Our Initiatives

Affordable Housing

Since, 2006, Kalamazoo Collective Housing has been providing affordable rental housing to people who earn low incomes. We currently can accomodate 15 members. We're expanding our properties and will soon offer more housing for individuals and families.

Scholarship Fund

KCH offers scholarships to residents who want to attend conferences and trainings related to our mission. We grant several scholareships each year for this purpose.

Community Programs

We've held a variety of community events which strive to have an educational purpose. Below are some past and current examples:

  • Leadership training 

  • Community potlucks

  • Lost Film Fest

  • Working for Social Justice as an Ally Retreat

  • Weekly Spanish Gatherings

  • Women's Gatherings 

  • Sewing Workshops

  • Home maintenance training

  • Community-Based Mental Health Retreat

  • Reuse-a-ball Benefit Concert

  • Annual Solstice Celebrations

  • Uprise Counter-Recruitment Tour

  • Voter Education Dance Parties

  • 2007 Social Justice Training Series in Kalamazoo

  • Gardening workshops

 

Sustainability Priorities

We do many things to act on our values of creating a more ecologically sustainable society in which future generations can enjoy access to necessary resources. Many of these simple practices also save us money. Here's a brief list of what's happening in our houses to use our resources wisely:

  • We work to revitalize neighborhoods and improve existing structures rather than building new homes.

  • Food is a major aspect of our impact on our environment and society. Through our collective purchasing power, we support as much organic, bulk, and local food as possible. This encourages healthy agricultural practices, reduces waste, and supports our local economy.

  • We compost food waste.

  • We strive to reuse as much as possible to reduce our solid waste headed to landfills. This includes packaging, office materials, etc.

  • We conserve electricity (currently supplied by fossil fuels) by using flourescent lights.

  • We recycle waste whenever possible.

  • Many of our members use mass transit and bicycles rather than individual cars.

  • When making purchasing decisions, we work to support local and environmentally responsible business, which is important in sustaining the local economy.

  • We support urban gardening projects.