Two homes in Kalamazoo were purchased by KPEP to provide expanded housing services for parolees. Base housing is a housing option funded through W.E. Upjohn Institute Prisoner Reentry initiative for parolees. Along the housing continuum, this is an opportunity to bridge the gap between a residential placement and the parolee securing their own housing.
The homes are fully furnished, allowing parolees without housing to move in. Those in base housing work with their parole officer to gain resources necessary to transition from base housing to living on their own. This is oftentimes used for those who are successfully functioning on parole but need a bit of time to save the resources necessary to live on their own.
Parolee Don Nash has been a resident in the house adjacent to the KPEP Olmstead Road facility. After his release from prison, he found the housing opportunity to be helpful to him in making the transition. “After 10-1/2 years in prison, coming out was kind of overwhelming.” he commented. Nash will be leaving the house soon and has been apartment hunting, in addition to working two jobs.