Oshtemo Township’s board took no formal action on a request from Kalamazoo County to help fund this winter’s homeless shelter services.
Kalamazoo County Board Chair Jennifer Strebs asked Oshtemo in a July 27 letter to contribute up to $25,000 toward coordinated winter sheltering services running from November 1, 2026, through March 31, 2027. The county, the City of Kalamazoo, and the Kalamazoo County Continuum of Care are pooling funds to run a competitive process selecting providers to offer daytime warming, overnight shelter, and other services for people experiencing homelessness during the coldest months.
Kalamazoo County Housing Director Mary Balkema told the Oshtemo board the county’s own contribution comes from its housing millage fund rather than its general fund. Several trustees said that distinction shaped their thinking: residents already pay into that millage, they argued, and expected the money to go more directly toward addressing the county’s housing crisis. Clerk Dusty Farmer and Trustees Kristin Cole each said they did not support an additional contribution from the township’s general fund, citing budget constraints and concerns about setting an ongoing funding precedent. Trustee Cole also referenced a past experience in which a local hotel became a recurring source of police and fire calls after people were placed there without adequate coordination with the township.
Board members did not universally oppose the request — Trustee Zak Ford spoke in support of the funding, saying it reflected the kind of program he wants to see local government support — but no motion to approve the contribution was made. A motion to formally deny the request was introduced and then withdrawn, since the board had already made its position on the matter clear through discussion.
Balkema said she would relay the board’s feedback about improving coordination between the county and townships where people experiencing homelessness are placed.
Correction: Trustee Zak Ford did support the winter shelter funding. We incorrectly stated Trustee Ford’s position in the original summary.
