The conversion of a former hotel on Kilgore Road into an 80-unit shelter where unhoused families can receive support as they transition back to permanent housing is urgent, local housing officials say. And work is expected to get underway soon to move the project forward in hopes of housing some families by the end of the year.
The City of Kalamazoo has put together conceptual plans that would encourage143 to 200 homes on the nearly 15-acre lot that was once home to the former Health and Human Services building. Soon, the Edison Neighborhood will be weighing in on the idea.
As Brandon Mion works with those facing housing insecurity or who are already homeless he doesn't often bring up his story, but he will if he needs to tell a youth in crisis, "Hey, I've been there. You've got to fight through it because you can get through it."
In 2024, 32,882 veterans experienced homelessness in the United States, and 68 of those were in Kalamazoo County, though local officials say they are sure that number has since increased. Many unhoused veterans don’t know there are benefits and programs that can help. Here’s how to get connected.
On June 2, the Kalamazoo County Housing Department opened its online portal for projects seeking financial support from the county’s Homes for All Housing Millage. “It’s open and we have money for funding,” says Kalamazoo County Housing Director Mary Balkema. “We’re really hoping that developers and nonprofits go in and really have some good applications for funding.”
There are complicated politics and attitudes aimed at efforts to provide affordable housing. In a recent public discussion, Kalamazoo County Housing Director Mary Balkema detailed the projects underway and outlined the barriers to getting housing up as fast as some community members would like, including the current climate of uncertainty regarding funding.
Legacy Senior Living, a 70-unit affordable apartment complex for people age 55 or older is expected to be completed in the next 17 to 18 months. More than 200 people attended Mt. Zion Baptist Church's groundbreaking for the of two, three-story buildings.
On a bitterly cold night in January, volunteers spread out across Kalamazoo County to see how many unhoused people they could find. It's part of what the federal government calls the Point in Time count, and it gives communities information as they prepare services and policies to serve this population.
As the unhoused struggle to get out of the cold they also facethe harsh possibility of a loss of services from local and state organizations as the new Trump administration looks to freeze federal grants and loans. The status of the funding freeze is fast-moving and may have changed by the time you read this story.
The new 64-unit senior housing development, 530 Rose Place, is a five-story structure that includes off-street parking on the ground level and lounges on each of its living floors. It will feature a central courtyard that will have greenspace and a fountain.
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