City of Detroit offers Respite Locations and Warming Centers to keep residents safe from the extreme cold

2024
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The City of Detroit is committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of all its residents during these challenging weather conditions

With frigid temperatures already impacting weather conditions, the City of Detroit is reminding residents of available warming centers and respite locations to provide shelter from the cold. The Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries is activating an overnight respite location at 13130 Woodward Avenue starting Friday, December 20, beginning at 6:00 p.m. through Monday, December 23 at 6:00 p.m. Additionally, residents can visit any Detroit recreation center or Detroit Public Library branch during regular operating hours for a place to stay safe and warm. Detroit recreation centers and Detroit Public Libraries will be closed during the holidays.

Warming Centers

Warming centers opened in early November, providing an additional 100 emergency shelter beds for the unhoused during the cold weather months. The warming centers will provide overnight shelter, two meals, showers, sleeping accommodations, and housing assistance services to residents experiencing homelessness.

The warming centers are:

  • Cass Community Social Services - Serves families and women
  • Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries - Serves families and women
  • Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries - Serves single males

Access to Shelters

Currently, the City of Detroit has more than 1,200 shelter and warming center beds it operates with its local partners. Come January 1, 2025, that number will increase to just over 1,400 shelter beds.

Detroit utilizes a coordinated entry process to access shelters and warming centers. Individuals, families, and youth seeking shelter or warming center placements can access the Coordinated Assessment Model (CAM) by calling the City of Detroit’s Housing Services Helpline at 866-313-2520 during the hours of 8:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m., Monday-Friday. Veterans seeking shelter should call 866-313-2520 from 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., Monday - Friday.

Residents also have the option of going to an in-person CAM site located at Cass Community Social Services on 11850 Woodrow Wilson Street, Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.; or NOAH at Central 23 E. Adams on the second floor, Monday through Thursday from 9:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. for an in-person assessment and intake procedure. More information about access to shelter can also be found at https://camdetroit.org/

Holiday Hours – Access to Shelters

During the weeks of December 23 and December 30, the Detroit Housing Resource Helpline and CAM Access Points will be closed Tuesday, December 24 and Wednesday, December 25 in observance of Christmas Eve and Christmas Day as well as Tuesday, December 31 and Wednesday, January 1 in observance of New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.

During the weeks of December 23 and December 30, the Detroit Housing Resource Helpline will be open Monday, Thursday, and Friday 8:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. and Saturday 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. CAM Access Points will be open at Cass Community Services at 11850 Woodrow Wilson, 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m., Monday, Thursday, and Friday and John D Dingell VA Medical Center located at 4646 John R St., 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m., Monday, Thursday and Friday.

Regular business hours for both the Detroit Housing Resource Helpline and in-person Access Points will resume on Monday, January 6.

Helpline Resources

The City of Detroit is committed to not only providing shelter to those who are unhoused but providing resources so those residents can chart a successful path forward. The Detroit Housing Services (DHS) office and the Resource Helpline provides help for those facing housing emergencies. Since opening, DHS has placed 3,284 residents in permanent housing and stabilized 764 households with temporary housing.

DHS and the Helpline can provide help with several housing issues, including:

  • Assistance with finding, applying to, and moving into stable, affordable, and permanent housing
  • Financial assistance to cover moving costs
  • Assistance with employment so residents can remain housed once successfully relocated
  • Property condition complaints, such as no heat 

Individuals who are at risk of being unhoused or are currently unhoused should call the Detroit Housing Resource Helpline at 866-313-2520, Monday – Friday from 8:00 a.m. – 6 :00 p.m. and Saturday from 9:00 a.m. – noon. Depending on needs, individuals will be connected to housing resources that can keep them housed or prevent them from becoming unhoused, or receive emergency shelter assistance.

Respite Locations

The City of Detroit is providing recreation centers and local library branches as respite locations, which are open during normal operating hours.

City of Detroit Recreation Centers

Adams Butzel Complex, 10500 Lyndon
Monday-Friday from 8:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m., Saturday from 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Butzel Family Center, 7737 Kercheval Avenue
Monday-Friday from 11:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m., Closed Saturday

Clemente Recreation Center, 2631 Bagley
Monday-Friday from 1:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m., Closed Saturday

Community Center at AB Ford, 100 Lenox
Monday – Friday from 9:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m., Saturday from 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Crowell Recreation Center, 16630 Lahser
Monday-Friday from 1:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m., Closed Saturday

Farwell Recreation Center, 2711 E. Outer Drive
Monday-Friday from 11:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m., Closed Saturday

Heilmann Recreation Center, 19601 Crusade
Monday-Friday from 8:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m., Saturday from 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Kemeny Recreation Center, 2260 S. Fort
Monday-Friday from 8:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m., Saturday from 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Lasky Recreation Center, 13200 Fenelon
Monday-Friday from 1:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m., Closed Saturday

Northwest Activities Center, 18100 Meyers
Monday-Friday from 8:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m., Saturday from 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Patton Recreation Center, 2301 Woodmere
Monday-Friday, from 8:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m., Saturday from 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Detroit Public Library Branches

Additionally, all Detroit Public Library branches are available during their normal operating hours for residents to stay warm. The Main Library is open Monday, Thursday-Saturday from 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.; Tuesday and Wednesday from noon – 8:00 p.m.; Sundays from 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. To determine hours for the library branches, go online to detroitpubliclibrary.org.