KALAMAZOO COUNTY, MI — Government officials are considering spending $15,000 on a unique solution for homeless individuals who have nowhere to store their belongings.

People can be seen dragging luggage and other items on sidewalks and streets in Kalamazoo. Some spend their nights at the Kalamazoo Gospel Ministries, a facility that doesn’t allow those in the emergency shelter to stay during the day.

At the Kalamazoo County Board of Commissioners meeting on Nov. 5, Board Chair Jen Strebs brought up an idea to use $15,000 in ARPA stimulus funds to secure locked storage bins to be placed outside at Ministry with Community, a daytime shelter north of downtown.

Strebs said the issue was discussed during meetings with the Continuum of Care and other community partners.

“We were talking about

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