I'm coming up on my 5th year as a resident of Kalamazoo and I gotta' tell you, the moment I moved here I felt like I was at home. I grew up in Rochester Hills, MI and in some way this city is much like that, with a few differences. For one, this city is a little bit more progressive and celebrates inclusion, which is a must. It also has its issues though, with the growing homeless population continuing to be a problem. One long time resident though is saying that if you're thinking about moving to Kalamazoo, Don't.

The Reddit user u/BrokenMillenialKid had a lot to say about the cost of living and the quick crippling effect it's having on the entire developed world as rent/housing prices rise, in a rant on the /kzoo subreddit, saying:

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Kalamazoo is no exception. Rents are rising despite the horrible economy. Speaking of the local economy, it’s still very bad here. Sure, lots of $9-$12 and hour jobs in Kalamazoo. All desperate for workers. Hell, if you haggle they might pay you a sign-on bonus or $13 and hour. This is not enough money to survive in this area. Please, where ever you are, stay out of Kalamazoo and Southwest Michigan.

What Does The Opposition Have To Say?

Another user was quick to break down the argument by offering a suggestion on how to solve the issues in question:

You want housing prices and rent prices to drop? Get involved in local politics and work with zoning committees to limit the number of rentals in a given neighborhood. That will reduce the number of high dollar investors like Blackrock Capital (Not the restaurant) that are buying up houses to turn around and rent.

What do you think? Do you want to see our population continue to grow or do you think people should stay clear?

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