Pamphlets, fliers, business cards, and lots of information about community projects, city services, educational opportunities, job opportunities, civic affairs, and human services was available Tuesday in Kalamazoo’s core neighborhoods.
High construction costs, low rates of construction, increased demand from a growing population, and housing costs that are increasing faster than wages, all contribute to the shortage and to affordability issues in Kalamazoo, according to the W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research.
The lead organization for Milwood residents has been renamed after operating for more than 28 years as the Milwood Neighborhood Watch. The organization is being re-branded as the Milwood Neighborhood Association to send a message that it is more than a neighborhood watch.
Resident associations in the Northside Neighborhood, Eastside Neighborhood, Vine and Edison neighborhoods will bring people together on Aug. 2, by hosting free, casual, family-friendly activities.
The $26 million housing project involves the construction of two, three-story buildings -- a 36,000-square-foot northern structure with 36 apartment units, and a 33,000-square-foot southern structure with 34 units.
The City of Kalamazoo is working with and through various organizations to help provide more housing opportunities. With the additional funding approved this week for housing programs the city is helping to maintain and improve existing housing.
People who are transitioning from a domestic crisis have a tough time finding a place for themselves let alone their dogs, cats, and other pets. Now the Kalamazoo Humane Society is exploring the possibility of providing a place for such animals.
When it comes to home buying a lot of people have no idea how to get started. To help change that, Kalamazoo Realtor Twala Lockett-Jones has authored a book that provides the steps necessary to buy a house in very simple terms. "I wanted to find a way to educate people at a younger age, especially people of color, about home ownership and the importance of home ownership," she says.
For the Guys Who Give in Kalamazoo County, the goal is to try to get 100 local guys, for one hour, once a quarter, to give $100, in an effort to give a $10,000 or more gift each quarter to the local community. Over the past two years, quarterly awards that have ranged from more than $13,000 to more than $16,000.
At one point, in a one-bedroom apartment on Vine Street Kathy White had seven kids living in that one-bedroom apartment. Her family members had nowhere else to live and so she took the in. Many local residents double-up because the housing market makes it hard to find affordable housing.
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