Detroit transitional housing faces closure amid tragedy and zoning issues

Transitional housing in Detroit faces closure

On Thursday, it was said that the transitional housing facility is being shut down. Arvin Walker runs this transitional housing facility on Detroit?s west side on his blood, sweat, and tears.

DETROIT (FOX 2) - It was the place that housed the family involved in the horrible tragedy at Greektown Casino parking garage, after two children likely froze to death.

What they're saying:

On Thursday, it was said that the transitional housing facility is being shut down.

Arvin Walker runs this transitional housing facility on Detroit’s west side on his blood, sweat, and tears.

"For them to attack us like that is wrong," Walker said through tears.

Those people include Raven and Laniajah Wood, as well as Eileen Hammond, who has lived here a year.

"It will be hard to find some place to go. I’ll be outside looking in," said Hammond.

The backstory:

'Detroit Power Detroit Community Outreach' made headlines in February when it became the safe haven for a homeless family, after the tragic loss of two children, 9 and 2 years old, who likely froze to death in their van in a Greektown park structure.

"How was it okay for them to bring them here, and now that they don’t need us anymore, all the rest of our residents need to leave? That’s very unfair," said Verkeydia Hall from Detroit Power Detroit Community Outreach.

What's next:

Higher-ups are ready to fight the city in court on Thursday, who were seeking to have them shut down and get into compliance with zoning issues. Those issues that have been ongoing since 2023 and could put residents at risk.

"They did not have a permit, they did not have a certificate of occupancy, they did not have fire suppression equipment as required by the ordinance, and they did not have a license from the State of Michigan to provide homeless services," said Conrad Mallett with the Corporation Counsel.

A judge granted the city’s request three times after continued violations, but the facility says they tried to comply and want to work with them.

"We will ask the judge for more time to move these people into a safe, secure, appropriate environment, but they are not in a safe and secure appropriate environment now," Mallett said.

The city vows to help re-home the residents if that’s what it comes down to.

The hearing is Thursday at 11 a.m., so by early afternoon, they’ll have a better idea of what the next step is.

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