KALAMAZOO, MI (WKZO AM/FM) – With high hopes and their fingers crossed, Kalamazoo city commissioners met over the weekend for some long-term planning.
They have about $5 million to spend for aspirational projects 2026, and during Saturday’s retreat, they picked five projects from a total of 20 possibilities they had pinned to a wall. The funding would come from the Foundation for Excellence, but the priority for that money could change if the Trump cuts eliminate HUD funding or other programs.
Vice Mayor Jeanne Hess says the need will always be greater than the funds available.
One proposal would introduce more at-risk kids with high police contact numbers to alternative programs. Another would install more Fusus cameras, a third would fund critical home repairs, a 4th would expand vocational education on the Northside and the last would launch a homeshare program.
City staff will now go to work to try to turn the ideas into proposals, and if that works out, include them in next year’s budget.
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