KALAMAZOO, MI (WKZO AM/FM) – City officials say Kalamazoo has an affordable housing problem, but they say that doesn’t just mean building homes that people can buy. It also means finding more housing for renters.
Last night Kalamazoo City Commissioners approved spending $1.5 million from COVID-19 relief funds to rehabilitate 48 low income rental properties and to provide their new occupants with vouchers.
The City’s Sherilyn Parsons says the goal is to increase the number of affordable rental units by offering to pay for up to $25,000 in renovations on each property involved.
They also want to attract new landlords into the affordable home business. In exchange the city gets a guarantee the unit will be rented to a low income resident.
Commissioners Quianna Decker and Stephanie Hoffman say it’s a great program.
The Local Support Initiative Corporation will administer the project.
In a separate action, commissioners also approved $770,000 from their COVID-19 Relief Fund for Kalamazoo Neighborhood Housing Services to build eight new single family homes that will be sold to low income owners.
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