KALAMAZOO, Mich. (WOOD) — Plans for a new transitional family shelter in a former Kalamazoo hotel are moving forward, Kalamazoo County officials announced Monday.

Family Promise, a West Michigan-based nonprofit focused on ending family homelessness, received approval and funding to turn the former Country Inn and Suites at 1912 E. Kilgore Road into The Landing Place, a transitional shelter for families experiencing homelessness.

On Oct. 7, the Kalamazoo Board of Commissioners approved construction and service contracts worth more than $12 million. More than $1 million is going toward property upgrades, while another nearly $11 million will go toward a three-year contract with Family Promise to operate the facility.

“These renovations will complement the safe, private living spaces and welcoming common areas designed to help families regain stability and move toward permanent housing,” a Monday release read in part.

Homelessness has been on the rise in Kalamazoo since 2021. The 2025 point-in-time count, a census of people experiencing homelessness, found that there were 791 homeless people in Kalamazoo and Portage, 82 of whom were living outside. This is a nearly 20% increase from 2024.

The 24/7 family shelter will operate with a “low-barrier, trauma-informed and housing-focused approach that prioritizes safety, dignity and pathways to permanent housing for families experiencing homelessness,” the release said.

The facility will offer daily meals, case management and individualized housing navigation, as well as connections to community services offering help with employment, benefits and child care.

“As we move closer to opening The Landing Place, our focus remains on families and creating a space built on dignity, safety, and the chance to rebuild,” Kalamazoo Board of Commissioners Chair Jen Strebs said in a statement. “From the beginning, we’ve put care into building this project around best practices — creating a place where families can be proud to stay, where they feel respected and supported, and a valued part of our community.”

The nonprofit estimates that the project will create more than 20 local jobs.

Family Promise announced its plans to turn the former Country Inn and Suites into transitional family housing in January after initial plans to purchase the Holiday Inn and Suites on Cork Street in Kalamazoo fell through.

“As someone who grew up in Kalamazoo, it’s an honor to see Family Promise play a role in this transformative project,” Family Promise CEO Cheryl Schuch stated. “We have seen how committed this community is to supporting families with children and are thrilled to be able to join with the many dedicated partners doing work every day to strengthen the safety net and create lasting pathways to stability.”

The nonprofit hopes to begin welcoming families to the facility by the end of 2025.