Our History

2005

This year marked the conception of the Kalamazoo Collective Housing idea. After visiting several housing cooperatives around the country, a small group of organizers came together to explore the possibilities of cooperative living in Kalamazoo. Recognizing that there were no established opportunities for cooperative group housing, they learned about what it would take to start a new organization to fill this void. With the help of North American Students of Cooperation, they developed a loose plan for opening a small cooperative and began looking for others to join them. The core organizers spent months refining their vision for the new project. Along the way, they held many potluck meetings, passed out hundreds of flyers, and gradually welcomed new members into the group. Most all of the founding members had never lived in a cooperative, but were eager to try it out. The group identified the following primary goals:

  • Create a stable nonprofit cooperative that sustains itself for years to come and grows by acquiring new properties
  • Develop a low-cost living option that is democratically controlled by its members
  • Establish a house that would be a model of sustainable living for Kalamazoo
  • Work with North American Students of Cooperation and WMU's Nonprofit Leadership Program to develop an organizational structure and secure funding

2006

During the summer, the founding members received a generous grant from Youth Venture to fund start-up costs for the organization. Members planned their first budget and looked at over 15 houses to finally settle on their new home on West Dutton Street. In August, Meristem Cooperative was born. It began with 10 young adults and a strong commitment to sustainable living. These members worked diligently to develop systems and policies from scratch, work through conflict, and build the foundation for a stable organization. They consulted others from around the country, connected with local resources, and planned community events. The co-opers of 2006 hosted a Grand Opening Shindig, community potlucks, sewing workshops, and a Voter Education Dance Party.

One member was awarded a WMU Research and Creative Activities Award to build the new nonprofit organization that would become a network of multiple co-ops. The whole group worked to consciously reduce its “ecological footprint” by using energy efficiently, reducing waste, and supporting local and organic agriculture.

This effort to combine cooperative home ownership and environmental education was unprecedented in our city. Local media outlets became interested in the project and covered the group’s activities — letting more people see the potential for cooperative housing in Kalamazoo. After a challenging but successful year, Meristem members began thinking about the possibilities for expansion in the years to come.

2007

Meristem began to act as a hub for civic engagement — most of its members are involved in politics and advocacy around a multitude of issues. This, combined with their efforts to empower people to take control over their housing and implement sustainable living practices, created a unique identity for the emerging organization.

After months of living in their new place, members took the organization to the next level. They incorporated as Kalamazoo Collective Housing and applied for a development grant from NASCO Properties, an arm of North American Students of Cooperation that purchases property for the expansion of co-op systems around the country. KCH received the grant of $50,000 and technical and legal assistance for a new purchase. The Fletcher Collective, on West Walnut Street, was purchased in May. NASCO Properties provides logistical and legal support while Fletcher members are responsible for maintenance of the building. This proved to be a daunting task as six months of hands-on renovation work began. Members and volunteers remodeled common space, refinished floors, tore out a wall, and added fresh paint to turn the building into a new home for 10 co-opers.

In July, KCH established its first Board of Directors. The Board includes house members and community trustees, who are generous experts in the community that have offered their skills to help the organization grow. After finalizing its Bylaws and basic structure, the Board created an Education Fund for use by members. Bread for the Journey, a neighborhood foundation, offered a grant to establish the fund. It allows low-income members to get funding for conferences and trainings about cooperatives, sustainability, and social justice.

2008

This year, KCH settled into its newly expanded structure and put the remaining final touches on the Fletcher Collective. Members removed much of the asphalt that surrounded the property, making way for vegetable gardens. They also hosted their first house events, which included a concert and poetry reading.

Now two houses strong, the organization has 18 resident members, 7 Board members, and over 30 alumni. Leaders within KCH began to focus more on public events and planning. The organization hosted a successful benefit concert in March. Dubbed the “Reuse-a-Ball,” it brought five bands to Kalamazoo to raise money for future housing purchases. Members also took time out of their summers to participate in a retreat at Circle Pines Center, a large cooperative camp located just north of the city. Here, members reflected on their cooperative living experience and discussed ways to improve their work. They led each other in critically exploring the successes and failures of their organizing.

In July, the KCH Board of Directors held its first strategic planning session. With the help of a consultant, members identified their strategic objectives for the next five years and analyzed how they fit within the organization’s essential characteristics.

In August, KCH launched its apparel business as a way to earn more income for its future expansion. Grassroots Goods produces organic cotton shirts with several attractive designs. The shirts went on sale at local businesses and online at www.grassrootsgoods.org.

In November, KCH offered its first Social Justice Retreat to the public. This day-long event was led by an experienced trainer who has hosted similar workshops at a national level. Participants were given tools to challenge racism, sexism, homophobia, classism, ableism, and other dimensions of oppression in their communities and themselves.