News

After a long search Open Doors purchased 530 W. North, a building with five one- bedroom apartments, on November 5, 2005. An anonymous donor made it possible for us to purchase this home, bringing the total number of units in Open Doors’ Residence Community at the time to 16.

This building was built in 1905. We have done extensive work on the property over the years, replacing the roof, installing new windows, adding insulation, installing new siding, and constructing a new porch for one of the side entrances to the building.

These improvements were made possible by a grant from an anonymous donor, a Community Development Block grant from the City of Kalamazoo, and substantial volunteer and financial support from several area churches including Third Christian Reformed Church, St. Timothy Episcopal Church, St. Martin of Tours Episcopal Church, and St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Church.

Two apartments are upstairs, two are on the ground floor, and one is a basement apartment. This was our first Residence Community property outside the Vine neighborhood.

ABOUT OPEN DOORS KALAMAZOO

At Open Doors Kalamazoo we partner with low-wage working men and women to empower them to support themselves and their families and overcome or avoid homelessness. Through housing, partnerships, and advocacy, Open Doors Kalamazoo has been helping individuals and families overcome homelessness since 1970. We seek to provide solutions to the housing crisis faced by low-wage working families in our community. As families are strengthened, so is our community.  Learn more at www.opendoorskalamazoo.org

 

When we were looking for the third building for Open Doors’ Residence Community in 2004, we decided to look for one-bedroom apartments. Thanks to a grant from an anonymous donor, we were able to purchase a beautiful brick home at 419 S. Park Street with four one-bedroom  apartments. We had to have a new roof put on the building immediately and some of the eaves  and soffits needed repair because there were pigeons living in the attic! Several churches in the  community rehabbed the apartments. Our first residents moved in during the month of May in 2005.

ABOUT OPEN DOORS KALAMAZOO

At Open Doors Kalamazoo we partner with low-wage working men and women to empower them to support themselves and their families and overcome or avoid homelessness. Through housing, partnerships, and advocacy, Open Doors Kalamazoo has been helping individuals and families overcome homelessness since 1970. We seek to provide solutions to the housing crisis faced by low-wage working families in our community. As families are strengthened, so is our community.  Learn more at www.opendoorskalamazoo.org

 

Local housing organizations and churches work together through the Restoration Initiative to leverage resources and expertise to address the need for affordable housing in Kalamazoo

Kalamazoo, MI – After a year of planning how to collaboratively work to address the local need for more affordable housing units in Kalamazoo, the Restoration Initiative launched their first community “Paint Day” last weekend.

The Restoration Initiative is a group of local churches and non-profit organizations that have worked together to purchase a brand new house in the Kalamazoo Northside neighborhood, which will provide affordable housing to a local working family.

On Saturday March 15^th, Kalamazoo community members were invited to help paint the interior of the house and learn more about the need for affordable housing. A group ofvolunteers cleaned the walls, painted a base coat in many of the rooms, and discussed local housing issues.  The next community paint day is scheduled for Saturday, April 12 from 9am to 1pm.  A discussion on affordable housing will be held at 10:30am.  A spring cleanup workday is also being planned for May 17th from 9am to 1pm. Community members are encouraged to stop by and see the project even if they are unable to help.  Volunteer shifts are limited in size, so please contact Cherrie at Open Doors to register: (269) 343-6064 ext. 300.  All individuals, faith institutions, and community organizations are welcome to participate, regardless of their affiliation with the partner
organizations.

The home was built by the Kalamazoo Valley Habitat for Humanity which has decades of experience working with volunteers and families to build and rehabilitate housing.  The property will be owned and managed by Open Doors Kalamazoo, an organization that is working to address the great need for affordable rentals in our community by providing subsidized apartments and housings units to the formerly homeless.  Community Homeworks provides support for low-income homeowners by organizing home repair and maintenance trainings and will provide these trainings to the family moving in to the home.  Local church membership will provide the labor to finish and furnish the house.  
The steering committee includes church members from: First United Methodist Church, The River, St. Catherine of Siena, and Prince of Peace Lutheran Church.  Michigan United, formerly the Michigan Organizing Project, has been organizing in Kalamazoo-area churches for years around the issue of housing justice and hopes to provide the people-power and fundraising capacity to rehabilitate and purchase the house. So far, $13,000 of the needed $20,000 has already been raised but we are still accepting donations to ensure the completion of this project. Those interested in donating should click the link below and direct their donation to the “Restoration Initiative”.