NowKalamazoo posed questions about housing insecurity to all the candidates running for mayor and city commission in Kalamazoo. Here’s what they had to say.
The cost to buy or rent in Kalamazoo has drastically increased and outpaced growth of wages, making housing of all types and needs even less affordable. We asked candidates, what is the impact that you believe this will have on the local economy, demand for services, and other related issues that the city government will need to address?
“The increased cost of housing without the increase in wages means that larger percentages of people’s income is being spent on housing and less is being spent within the local economy,” said mayoral candidate Chris Glasser. “This is exacerbated by the fact that many homes being rented in Kalamazoo are owned by individuals who do not live in the region. Between that and the monopolies being formed by corporations like Amazon and Walmart, money is flowing out of the city at an increased rate. This leaves local businesses to struggle, which we are seeing firsthand every time a business closes in Kalamazoo.”…