GRAND RAPIDS, Michigan — A new data dashboard from Housing Kent visualizes the housing crisis in Kent County, aiming to bring awareness to the issue and potential solutions.
One particular statistic sticks out: the racial disparities in homeownership.
The graph shows the homeownership rate for white residents in Kent County is 76%. For Black residents, it's 34%.
"That's one of the largest in the nation of comparable counties," said Eureka People, president of Housing Kent. "We found that people of color, specifically African Americans, are disproportionately disadvantaged when it comes to being cost-burdened, which means that the majority or a large portion of their household income is allocated to housing expenses."
The goal of visualizing this data is to wake people up to disparities such as this.
"People know it, but when they see it, it's pretty dramatic," People said. "Then it starts to process for them mentally, the impacts that some of them have personally been feeling in their households."
It's an experience Iryonna Hogan-Davis knows personally and sees every day in her work.
"People don't like to address race when it comes to this, but you have to," Hogan-Davis said. "You have to look at race when looking at housing, because so many things happened far beyond today that got us to this point."
After experiencing her own housing struggles in Kent County, Hogan-Davis started Meaning in Colors. The nonprofit has programs to help kids with personal, professional and academic growth, even offering a transitional housing program.
"That's kind of what Meaning in Colors" is all about. It's creating those opportunities that others may have never got," Hogan-Davis said. "When I look at my testimony, and I listen to my clients, it's amazing to just see how in all they are that someone is genuinely helping them."
Hogan-Davis was one of multiple West Michigan residents to share their stories through Housing Kent's Lived Experiences series.
Housing Kent soon plans to release a state of housing report, highlighting potential solutions and strategies.
►Make it easy to keep up to date with more stories like this. Download the 13 ON YOUR SIDE app now.
Have a news tip? Email news@13onyourside.com, visit our Facebook page or Twitter. Subscribe to our YouTube channel.
Watch 13 ON YOUR SIDE for free on Roku, Amazon Fire TV Stick, Apple TV and on your phone.