We achieve these through active participation in civic forums, activities, and group activities. We meet up every couple of weeks to discuss what is going on in our communities, hear from guest speakers from different organizations, and plan future events/activities.
Who We Are
We are a group of people who are looking to make our city better for all. As part of the Strong Towns movement, we align with the following five core campaign ideas.
SAFE & PRODUCTIVE STREETS
Poor street design is the primary cause of automobile crashes, injuries, and death on our streets. We must build (and rebuild) streets that are dominated by people, and which accommodate cars as a secondary user.
TRANSPARENT LOCAL ACCOUNTING
The true extent of deferred maintenance and replacement cost obligations for infrastructure is not accounted for in a city’s financial reports. Municipal financial statements must be prepared with the local citizen in mind, not a Wall Street analyst or bond investor.
END HIGHWAY EXPANSIONS
Until we have a credible plan for maintaining our existing infrastructure, we must stop building more lanes, roads, and bridges.
END PARKING MANDATES AND SUBSIDIES
Parking minimums cost the public in the form of extra infrastructure that must service all that parking—but without the taxable value to recoup public investment. We must end parking mandates and subsidies to free up vast swaths of land that can be used more productively.
INCREMENTAL HOUSING
Grand Rapids' housing market should be free to respond to evolving needs and capacity. A bottom-up orientation to housing requires strong local leadership and active citizens.
Meet the Team
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Anna Carley
Executive Director
I loves bikes and economics! Why not try to use some of my skills and make Grand Rapids a better place to live, work, and bike in? I envision Grand Rapids being “the” Michigan City in the next 5 to 10 years, if we make smart choices with public policy and zoning updates!
If you see Andrew and myself at a one of the many festivals in Grand Rapids, say hello!
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Stefan Pawelka
Vice President
Stefan attended high school in the Grand Rapids area and graduated from Michigan State University in 2016. He then received a commission as an officer in the U.S. Marine Corps where he was stationed in Twentynine Palms, California. Missing a full four season experience and wonderful people and culture of West Michigan, Stefan moved back to Grand Rapids in 2020 where he and his fiancée Jen currently reside. When not nerding out about urbanism and transit, he enjoys volunteering at community events, hiking, and native gardening.
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Andrew Carley
Director of Outreach
Andrew believe that cities should work for all users, not just those driving in cars. After graduating from Rockford High School, he moved to New York City and learned what he has been missing in his suburban upbringing. After seeing how a built environment can work for all users of the city he became obsessed with the built environment and sought to improve it in his community. When not championing public transportation and housing affordability, you can find him and his wife (Anna) exploring the town on their bikes, hiking, and enjoying all that Grand Rapids has to offer.
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David DeTavernier III
Director of Communications
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Adam Williams
Lead Policy Analyst
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Adam Wise
Architectural Consultant
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Janelle Rai
Janelle resides in Grand Rapids with her husband, Isaac. She holds engineering degrees from Calvin University and Purdue University. During her studies, she spent time in Germany as an exchange student at Technische Universität Berlin and then as a fellow of the Parlamentarisches Patenschafts-Programm. She is awed by the accessibility of European transportation and development patterns. Outside the office, Janelle enjoys creating GIS maps, reading books by Jan Gehl or Jane Jacobs, attending community events, and experiencing Grand Rapids by foot or bicycle.
