Our Story & Founder

According to the December 2022 edition of Crain’s Grand Rapids Business, Grand Rapids is one of the most competitive rental markets in the country. Another recent national report from RentCafe found Grand Rapids, MI to be the second-most competitive market for rental homes behind Miami-Dade County in Florida, clocking in at a 112.6 on RentCafe’s Rental Competitivity Index, where the national average of the 135 markets in the report was 59.9, with Miami-Dade topping the list at 118. 

The report said. “Due to a surge in popularity of our thriving community the past few years, finding an apartment for rent in Grand Rapids was no picnic in 2022, especially as hardly any new units were opened in the first part of 2022, which pushed the city’s occupancy rate to a high 96.9%.” Also according to the report, nearly 97% of apartments for rent in Grand Rapids were occupied in 2022. Almost 70% of renters opted to renew their lease and sadly, not much has changed. “Simply put, there was not enough housing to go around, which only increased demand in Grand Rapids in 2022,” the report said. “This surge has also created severe overburden on our community shelters and other supportive services especially during the colder Michigan months. This is why your generosity is needed for those in need in our community!

Launching in Spring 2025

Our B.L.E.S.S.E.D. Woman Program

The French origin of the word, “Renaissance” means “rebirth”. Here at HOTB, we believe that every woman deserves the opportunity to reclaim safe shelter for herself, to regain her lost independence, to rebuild her life, and work to restore her confidence. Our housing program is designed to offer a supportive environment where women have the opportunity to recover and thrive amongst a safe community. As it should, there are countless programs to assist adult women with children in need. However, many adult single working women also find themselves with pressing issues in acquiring stable, affordable housing and other challenges that often go beyond housing insecurity. Traumatic situations and displacement also can shake one’s personal self-esteem and confidence that our program can help empower them to face and overcome in:  

Acquiring stable and secure housing environment is the foundation of our program, thus escaping the hardship of home insecurity.

We offer personal growth and life skill building workshops, mentorship and life coaching which include financial literacy and money management, job readiness programs, personal counseling and life coaching, to name a few, that help the women regain vision for their lives. 

Regaining one’s life is not only just about addressing the physical needs. It's also about reclaiming their self-worth and confidence while overcoming the spiritual and emotional bankruptcy they may have experienced. Our program helps women to believe in themselves - her potential, talents, and strengths.