[kristineelise]

I used to work in the remodeling business in Kalamazoo and there are some seriously bad areas in that city that you need to be careful to avoid. Downtown Kalamazoo has a homeless problem and hosts a shelter next to the train station if you draw a 15 block radius around that you need to stay out of that area, unless you find a high end loft thats been rehabed. Then make sure you stay away from North of town, that is the ghetto, and the east side as well. Both these areas are gang land and have drugs and shootings regularly. The west side is okay and the southside is okay.There are also some historic homes in the student ghetto area on the west side of Westnedge that are okay but you need to stay west of Westnedge and south of Michigan.

[AandW1121]

The south side is getting pretty bad lately. There has been some breaking and entering and breaking in with weapons in the last year. Basically you don't want to be near downtown, the rest of Kalamazoo is really safe, in my opinion. All the smaller towns surrounding Kalamazoo are safe. If I were you, I would just stay out of the city.

I wanted to add that recently Kalamazoo's economy has been looking up. I've been going to some job fairs here and the companies have all been saying that the last quarter has been looking really good. Just a glipse of hope...