KALAMAZOO, MI (WKZO AM/FM) – The Kalamazoo County board will be looking at a couple of proposals that could realign their direction on affordable housing this week.
Tuesday, commissioners will receive a draft housing framework from their housing director that, according to the county memo, are intended to “reaffirm our shared commitment to addressing Kalamazoo County’s housing crisis with clarity, coordination, and purpose.”
They will also receive a proposed resolution declaring that housing is a Public Health Crisis in the community.
The resolution was requested by Commissioner Monteze Morales, who says they aren’t doing enough to help those who need it the most.
She says the agencies they are funding say they are trying to help those with low incomes, but aren’t.
Housing officials say that to make housing affordable to those below 60% of the area median income, a developer has to qualify for every government subsidy, tax break, down payment assistance plan and cost reduction strategy available, and sometimes even that is not enough.
The commission will also take up a $17,000 funding proposal to create a bank of 50 lockers for the homeless, who have no place to securely store their property.
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