KALAMAZOO COUNTY, MI (WKZO AM/FM) — On the November 3 ballot, voters in Kalamazoo County will be asked to consider a millage request to provide more affordable housing in the area.
The proposal is .75 mills for eight years, which would cost the owner of a $100,000 home about $38 per year. That would help raise about $6.3 million dollars in the first year and about $50 million over the eight year life of the millage.
The money would be used to provide rental subsidies and permanent housing for those who need it and offer other related supportive services for residents in Kalamazoo County.
Since September, a local group called “Homes For All” has been campaigning for voters to approve the measure, and organizers say housing costs are currently too high for many low income residents, whether they’re minimum wage workers, seniors, disabled, or veterans living on fixed incomes.
The ballot question itself was passed by the Kalamazoo County Board of Commissioners in a 9-1 vote last August.
During that meeting, Commissioner Christine Morse pointed to the pandemic as a factor in the millage proposal, among others.
“We are in a global pandemic, which is uncovering even further how unequal our society is,” Morse said. “I’m hoping people will find it in their hearts to say that ‘I care for my fellow man, and I’d like to see people are appropriately housed to the extent that we can,’ so I will be in favor of letting the people of this county decide.”
Commissioner Zach Bauer also spoke in favor of putting this millage proposal on the next ballot.
“We could, at the end of this next election, start addressing the homelessness and lack of affordable housing in every one of our districts a year ahead of time, so there would be more affordable housing and more jobs in all of our districts,” Bauer said. “There is really no downside to this. It is for the voters to decide whether they want to pay this tax, we are giving them the opportunity to do this.”
Last month, Co-chair and Portage City Councilman Chris Burns stated that if approved, the millage would help put a roof over the heads of everyone who needs one.
“Homelessness is NOT just a city of Kalamazoo issue. Working families in Portage, Comstock, Vicksburg, Oshtemo and other communities in our county need more affordable housing options,” Burns explained.
The specific ballot language of the proposal reads as follows:
“For the purposes of funding housing programs in Kalamazoo County, shall the constitutional limitation upon the total amount of taxes which may be assessed in one (1) year upon all property within the County of Kalamazoo, Michigan, be increased in an amount up to but not to exceed 0.75 mills ($0.75 on each $1,000 of taxable value) for a period of eight (8) years (2021-2028 inclusive), to provide rental subsidies, permanent housing and related supportive services for residents of Kalamazoo County? if approved and levied in full, this millage would raise an estimated $6,375,000.00 in the first calendar year of its levy based on taxable value.”
The sample ballot can be found at michigan.gov/vote.
More information about the millage campaign can be found at kzoo4housing.com or at facebook.com/kzoohomes4all.
(Jeana Gondek contributed to this report).
So when did kazoo go into the homeless housing business? All we did is create a need! The money was already they are in other programs! Please people educate yourself