A Field of Housing Opportunities: Portage Road/Lake Center Housing Development

A 14-acre vacant parcel of city-owned land at 9617 Portage Road offers the potential to create a new workforce housing neighborhood as part of a public, private, and non-profit collaboration. The City Council recently approved an agreement with AVB Inc. to develop approximately 60 single-family homes on the property just south of beautiful Lakeview Park. Current plans call for a mix of two- and three-bedroom homes with both ranch and two-story options.

On May 16, 2023, Kalamazoo County Commissioners voted to fund up to $3M of the project through the “Housing for All” Millage dollars. These funds, along with previously committed dollars from the City of Portage and Kalamazoo County American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) allocations, will help bring down the purchase price for potential homebuyers. To be eligible to purchase a home in the new development, prospective homebuyers must be within the 80-120% range of area median income, and they will need to participate in the same KNHS homebuyer education and credit counseling required for the homes on Oakland Drive. The City of Portage plans to put the parcel in a community land trust, which will allow the homes to be sold at affordable prices to middle-income homebuyers and ensure the same level of affordability through future sales.

To view the conceptual plans for the Portage Road/Lake Center Housing Development, please go to the Development Plan page.

To learn more about this project please go to the City’s website.   VISIT WEBSITE