Detroit's Housing Services Helpline has increased capacity to help people facing homelessness
(CBS DETROIT) - People experiencing or facing homelessness in Metro Detroit will now be able to get help faster.
The City of Detroit's Housing Services Helpline has increased staffing and resources to cut down on wait times and help people get access to assistance faster.
Officials with the City of Detroit said they have now doubled the housing assistance staff of CAM, a homeless service entry point, by partnering with Wayne Metro Community Action Agency and the Homeless Action Network of Detroit. They have also expanded the hours that people can call in to get help with housing to now include Saturdays and longer hours during the week, which are from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
"The objective here is to keep you housed if you're not yet displaced, but if you have been displaced, see what other programs may exist to address your need," said David Bowser, Chief of Housing Solutions and Support Services for the City of Detroit. "So what we're trying to do is reach as far upstream as possible or make you aware of resources that can keep you housed. That's exactly what the helpline integration does here."
That is another key change: People do not need to be homeless to call the helpline and get assistance. Services will be provided to help prevent people from becoming homeless.
Wayne Metro Community Action Agency will be handling the calls coming into the helpline to get people routed to the assistance and services available.
"We have about 100 staff at our call center. People, when they call, they get direct assistance, our wait times are less than five minutes, and we have over 100 people on that call center on a daily basis," said Wayne Metro Community Action Agency CEO Louis Piszker.
If you are facing homelessness or need other assistance, you can call the housing helpline at 866-313-2520.