KALAMAZOO, MI – The City of Kalamazoo is working with Kalamazoo County to develop strategies to finance projects that will prevent families seeking housing from having to settle for substandard housing.
K. Babcock of We The People Kalamazoo says affordable housing is urgently needed in Kalamazoo County.The goal is to use $1.2 million in federal funding to connect and expand existing community resources and encourage additional investment in those resources to help families in need find good housing.
Members of the Kalamazoo City Commission on Monday (at their August 19, 2024 meeting) approved an agreement with Kalamazoo County to find ways to use American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to leverage municipal resources “from the creation of emergency shelters that prevent families with children from seeking shelter in substandard housing and meet critical needs within the city,” as read by Laura Lamb, Chief Operating Officer of the City of Kalamazoo.
Sherilyn Parsons, housing supervisor for the city of Kalamazoo, said, “It’s our job to pursue these strategies and come together to really leverage the money that’s available to the county and bring it to the city.”
Laura Lam, Chief Operating Officer of the City of Kalamazoo, talks about a new initiative to promote housing.The City of Kalamazoo has recommended an allocation of $1.2 million and expects the county to leverage that amount by allocating additional funds,” Parsons said, “so that all of those funds can be used in our city to fund and implement solutions.”
Commissioner Qianna Decker said, “When I heard about this, I was very excited. I’m glad they were able to use some of these funds that were supposed to be earmarked for housing to really do something in housing. And I think the partnership with the county is wonderful.”
Kay Babcock, who says she represents the housing organization We The People Kalamazoo, said the agreement to develop new strategies and resources to provide more housing for families in need and the homeless was good, but she told councilors the need was urgent and people could not wait five or 10 years for solutions.
“It’s an emergency,” she said. “…I want you to understand that we needed the solutions yesterday. We needed the solutions a year ago. So there needs to be urgent pressure to make sure that these funds are allocated quickly. These funds were made available to the city in 2021.”
Laura Lam, Chief Operating Officer of the City of Kalamazoo, talks about a new initiative to promote housing.Of the approximately $51 million in ARPA funds allocated to Kalamazoo County following the COVID-19 outbreak, approximately $38 million went to the City of Kalamazoo to help address the numerous financial and social problems resulting from the pandemic, including housing.
Speaking after Monday night’s meeting, Kalamazoo Mayor David Anderson acknowledged the need for more housing and opportunities that are affordable to more people. But he said the city does not build housing projects itself. It works with others to develop projects.
While Vice Mayor Jeanne Hess said, “We’re all happy about it,” she acknowledged that there will be many questions about the strategy that will remain unanswered for a while. But she said, “I’m happy about any housing that comes up somewhere. There’s probably a plan. All we’ve heard from the city manager is that we need to work together and just provide that money if it comes to that. … So we’ll see.”
Councilwoman Stephanie Hoffman said the need for more housing and efforts to meet the needs of the homeless are statewide issues and asked if the city of Portage was involved. Parsons said Portage, along with regional economic development organization Southwest Michigan First, has been involved in discussions with communities.
K. Babcock of We The People Kalamazoo says affordable housing is urgently needed in Kalamazoo County.The need for these efforts may be even greater because the Michigan State Housing Development Authority has stopped extending rental vouchers for low-income families effective July 1, 2024. The state-funded Housing Choice Voucher Program provides rental subsidies for very low-income people who have found housing in qualified apartments and private homes.
Parsons said Kalamazoo County has also seen a 13 percent increase in the number of homeless families. That increase appears to be holding true, she said, “as our homeless shelters are seeing higher than usual numbers even this summer.”
Kalamazoo County and the City of Kalamazoo have been in discussions and are focused on housing options for residents “that will create profound and lasting change,” she said. “The city and county have a shared focus on this and together we want to address the most pressing housing needs in the City of Kalamazoo.”
Al JonesThe City of Kalamazoo is working with Kalamazoo County to explore opportunities to create more housing using federal funding.
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Al Jones is a freelance writer who has worked for many years as a reporter, editor and columnist. He is projects editor for On the Ground Kalamazoo.
