Kalamazoo County Shows Intergovernmental Cooperation to Launch Recovery Housing
Kalamazoo is poised to break ground Tuesday on The Kalrecovery Project, a 48-unit substance recovery housing development that has been years in the making. The groundbreaking ceremony will take place at 1:30 p.m. at 1900 Belford Street near the Kalamazoo County Health Department in the Edison Neighborhood.
This project represents what officials call intergovernmental cooperation at its best after facing multiple funding roadblocks.
Because of your commitment, members of our community will soon have access to stable high-quality homes with onsite supportive services, you helped turn a potential crisis into a case study for intergovernmental cooperation, said Matt Hollander with Edison Community Partners.
Hollander noted that securing financing took eight years and involved the federal government, the state, city of Kalamazoo, Kalamazoo County, and many others for the 48-unit apartment structure.
The project nearly fell through last year when the federal government suddenly cancelled a $4 million dollar grant. But the Kalamazoo County board came through with money from the Opioid Settlement Fund to keep the project alive.
Kalamazoo County showed such decisive local resolve the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services committed an additional $2.3 million in state opioid settlement funds to the project, Hollander said.
The city of Kalamazoo approved another $350,000 loan from the Housing Development Fund last week, bringing the city's total financial support to over $1 million. Mayor Dave Anderson said this funding will serve families in the 30 to 50 percent average median income range, one of the hardest demographics to find housing for.
Our project, which will be as affordable as any project has been in recent years, which is Kalrecovery, really really happy that's gonna move forward, Anderson said.
Design and Services
The Kalrecovery Project will be built at 333 East Alcott Street in the Edison neighborhood on a 6.6-acre site. The development features three buildings with specific amenities for residents overcoming substance use disorders.
A three-story elevator-serviced building will house 36 one-bedroom apartments for people in recovery, including two on-site recovery coaches. Two-story walk-ups will contain 12 two- and three-bedroom units for families with a household member in recovery.
Residents will pay no more than 30 percent of their income in rent, and all utilities will be included thanks to Michigan State Housing Development Authority project-based vouchers.
The development will feature shared amenities including group therapy spaces, counseling offices, walking trails, community gardens, and a play area.
Support Services
With the help of Integrated Services of Kalamazoo, local health providers, and Kalamazoo County courts, over 40 hours of on-site services will be provided weekly. These services include:
- Substance use and mental health counseling
- Medication-assisted treatment
- Vocational training and financial literacy programs
- Peer recovery support and life skills coaching
These services are voluntary except for residents still under court supervision, who will be required to participate.
The development is designed to support those enrolled in what Edison Community Partners calls problem-solving courts, aiming to provide stable, affordable housing combined with recovery services to help people sustain their sobriety and rebuild their lives.
Funding and Timeline
Kalrecovery will be financed using 9 percent low-income housing tax credits, MSHDA funding, and local grants including the Opioid Settlement Fund.
The city approved a payment in lieu of taxes agreement for the Kalrecovery project in December 2025.
A construction timeline for the Kalrecovery development has not been announced yet.
The Need
Kalamazoo County has seen a significant increase in the number of drug overdoses and deaths in the past decade due to methamphetamines, the opioid crisis, and more recently from fentanyl.
The Kalrecovery project aims to address a critical need for affordable, supportive housing for individuals and families affected by substance use disorders in the Kalamazoo area. By providing stable housing combined with comprehensive recovery services, the development hopes to give residents the best chance at long-term sobriety and reintegration into the community.
The project represents a significant investment by the city of Kalamazoo to address the critical need for affordable, supportive housing for those recovering from substance use disorders. By combining stable housing with comprehensive on-site services, the development aims to give residents the best chance at long-term sobriety and successful reintegration into the community.