Kalamazoo will close temporary warming shelter Sunday as temperatures rise
Updated Feb 19, 2021;
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KALAMAZOO, MI The temporary warming shelter nears the Mills Street homeless encampment will be closed at noon Sunday, Feb. 21.
The warming shelter is not needed as temperatures will not longer meet criteria for extreme weather, according to a news release from the city of Kalamazoo. The shelter will be taken down beginning at 8 a.m. Monday, Feb. 22, the release said.
The warming shelter was constructed during the first week of February in response to single-digit temperatures, with wind chills registering below zero. The shelter had the capacity to accommodate 60 people, the release said.
Kalamazoo motel to be transformed into affordable housing with emphasis on helping the homeless
Jason Walsh/FOX 17
A West Michigan motel will soon be transformed into affordable housing but not before helping people suffering from homelessness stay warm through the winter.
and last updated 2021-02-02 17:23:58-05
KALAMAZOO, Mich. â A West Michigan motel will soon be transformed into affordable housing but not before helping people suffering from homelessness stay warm through the winter.
The LIFT Foundation closed on the Knights Inn Motel at 1211 S. Westnedge Avenue in Kalamazoo in early January. The motel already has around two dozen people in need living there for the winter months before they start renovations.
KALAMAZOO, MI (WKZO AM/FM) Recent explosions at a tent city in Kalamazoo have reignited concerns about the homeless, especially with extreme cold headed our way.
Twice in one week, several propane tanks erupted at the encampment off Mills St. Efforts to address homelessness were discussed at both the City and County Board meetings this week. City Manager Jim Ritsema says agencies have created other shelter opportunities and the city has been providing some basic services at the encampments. They also bought the Knights Inn Motel and reopened it as a shelter, but Ritsema says more is needed.
“We are calling on our partners at the county and across our community to help us devise a suitable plan that allows the most vulnerable in our community to live in an environment that is safe and warm.”
Explosions at Kalamazoo Homeless Camp Under Investigation
As reported by
WWMT News Channel 3, journalist Maria Serrano was already on scene reporting on the conditions at the homeless camp when a fire broke out. It was then that the crew heard what sounded like an explosion and proceeded to capture a few of the blasts on camera.
In a press release, the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety said that, thankfully, only one person was reported to have minor injuries. They were treated at the scene and released. Three others were taken to a local hotel since their property was severely damaged.
Kalamazoo Approves New Affordable Housing for Homeless Population
The homeless population has long been an issue discussed in, not just Kalamazoo, but cities all across the country. Unfortunately, in my personal experience, when people talk about the homeless issue they often times seem to forget that these are people who need help, not just a problem to be tossed aside to be dealt with at a later time. But, Kalamazoo is taking steps to help he homeless population with potential affordable housing.
According to WWMT News Channel 3, the Knights Inn Motel on Westnedge Avenue has been purchased by the LIFT foundation to be transformed into affordable housing with a focus on helping the homeless population. Two loans were approved this past Tuesday by the Kalamazoo City Commissioners which total $250,000 and will go towards renovating the motel.