In 1971, Heritage Hill, which today stands as a Grand Rapids neighborhood, was designated as a historic district due to its many 19th and early 20th century houses. This district also includes nearly every style of American architecture, dating all the way back to 1844. These homes housed the teachers, judges and legislators who shaped Grand Rapids, making the Heritage Hill district an important part of this city’s history. The Heritage Hill Association was formed in the late 1960s to preserve these historic houses from being destroyed by urban renewal projects that would have replaced 75 percent of the neighborhood. While these homes are currently occupied by Grand Rapids residents, the Heritage Hill Association works to make sure that the community preserves the historical significance of these homes.
As part of the Historic Preservation Modernization Act, Michigan Representative Chris Afendoulis and Senator Peter MacGregor are working to empower the rights of private property owners in historic districts such as Heritage Hill. Upon forming this bill, representatives intended to send a message that historic district laws are stacked against property owners, as those owners must get approval before making exterior changes to their homes – and even further, those changes must meet preservation standards like using more expensive, historically appropriate materials.
However, this bill was met with unexpected opposition. According to the Heritage Hill Association, it is the historic district status that protects both the rights of residents and the houses. A bill like this requires historic districts to do a renewal vote every 10 years, meaning that votes would be coming in from residents outside the historic district. These votes would decide if the district would continue to exist, taking away local control from the residents living there and compromising the protection of our state’s history.
Afendoulis and MacGregor still remain steadfast in pushing forward some type of modernization bill, but city staff and representatives from other historic districts continue lobbying to stop the bill or at least have it heavily revised. While the bill would allow freedom for residents to treat their homes as they would like, the Heritage Hill Association has found that the families and individuals inside the Heritage Hill district have invested in preserving these properties on which they live, and the Local Historic Districts Act protects these home investments.
These bills were sent to committee with revision on Wednesday, but no further updates have yet been released.
