City Commission Meeting

“You guys make it as hard as you can on the homeless,” this resident (Martha) said, noting DASH route changes, bed bugs in shelters. https://t.co/0wAhgxd6fh

“I was fortunate enough to live in a cottage in Heritage Hill. I was also unfortunate enough to have a Masters’ Degree and live in my car,” another resident told the commission. “I’m grateful today but I’ll never forget the people out there today.”

Nicky, a resident who does mutual aid downtown, talked about the 120 tents in Heartside Park who were evicted from the park in December 2020.

“Do you remember that, Mayor Bliss? It was under your watch.” The mayor nodded.

That ^^ happened the week before Christmas.
https://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/2020/12/grand-rapids-clearing-out-homeless-encampment-at-heartside-park.html

The crowd isn’t elbow to elbow here, but it’s a pretty good showing for a Tuesday evening meeting. https://t.co/R6CYhj3dez

“I will know you by your fruit. And your fruit tonight is how you vote,” Libby, a GR resident said. To Bliss: “I am a little ashamed to say I have voted for you every single time. They say homelessness is a policy choice. What we have right now is a direct result from your policy

Andrew, he lives in Walker and works in GR (but avoided saying where he lived multiple times after the audience asked him to clarify), supports the ordinances because he has a lot of women friends who get catcalled and asked for money.