DETROIT (WXYZ) — The City of Detroit, Gilbert Family Foundation (GFF), and CHN Housing Partners have partnered to improve the way Detroiters access housing resources and services through a new centralized hotline and a $10 million investment from the GFF.
“The City and its partners offer a lot of great services to help Detroiters with their housing needs, but they don’t mean much if people don’t know how to access them,” said Mayor Mike Duggan. “Thanks to the efforts of our partners and the generous support of the Gilbert Family Foundation, we now have a simple process to guide residents to the right housing resource and a growing number of programs to help them.”
The Detroit Housing Resource HelpLine at 866-313-2520 will serve as a key entry point for Detroiters seeking housing-related services. The hotline is only available to Detroit residents.
The hotline was created as part of the $203 million affordable housing plan Mayor Duggan announced last year.
“Through the HelpLine, homeowners and homebuyers can access an array of resources available through the Detroit Housing Network, such as property tax foreclosure counseling, connections to home repair services, homebuyer preparation counseling and education, assistance with property tax issues and financial counseling. The HelpLine will also connect renters to resources, such as legal assistance for evictions and support to report poor rental property conditions. Residents can also connect to financial counseling and secure employment assistance through the HelpLine. These renter programs include resources available through the City as well as previous Gilbert Family Foundation investments like the Detroit Eviction Defense Fund,” the City said in a press release Thursday.
The $10 million investment from the Gilbert Family Foundation will be used to increase housing stability, opportunities for affordable homeownership and economic mobility for Detroiters.
“This investment from the Gilbert Family Foundation, along with leadership of the City of Detroit and the collaboration of our Detroit Housing Network Members, is setting a foundation for a more systemic approach to housing service delivery and policy in Detroit,” said Kevin Nowak, Executive Director of CHN Housing Partners.
The city of Detroit’s Mayor’s Office and Housing and Revitalization Department led the initiative with operational support provided by Wayne Metro Community Action Agency.
“We are incredibly excited to offer these resources to residents that provide a renewed focus on access and customer service,” said Julie Schneider, director of the City Housing and Revitalization Department. “The creation of the Detroit Housing Network and the HelpLine will provide residents one-on-one support to navigate community resources and get closer to reaching their housing goals.”
The hotline will be accessible to Detroiters Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Members of the Detroit Housing Resource HelpLine will be staffed to answer calls.
“Every Detroiter deserves access to safe, stable and healthy housing, as part of their journey toward economic mobility and financial freedom,” said Laura Grannemann, Executive Director of the Gilbert Family Foundation. This partnership with the Detroit Housing Network and the City of Detroit creates a new front door for housing services, dramatically simplifying the complex process of connecting with housing resources and expanding services to homeowners and renters alike.”
To access the Detroit Housing Resource HelpLine, call (866) 313-2520. To learn more about the Detroit Housing Network, please visit DetroitHousingNetwork.org.
