This morning I read a MIBiz article by Nick Manes titled:
“Hungry investors seek Grand Rapids housing deals, rankling longtime residents”
The article does a good job of addressing the “tension” that I wrote about in a previous post. New investment in downtown Grand Rapids is exciting. But, as Nick Manes puts it, the flip-side of this new development is the “concern that new investment would lead to displacement of long-time residents.”
Nick, in his article, illustrates this tension as articulated through the interviews of the many interested parties: developers, investors, homeowners, renters, and community stakeholders.
As I’ve mentioned in my prior article, as a business/real estate lawyer and Chairman of the Board at Mel Trotter Ministries – I see this tension. I often find myself advocating on both sides of this tension.
Because of these different “hats” I wear, I have had to ask myself – what do I do with this tension?
I am committed to embracing this tension.
I am committed to ask the question: “Am I working to build a better community?“
Just like I ended my previous article on this subject, so I will end this one:
We should encourage entrepreneurs to revitalize blighted property – we should do everything we can to place families in affordable housing.
Let’s embrace the tension.
E-mail: Jeshua@dwlawpc.com
Twitter: @JeshuaTLauka
Purpose Driven General Counsel 
One thought on “Community Development: The Tension Between Real Estate Entrepreneurship and Keeping Families In Affordable Housing.”