Detroit streamlining homelessness issues through new help line

DETROIT (FOX 2) - Efforts to reduce homelessness have been running full-steam in Detroit. 

Yet, for those involved in finding affordable housing and connecting people with shelters and other services, it still isn't enough to keep up with the surge in demand. 

"We have worked so hard, and the city is and a lot of partners are working on reducing the number of homelessness," said Dr. Chad Audi with Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries, "yet, the numbers as we see it, and I hope I'm wrong, is going up and that's a real problem."

The ending of social service programs tied to the pandemic, as well as the sunsetting of a moratorium on evictions is partly to blame. There's also not enough affordable housing in the city, despite new apartment announcements in downtown and midtown Detroit.

Raynique Steen's recent experience with homelessness was her first. 

The pregnant mother of four is now living in a shelter through Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries after a domestic violence incident forced her family to leave. But when she called for help, she was left on hold for two hours. 

"Just for someone to tell me that all locations were full and to call back tomorrow," said Steen.

It's an experience that many face. Sometimes it's because there's not enough bed available - and sometimes it's because there's no one to answer the phone at all. Detroit says that's now changing.

"I think we're just getting started, but we're now partnering with the city of Detroit's Housing Resource Helpline, which brings new resources and sort of integrates these two call lines," said Scott Jackson, a coordinated entry manager at the Homeless Action Network of Detroit.

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Launched in May, the Housing Services Helpline - which can be reached at 866-313-2520 - is handling emergency calls through Wayne Metro Call Center. 

"People when they call they get direct assistance. Our wait times are less than five minutes and we have over a hundred people on that call center on a daily basis," said Louis Piscker, the CEO of the agency. "To date, we've taken almost 52,000 calls for assistance, just for homeless services."

The services could be legal resources for evictions and foreclosures, or to report poor rental property conditions. 

"We are seeing that evictions are leading to quite a few people being displaced right now," said David Bowser, chief of housing solutions for the city. "With resources like that, we hope to really decrease the number of folks who are actually needing emergency shelter."

The line will be available from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to noon.