Hey BridgeDetroit readers,
It’s been a challenging couple of weeks in Detroit following the tragic deaths of two children who appear to have frozen to death while unhoused and sheltering in a van.
At the heart of this tragedy are the kids.
Of course, there are the two children who died: 9-year-old Darnell Currie Jr., who loved football, and 2-year-old A’millah Currie, who loved the children’s cartoon Bluey.
As I sat at the Triumph Church during their funeral last week, I couldn’t help but notice the other children in the crowd, too: the girls in pink bows and boys in football jerseys — solemn, wide-eyed and emotional — as they peered into the caskets and watched those around them.
But perhaps the most striking moment was when young pallbearers walked alongside Darnell Jr.’s casket, out of the church into the crisp February air.
I’ve been covering housing instability and homelessness for a few years now in Detroit and this month’s tragedy only magnified the issue residents and service providers have long pointed out: that the homelessness system has cracks, that it’s hard to get help, that Detroiters need more affordable housing.
The circumstances around the children’s deaths prompted Mayor Mike Duggan to call for a review of the city’s homeless response system and protocols.
But as one leader of a homeless service organization told me, the city’s report will show what those who work in the system know.
As we wait for what the city’s internal investigation will reveal, we’ll continue reporting on gaps in the safety nets meant to protect Detroiters facing housing instability.
Let me know where else we should look. If you have struggled to get into shelter in Detroit, let us know. As always, you can reach me at nrahman@freepress.com.
WAIT TIME FOR SHELTER: Among those who received a referral, families spent the most amount of time — 133 days on average in December — on a list waiting to be placed in a shelter. READ MORE.
CHILDREN LAID TO REST: Darnell Jr. and A’millah’s funeral on Thursday captured their childhood. Song and prayer enveloped about 150 mourners as they paid their respects. READ MORE.
VISITATION DRAWS MOURNERS: As Detroiter Kim Dewberry left the New McFall Brothers Funeral Home after a public viewing, she reflected on the need to care for one another — even strangers. Darrell Pickett said he hoped the city paid more attention to homelessness. READ MORE.
On Your Radar
🏠 DOWN PAYMENT PROGRAM: First-generation homebuyers can now apply for down payment assistance through a new statewide program. The Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA) announced the launch of a pilot program offering $25,000 in deferred loans for eligible buyers. READ MORE.
📚 LIBRARY FUNDS MISMATCH: Over the last decade, 18 libraries in Wayne County have been shorted as much as $1.9 million, while 11 saw an influx in cash, all because of staff turnover at the county level and subsequent accounting errors. READ MORE.
🏈 ARENA WORKERS: More than half of arena workers in Detroit are living paycheck to paycheck and nearly a third reported living below the federal poverty line, according to a survey conducted by Wayne State University. READ MORE.