KALAMAZOO, Mich. — A groundbreaking ceremony took place Tuesday in Kalamazoo’s Edison neighborhood for a new 48-unit affordable housing development designed for people recovering from addiction, and their families as well.
The environmentally friendly project, built on a brownfield, will cost residents no more than one-third of their income. It took more than a dozen different funding sources to bring the project together. The housing also includes wrap-around services to help people in their recovery.
Kalamazoo breaks ground on a new affordable housing community for people recovering from addiction
Gov. Whitmer attended the event as Edison Community Partners highlighted their accomplishments.
"Housing saves lives. It helps people in recovery get back on their feet, and stay there. When you’re surrounded by a loving, supportive community, you can maintain your sobriety," Whitmer said.
The new facility is named after Judge William Schma, who received a standing ovation at the ceremony. Schma started the drug court in Kalamazoo many years ago, which was a first-of-its-kind recovery court for the state.
"Surprised and humbled. There’s a lot of other names that are represented by mine. And I’m well aware of that. You can’t put them all up there. There’s too many," Schma said.
Schma said a place like this would have been impossible when he started out on the bench.
"Not only because there was no drug court, but because the whole concept of rehabilitative role for the court system in criminal justice was foreign. And it was a punitive model," Schma said.
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