KALAMAZOO, MI (WKZO AM/FM) – Protesters battered Kalamazoo city commissioners over how they aren’t spending enough to help the homeless Monday night and Tuesday night, Kalamazoo County commissioners lamented that even having the money to spend on affordable housing, is no guarantee it can get done.
The county board has just begun their next round of awarding Housing-For-All Millage grants to developers, even though a lot of the money they have already allocated hasn’t actually resulted in the construction they hoped.
Housing Director Mary Balkema says it can take years to get all the financing for such projects.
Board Chair Tami Rae says they may want to reevaluate their strategy.
Vice Chair John Taylor suggested the board should at least set a deadline for developers to use the money or lose it.
The funds they had allocated for their biggest project, a 344 unit complex in Pavilion Township, lost its funding when they couldn’t come to terms on affordable housing units.
The high cost of mortgages, materials and manpower has made financing such projects exceedingly difficult, which is bad news for those looking for affordable housing, and those trying to create it.
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