Kalamazoo Spending $5.2 Million To Turn Hotel into Homeless Shelter

One of the biggest issues you'll hear Kalamazoo natives, and residents talk about is our homeless problem. Driving through downtown, especially on Kalamazoo Avenue, you'll clearly see a small population of them on the stoops of the buildings, hanging around in or near Arcadia Creek Festival Place, and across from the Metro Bus Station.

But that's still such a small fraction of our homeless issue in the city, and now, FINALLY, the city of Kalamazoo is doing something to help at least a PART of our homeless residents by setting them up in an old hotel.

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The Kalamazoo County Board of Commissioners, along with the Cities of Kalamazoo and Portage, approved spending to purchase, and retrofit an empty hotel, and turn it into a shelter, specifically for homeless families in the community.

In all, they spent $4.5 million to buy the former Holiday Inn Express & Suites at 3630 E. Cork St. The remaining money is being spent to retrofit, and update the building so that it is up to code and livable.

The former hotel will now have 60 different units, and plans on opening up during the summer of 2025.

This might be the smartest thing that we've done to combat our homeless issue in Kalamazoo since I've moved here. Of course, we're familiar with police breaking up homeless encampments in certain parts of town, and the failed "pod" housing community that would help individuals get back on their feet that wish to.

This is a wonderful way for these families to feel some normalcy, and not have to worry about where they'll be sleeping the next night with their entire family unit.

It's a shame it cost so much to make it happen, but if this works, maybe we see more of this in the future in our community.