KALAMAZOO, MI (WKZO AM/FM) — Kalamazoo County’s Housing Director Mary Balkema says she’s hitting the road to pitch her plans to build new affordable housing to local City and Township boards.
Her county-wide journey will begin in Portage on Tuesday, August 23, at a Portage City Council meeting.
Funded by a housing millage and armed with a new Upjohn Institute study, Balkema will tour the county for the next two months.
“The city’s also want the Upjohn Institute to do a presentation in front of their governing boards, the city of Kalamazoo, and the city of Portage,” said Balkema who told County Commissioners that they got to see the debut of the presentation since it’s their decision on how the money is spent.
“And then after we go out with our show, I’ll come back with a strategy piece, so we can set the priorities for the funding for next year,” said Balkema.
A new county housing millage is set to generate over $7-million dollars a year for the next 7-years to help build new housing, repair old housing and reduce homelessness.
reporting by: John McNeill
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