Helping Our Neighbors Stay Our Neighbors

Foreclosure is required by law. How we respond is up to us.

Inspired by the Michigan Homeowner Assistance Fund (MIHAF) that provided property tax assistance to Michigan’s homeowners during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Kalamazoo Housing Assistance Fund seeks to create an endowment fund to support grant programs and provide a permanent source of relief to Kalamazoo County residents facing foreclosure.

By supporting this endowment, you can help stabilize families and communities throughout Kalamazoo County, foster opportunity, preserve generational wealth, and keep our neighbors our neighbors.

Programs

  • Tax Foreclosure Grants

    Michigan law states that the Kalamazoo County Treasurer shall foreclose on a property if a tax bill is not paid within 3 years. Though the Treasurer’s Office does its best to assist homeowners through its foreclosure prevention program, they do not have the authority to waive tax balances or halt additional interest and fees on homeowners with payment plans. Since the closure of the MIHAF program, the Treasurer also no longer has funds available to help homeowners dig themselves out of delinquency.

    The Kalamazoo Housing Assistance Fund aims to provide funds for one-time grant assistance, payment matching programs, and more.

  • Mortgage Foreclosure Grants

    Homeowners who do not pay their mortgage and are over 120 days delinquent are at risk of losing their property through Michigan’s Foreclosure by Advertisement law. If a homeowner cannot resolve the default by the date of the sheriff sale auction, their property can be sold, after which point the only way to redeem their property is to pay the amount bid at the sheriff sale plus interest and fees.

    If a homeowner defaults on their mortgage, it is almost certain they cannot afford to redeem their property at an auction price. The Kalamazoo Housing Assistance Fund seeks to provide grant funds to partner organizations to help prevent mortgage foreclosure and displacement of Kalamazoo County residents.

  • Anti-Displacement Programs

    Michigan law states that the taxable value of a principal residence can increase by the lesser of inflation or 5% every year, whichever is lower. For most working individuals, this cap keeps their taxes in line with growth in earnings, but these tax increases can make it difficult for retirees, disabled people, and other long-time residents to keep their property.

    The Kalamazoo Housing Assistance Fund aims to build an Anti-Displacement program to help long-time residents keep their homes and avoid tax foreclosure through a payment matching program. By maintaining tax payments at a consistent rate, the Fund can ensure that rising property taxes do not force individuals living on fixed incomes to sell their homes and leave their communities.