Ahead of winter, City of Detroit lays out comprehensive housing and shelter plan to keep residents safe

2024
  • Services include respite locations and warming centers for the general public, shelters for unhoused populations and a fully staffed housing helpline for Detroiters facing all types of housing issues, including no heat at apartment buildings.

 

With temperatures already starting to dip below freezing, the City of Detroit is reminding residents of resources available to not only provide protection from the cold, but to address housing security and other needs.

With that in mind, Chief Public Health Officer Denise Fair Razo has declared a cold weather health emergency and is activating overnight respite locations at two recreation centers for 24 hours.

On Thursday, December 5 beginning at 5 p.m. through Friday, December 6 at 5 p.m., Farwell Recreation Center, 2711 E. Outer Drive, and Joseph Walker Williams Recreation Center, 8431 Rosa Parks Blvd., will be open for residents needing a place to escape the cold.

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 a.m. - 6 p.m., Monday-Friday. Veterans seeking shelter should call 866-313-2520 from 8 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 a.m. – 6 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/

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 a.m. - 6 p.m. and Saturday from 9 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
In addition to the overnight warming centers and overnight respite locations listed above, the City of Detroit is providing recreation centers as respite locations, which are open during normal operating hours.

City of Detroit Recreation Centers
Adams Butzel Complex, 10500 Lyndon
Monday-Friday from 8 a.m.– 9 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

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

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

Community Center at AB Ford, 100 Lenox
Monday – Friday from 9 a.m.-7 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

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

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

Heilmann Recreation Center, 19601 Crusade
Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. – 9 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

Kemeny Recreation Center, 2260 S. Fort
Monday-Friday from 8 a.m.– 9 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

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

Northwest Activities Center, 18100 Meyers
Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. – 9 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Patton Recreation Center, 2301 Woodmere
Monday-Friday, from 8 a.m. – 9 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m.-6 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 and Thursday-Saturday from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m., Tuesday and Wednesday from noon - 8 p.m. and Sundays from 1 - 5 p.m. To determine hours for the library branches, go online to detroitpubliclibrary.org.