Kalamazoo Contractors & Developers Connect (KCDC)

Description

Kalamazoo Contractors and Developers Connect (KCDC) 1st Friday Coffee welcomes a very special guest on October 4th: Lieutenant Governor Garlin Gilchrist. 

As our KCDC members continue to study for their builders license exam, we've had several dicussions around barriers to entering the construction industry. As we all know, the labor shortage has greatly affected many aspects of our industry, including affordable housing. Our intent is to get as many skilled workers as possible into the industry. If they can own their own business and create generational wealth while they’re at it, all the better.

This goal also aligns with Michigan’s first Statewide Housing Plan (released in 2022). The Regional Housing Partnerships are tasked with building a connected, collaborative housing ecosystem to address the affordability housing crisis in their communities. One of our region's (Region J) top tier goals is: to “Identify and advocate for modifications to policies and practices to remove barriers across the housing continuum for BIPOC, immigrants, migrants, refugees, people with disabilities, LGBTQ+, those with low incomes, and other marginalized populations.” 

So that begs the question: Did you also experience any barriers? Do you have ideas on how KCDC can help bridge the gap? We want to hear from the KCDC members and those in the construction industry.

RSVP required. Capacity of 65. 

Kalamazoo Contractors and Developers Connect (KCDC) 1st Friday Coffee is intended to be a networking event to connect local builders, developers, and trades people (with a focus on minority-owned businesses) with local community organizations who are there to support local businesses and help them grow.