John Bitely and Rep. Kristian Grant share ideas about growing attainable housing in West Michigan
On Tuesday, July 2, Sable Homes President John Bitely met with State Rep. Kristian Grant, at Sable Homes’ Harvest Meadows community in Leighton Township to share ideas about growing attainable housing in West Michigan.
Grant, who represents Kent Count in District 82, chairs the Economic Development and Small Business Subcommittee on Housing.
“It’s refreshing to meet with someone in legislation that is really committed to housing,” Bitely said of his discussion with Grant. “I look forward to working together on all the housing things – there’s so much need and demand and hurdles that are preventing it from happening. Rep. Grant seems very committed to working through those items.”
During their meeting, Bitely and Grant discussed how they could work together to address governmental road blocks that often hinder attainable housing, such as new building codes, storm water and DEQ requirements, development-only utility costs, and anti-development referendums.
“We need to push through the hurdles that are preventing housing and it’s obvious because we have such a lack of housing,” Bitely said. “It all comes back to we don’t have places to build the homes and nobody wants it to be by them – yet, it needs to be by everyone.”
Additionally, Bitely gave Grant a tour of its zero-step model condo in Harvest Meadows, which, with the help of Leighton Township officials, Sable Homes opened in July 2023 to provide an attainable housing option in the area.
“It was a pleasure to meet with John and learn more about the work that Sable Homes is doing to create housing for Michiganders,” said Grant. “In the housing conversation, it often seems developers and regular people are on opposing sides, but I was happy to talk with John about how we can work together for the state.”
