Page 11 - 2025 Summer Our Hands

Affordable Living
Family Center Homeless Shelter
Spring Lake Ribbon Cutting Temporary Emergency Food
Spring Lake Ribbon Cutting
Assistance Program

The Landing at Spring Lake, the Tri-Cities area’s all of us to build this and to be successful.” The need The Landing is also the first multi-family housing
newest affordable housing complex, officially opened for affordable housing is a prominent one, not only in project in Michigan to receive Passive House
its doors to the community back in February. Spring Lake and the Tri-Cities but across Michigan. certification, which ensures that the building operates
Samaritas invited local officials, community partners Morin said that the state is short 190,000 units for with superior energy performance. The Passive House
and residents to a ribbon cutting for its 53-unit people to rent at an affordable rate, and The Landing certification not only makes the more building
housing development. is one step in Samaritas’ goal of collaborating with environmentally friendly but also cost effective as it
local communities to double its number of affordable lowers the cost residents pay for utilities.
The Landing, located at 734 E. Savidge St., was first housing properties in the next 10 years.
approved for construction in 2021 and broke ground The Landing includes 43 one-bedroom units and 10
in February 2024. At the ceremony, the state-of-the-art Joel Lautenbach, Executive Director of Affordable two-bedroom units, with eight of the total units being
complex was filled with locals and community leaders Living Development at Samaritas, said each unit reserved for the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians.
as they toured the units and common areas and includes modern fixtures such as individual Units are available to renters 18 and over whose
celebrated the collaborative efforts that made this idea thermostat control, energy efficient appliances, lots of earnings fall between 30-80 percent of Ottawa
for an affordable multi-family housing unit proposed storage space, and in-unit washers and dyers. The County’s area median income (AMI).
by local advocates into a reality. complex also has sound-dampening features in its
walls to reduce sound from neighboring units and the With the variety of incomes the housing complex’s
“These projects take a village to make them happen, adjacent Savidge Street traffic. target band covers, Lautenbach explained that the
and this didn’t happen by accident,” said Samaritas need for affordable housing in the Tri-Cities
CEO Dave Morin. “It began with advocacy from local The building’s common areas include a mail area community is far-reaching. He said Samaritas hopes
leaders here in Spring Lake, like Kim Kroll and Tom where each resident has their own post box, a library that its newest addition to the community can serve
Reinsma of Four Pointes Center for Success Aging, with computer work spaces, and a community room all potential candidates and give them “a wonderful
along with Spring Lake Presbyterian Church. They for socializing and larger gatherings. Each resident also place to call home for a very long time.”
had a vision to bring affordable housing onto this has access to the building’s storage room, where
property and into this community, and the Village of Lautenbach said they can lock away any extra items or By LAUREN FORMOSA Grand Haven Tribune
Spring Lake recognized that people in Spring Lake boxes while still keeping them nearby.
need affordable housing. They provided the path for

Make a rental
RENT A ROOM 2 agreement

A case manager will help Host fami l i es and
youth often form a
you form an agreement, bond that goes far
TO A REFUGEE YOUTH including rent which comes beyond the ti me RFCinfo@samaritas.org
from a stipend Samaritas
they are i n the
Contact us at
provides to the youth.
home.
to learn more!
1 Prepare a spare 3 Be a live-in
mentor teaching
bedroom in your
adult skills
home
You don't need to be a Support youth as they learn
licensed foster parent, but how to cook, clean, care for a
there will be a brief home, budget, and other
approval process. independent living skills.
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