KALAMAZOO, MI (WKZO AM/FM) – Kalamazoo County may have suffered its first loss due to new federal cuts.
They haven’t yet received official notice, but other municipalities that received similar EPA grants have been told they have now been rescinded.
County board chair Jen Strebs says the $18.9-million Community Change Grant, if lost, would be a major disappointment.
If they do get the termination notice, they will review the contractual arrangement with the EPA, and the county board will decide their next steps.
The money would have been aimed directly at the housing crisis, $12 million allocated to support local contractors, tradespeople and suppliers. Two-million-dollars was aimed at training 150 new carpenters, electricians, HVAC technicians and plumbers over the next three years, to build and upgrade energy efficient, sustainable homes.
In a prepared statement, Kalamazoo County officials say “Skilled labor is already in short supply in our region. Now is the time to support workforce expansion – not hinder it. This grant was never just about repairing homes or environmental resilience. It was about investing in people, creating career pathways, and strengthening our local labor force. Losing this program would directly undermine our ability to respond to workforce needs – an issue that business owners, trade associations, and economic leaders have consistently raised.
The County and its partners have already invested significant time and resources in preparing to implement this 3-year grant. If the funding is terminated, it won’t just delay progress – it will waste months of planning, mobilization, and community engagement.”
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