Karen Monroe

Dwelling Place improves the lives of people by creating quality affordable housing, providing essential support services and serving as a catalyst for neighborhood revitalization. Since 1980, we have worked diligently to improve the quality of housing and to prevent the displacement of downtown Grand Rapids'​ low-income residents. At first, we worked building by building, turning vacant or dilapidated buildings into safe, quality apartments. We started block by block and then street by street, until now, we are tackling the revitalization of neighborhoods. Dwelling Place remains staunchly committed to providing support services to neighbors struggling with issues surrounding homelessness. Often, the underlying cause for homelessness is mental illness, physical and learning disabilities, poverty, domestic violence and substance abuse. The Dwelling Place Resident Support Services Program has a team of highly-qualified, well-trained staff who provide services, hand-in-hand with many community organizations, to more than 300 individuals and families, at any given time. Over the past few years, Dwelling Place has developed the resources to undertake neighborhood revitalization on a much larger scale. Our neighborhood revitalization efforts infuse neglected neighborhoods with businesses, transform blighted areas through rehabilitation efforts, and create destinations by establishing interesting attractions and events.