This is just one example of literally hundreds of situations that occur here in Kalamazoo County on an annual basis.  Many of us who are fortunate to avoid such crisis never hear about them.  These incidents are not played out as drama on the local news.  Community alarms do not sound when a family has no place to sleep. 

Thanks to the Kalamazoo County LISC-Affordable Housing Partnership (AHP), each year there are more happy endings to these potentially tragic stories than the one before.  During this past year, the AHP members helped rapidly re-house hundreds of households who became homeless and hundreds more were assisted to avoid homelessness.  All as a result of prompt intervention and stabilization services including the creation of much-needed affordable housing. 

Homelessness cannot be solved by outlawing its presence on the street.  It requires arresting the causes of housing instability.  For almost every person who is homeless this means addressing the affordability and availability of housing.  It also means job opportunities along with access to affordable healthcare and childcare.  For others it may mean appropriate treatment for mental illness or substance abuse problems….these are just some of the realities we are tackling. 

Housing is a key factor in determining a household’s access to economic and educational opportunities, exposure to violence and environmental hazards and ability to accumulate financial assets.  That is why the AHP seeks to create affordable and sustainable housing options for low-income and homeless persons in Kalamazoo County.  It prioritizes and coordinates countywide housing issues and strategies based on Kalamazoo County’s 10-Year Plan to End Homelessness.  

I hope you see the value of our mission and encourage you to join us in our efforts to make a difference!

- Ellen Kisinger-Rothi