National Church Residences Closes Funding for Spring Valley Crossing – A Major Win for Affordable Senior Housing in Kalamazoo

KALAMAZOO, MI (November 12, 2025) — National Church Residences has announced the successful financial closing for Spring Valley Crossing, an affordable senior community located at 2535 Mount Olivet Road in Kalamazoo, MI. The development represents a significant step forward in preserving and modernizing affordable housing for seniors ages 62 and older, while honoring Kalamazoo’s long-standing connection to housing innovation. It is also the first National Church Residences’ project to close funding that includes the Green and Resilient Retrofit Program (GRRP).

The GRRP provides funding for retrofitted HUD-assisted properties to make significant improvements in energy efficiency and sustainable housing practices. National Church Residences received $3.36 million under the Leading Edge cohort.

Spring Valley Crossing features 55 one-bedroom apartment homes, including three accessible units, Plans call for a substantial renovation valued at $96,000 per unit. The redevelopment will reduce the property’s energy consumption by 32%, introduce free Wi-Fi and digital literacy programs for residents, and significantly upgrade all units, with no change to existing rent levels.

The community will offer an on-site service coordinator, fitness center, outdoor patio and walking path. Of note, Spring Valley Crossing is the first project in the country approved to use HUD’s $27 per-unit-per-month Supportive Services Fee to fund internet access for residents and provide for a digital navigation program to teach online skills and digital safety. This innovation, achieved in partnership with LeadingAge’s advocacy, could set a precedent for future HUD programs to include Wi-Fi as a standard supportive service.

Spring Valley Crossing is located directly across from Spring Valley Park offering residents access to many additional recreational amenities. The park is an area with deep roots in affordable housing history. In 1970, 30 acres of the park were sold to HUD as part of the Operation Breakthrough program, a nationwide initiative that tested innovative building materials and construction methods to advance affordable housing production. Today, National Church Residences continues this legacy of innovation.

The financial closing of Spring Valley Crossing moved forward despite multiple delays caused by the freeze on funding earlier in 2025 and the more recent government shutdown. National Church Residences worked closely with its partners, including LeadingAge and Stewards of Affordable Housing for the Future (SAHF) to keep the project moving towards the closing of funding.

“The success of Spring Valley Crossing shows the power of collaboration. Despite delays, our teams and partners never lost sight of the mission. Together we’ve created a model for how strong partnerships and creative problem-solving can preserve affordable housing and strengthen communities,” said Susan DiMckele, President and CEO of National Church Residences. “We’re ensuring that Spring Valley Crossing remains safe, stable, and affordable for the seniors who call it home.”

Construction on Spring Valley Crossing will begin in November, with completion anticipated in October 2026. The project’s Total Development Cost (TDC) is $8.7 million, with $5.4 million dedicated to construction. Confirmed funding sources include an FHA 221(d)(4) loan provided by Lument, and support from the HUD Green and Resilient Retrofit Program (GRRP). The development team includes Alliance Architects as the architect and First Contracting as the general contractor.

“This was a huge win for the community,” said Stephanie Rhodes, Senior Portfolio Manager at National Church Residences. “Thanks to the tireless advocacy of our partners, including LeadingAge and the Stewards of Affordable Housing for the Future (SAHF), we overcame significant roadblocks over the past

year to make this closing possible. Just six months ago, it wasn’t clear that a path forward existed, but collaboration, creativity, and persistence brought this vision to life.”

Over the years, National Church Residences, LeadingAge, and SAHF have worked together to create pathways for aging affordable housing communities by:

• Advocating for PRAC properties to utilize the Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) program.
• Securing congressional funding to leverage additional debt through rent adjustments.
• Protecting access to preservation funds, such as GRRP, which are critical to insuring aging affordable housing remains sustainable for the future.

This closing represents the relationships built with HUD staff, whose dedication, flexibility, and problem-solving made the transaction possible, even amid a federal government shutdown.

With 16 communities currently operating across the state of Michigan, National Church Residences continues to advance its mission to provide high-quality, affordable housing for older adults, helping seniors live healthier, more connected lives in communities they are proud to call home.

About National Church Residences

Originating from a Christian commitment of service, National Church Residences provides an array of health care services and a variety of housing options to 65,000 seniors. The nonprofit organization is driven by a vision to scale for mission impact by advancing better living for 100,000 seniors by 2030, wherever they call home. With more than 350 communities across the United States, it is the nation’s largest nonprofit provider of affordable senior housing and the largest manager of service coordinators.

The organization also offers a variety of additional senior living options, home and community-based services, as well as permanent supportive housing for the formerly homeless and disabled. For more information, visit us at NationalChurchResidences.org and follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube.

CONTACT:

Chris Herbert, Public Relations

[email protected]

###