Holiday Inn to be transformed into a homeless shelter in Kalamazoo

KALAMAZOO, Mich. (WOOD) — Kalamazoo County leaders made the first step in combatting homelessness in the county this week.

Tuesday night, the county commission unanimously approved the purchase of the Holiday Inn and Suites property on Cork Street in Kalamazoo to turn into a shelter for families experiencing homelessness.

Kalamazoo County Housing Director Mary Balekma told News 8 that the county, alongside city partners, raised $5.2 million. She said Kalamazoo County donated $3.5 million, the city of Portage provided $500,000 and the city of Kalamazoo provided $1.2 million. That money will go directly toward purchasing the hotel as well as funding renovations and operations.

“We are seeing more and more families at our shelter, the Kalamazoo Gospel Ministries says they are full and so we knew with winter coming up and the increase in the amount of homeless families that we needed to act and act quickly,” she said.

The county said it plans to take ownership of the property by the end of this year, then it will undergo extensive renovations before it can actually operate as a shelter. Officials hope that process will be completed by mid 2025.

Balkema said there are about 1,300 children that are houseless in the county. This project will help provide these families a temporary place to stay. It is able to house around 60 families total at a time. It will also provide supportive services once fully operational.

“We want people to succeed really, from the cradle to the grave and everything in between, and we think housing and education and food security, all of that plays a big role in the development and success,” she said.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WOODTV.com.