos have been working and instead, uplift a platform for multi-sector collaboration, resource sharing, and data-driven innovations that improve outcomes.”

According to Housing Kent’s data dashboard, entry-level home prices increased by 126% between 2015 and 2022, while wages only increased by 26%. A typical entry-level home in Kent County costs $205,707 which requires an annual income of $62,000, while the median annual wage is $42,740. These figures highlight the necessity for increased affordability among Kent County residents. By addressing the systemic disparities in Kent County homeownership, Housing Kent hopes to provide the data necessary for systemic change to see an increase in stability, security, and the potential for upward mobility that homeownership provides.  

"This powerful new tool uses data to tell the story of how West Michigan is getting hit by the housing crisis," said Amy Hovey, CEO and Executive Director of the Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA). "Michigan was the birthplace of the middle class, and attainable homeownership and rental opportunities are key to keeping the American Dream accessible for our neighbors. Working with partners like Housing Kent, we're building and rehabilitating thousands of homes to make sure that dream stays within reach in West Michigan and around our state."

The data dashboard encompasses a custom metric library and key performance indicators (KPIs) such as homeownership affordability, rental affordability, homelessness, and equity. The KPIs illustrated on Housing Kent’s data dashboard address the markers of a healthy housing system. Within the KPI of homeownership affordability in Kent County, racial disparities in homeownership remain high with 76% of White households being homeowners, 46% being Hispanic or Latino, and 32% being Black.  

Continuing to monitor affordability allows Housing Kent to adequately measure the extent to which the often-sought-after, American Dream, remains attainable for Kent County residents across socioeconomic backgrounds. By providing a hub of up-to-date housing metrics, all factors influencing housing affordability can be taken into account when making systemic decisions. 

“This is the first time that we have had such high visibility of the entire Housing Continuum. We are highlighting what is needed to solve for homelessness in Kent County,” said Courtney Myers-Keaton, Director of the Coalition to End Homelessness (CoC).

By offering a data dashboard with housing data specific to Kent County, the fourth-largest county in Michigan according to the US Census Bureau, accessibility to future sustainable housing is enhanced. In the future, Kent County residents can expect state and national data comparisons, mortgage approval rates, and more. Housing Kent also plans to release their State of Housing report that will include strategy, policy, and investment solutions. 

This new data dashboard enables Kent County individuals and families to partner together in creating a housing system that works for everyone.

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About Housing Kent
Housing Kent is a 501(c)3 organization that supports the work of the Housing Stability Alliance, which is a network of 130 individuals and public and private organizations, working toward a housing system that works for all residents of Kent County. Housing Kent elevates, aligns, and coordinates multi-sector strategies to ensure that quality affordable housing can be a reality for all individuals, across all income levels. Housing Kent’s mission is to increase access to affordable housing, dissolve homelessness, and eliminate racial disparities in the Kent County housing system. To learn more about Housing Kent and their impact on housing instability, check out their website here: https://housingkent.org/