Developers Are Deciding London’s Future: Profits Over People!

Right now in London, big developers are being handed the keys to our future. City Council and the current administration are allowing them to prioritize profits over people, and hardworking families are being left behind.

Take the Madison Reserve development by T&L Development Group, LLC. The developer originally applied for 255 lots, but after further talks the Planning Commission—chaired by the Mayor—recommended 271 lots. Most are only 41’ x 112’, with homes just 12 feet apart!

This is not only unacceptable — it’s dangerous. Packing homes that tightly together increases fire risks, strains emergency response, and undermines the character and safety of our neighborhoods.

Under London’s normal zoning, each lot should be at least 7,500 square feet. With the Planned Unit Development (PUD) zoning, that minimum was already reduced to 5,628 square feet.

But the loopholes didn’t stop there:

• PUD Reduction: Allowed the minimum lot size to drop from 7,500 sq. ft. down to 5,628 sq. ft.

• “Affordable Housing” Loophole: The planning commission then granted an additional 25% reduction, cutting the lot size further to 4,592 sq. ft.

• Reality Check: Homes built on these undersized lots are expected to start in the mid-$200Ks—completely unaffordable for the average London family making the $61,000 median household income.

  
  

For most families here, qualifying for such a home would require spotless credit, no debt, and a 10–15% down payment. That’s not affordable housing—it’s a bait-and-switch.

And it doesn’t stop there:

• London Landing by Gross Pointe Land Holdings, LLC — 240 homes originally pitched to start in the mid-$200Ks in 2023 are now mostly in the mid-$300Ks, with only about 10% still priced as promised.

• Johnsons Creek by Gross Pointe Land Holdings, LLC — A massive 850-home project priced from $350K to $600K, marketed directly to buyers from outside London.

• Gated Condos by Gross Pointe Land Holdings, LLC — 270 luxury condos in a 55 + no-kids community, starting at $400K–$500K, designed for retirees with deep pockets, not working families.

  
  

👉 Put together, these four projects alone account for nearly 1,631 new housing units.

The Bigger Problem: London Is a Bedroom Community

The development strategy being pushed today is clear: build expensive housing and bring in people from outside London to drive up the median income. On paper, that makes the community “look wealthier.” But here’s the catch: the current bottom 50% of London families fall even farther behind.

Instead of lifting people up, this approach pushes affordable housing even further out of reach for local residents. It widens the gap between long-time working families and newcomers with higher salaries.

London is already a bedroom community—a place where people sleep, but work somewhere else. Just like Grandview, Bexley, or even Hilliard, the city will eventually be forced to raise income tax rates—approaching 3% or more—just to pay for basic services.

Why? Because residential properties do not generate enough taxes to cover the cost of the services they demand. Police, fire, schools, streets, sanitation—all of these cost more than a house produces in tax revenue.

The only sustainable way forward is to grow London’s business base. Businesses, especially those with 300–500 employees or more, generate far more in taxes than they consume in services. That extra revenue keeps taxes low while improving services.

My Vision: Business Development and Better Jobs for London

Instead of chasing developer profits and deepening the bedroom community cycle, we need to focus on business development:

• Attract companies that bring 300–500 jobs or more to increase our tax base.

• Create better-paying jobs in London so residents don’t have to commute out of town.

• Raise the median income the right way—by lifting up the bottom half of our community, not just importing higher wages from outside.

When we focus on business growth and good jobs, we raise wages for everyone. That creates a stronger middle class, puts affordable housing back within reach, and builds a better quality of life for the next generation of London families.

I will cover this business growth plan in detail in my next post.

The Pattern Is Clear: Profits Over People

The pattern is clear: developers exploit zoning loopholes and use buzzwords like “affordable housing” to gain approval, then deliver homes priced out of reach for local families. Meanwhile, Council and the administration enable it by signing off on every exception.

London deserves better. We need leadership that:

• Closes loopholes and stops granting endless zoning exceptions for developer profits.

• Delivers truly affordable housing that working families can actually buy.

• Plans growth responsibly, protecting the character and livability of our neighborhoods.

  
  

I’m running for City Council because London can’t afford to have its future dictated by developers like T&L Development Group and Gross Pointe Land Holdings.

Their interest is profit. My interest is people.

Vote James Boyd, Independent for City Council, Ward 1 — because it’s time to put London First.