Hey BridgeDetroit readers!
Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to visit downtown Detroit for the NFL Draft this week. It got us wondering: What will happen to Detroiters experiencing homelessness in the area?
At the end of March, there were 52 people living unsheltered in the downtown area based on estimates from street outreach teams, according to the Homeless Action Network of Detroit (HAND).
Reaching people amid the crowds and road closures and potential displacement is on the minds of homeless service providers.
The city of Detroit says there is an existing plan in place for people facing homelessness who may be affected by the event. Over the past year, Detroit has ramped up its safety net — including 24/7 street outreach and more shelter beds — for those experiencing homelessness and that will continue long after the draft, according to the city and service providers.
The April 25-27 NFL Draft is slated to be one of the biggest sports events in decades in the city, officials have said. The event’s footprint extends from Campus Martius to Hart Plaza and road closures have already begun.
NFL Draft: Food rescue needs volunteers
The nonprofit Metro Food Rescue is looking for volunteers to help collect food for social service agencies as part of the NFL Draft in Detroit.
Metro Food Rescue will pick up prepared and unserved food, drinks and snacks from vendors and catering services in the NFL Draft area until May 6.
The organization anticipates rescuing enough food for as many as 30,000 meals — the largest single event Metro Food Rescue has worked with. The food will go toward area organizations addressing an increased need for food assistance.
On Your Radar
🏚️ SENIOR HOUSING: Seniors living in rental housing in Detroit are dealing with mold infestation, vermin, lack of heat and inadequate security measures. That’s according to residents and advocates who gathered last week to raise the alarm about Detroit seniors facing poor living conditions in apartment complexes throughout the city. Read more.
📈 DETROIT HOME VALUES: In the years since the city of Detroit’s municipal bankruptcy, home values grew by $3.9 billion and Black homeowners saw their housing wealth increase by $2.8 billion, a report by the University of Michigan’s Poverty Solutions initiative found. Learn more.
🏠 LEGAL AID ENDING: Since 2020, the state poured millions of dollars into legal aid organizations to deploy attorneys across courtrooms to keep families and individuals on the edge of eviction housed. From 2020 to 2023, the program averted more than 28,500 evictions. The federal money to pay lawyers is running out and there is no source of long-term funding in sight to continue. The loss of funding will likely increase evictions. Learn more.
👩🏽⚕️ FREE HEALTH SCREENINGS: Focus: HOPE, Wayne Health Mobile Unit and Ascension Michigan are offering free mobile health services and mammograms at food centers throughout the year until fall. The mobile services will be available once a month and there are no eligibility requirements. Learn more.
💻 BENEFITS TRACKER: Michiganders waiting for updates on applications for Medicaid, food assistance or other benefits can now keep tabs through an online tracker. Learn more.
🏡 HOUSING SURVEY: The City of Detroit is conducting surveys to understand the housing needs of Detroiters with disabilities. Here is the housing survey for residents with disabilities and another survey for caretakers.
As always, you can reach me at nrahman@freepress.com!
Nushrat Rahman
Economic Mobility Reporter, BridgeDetroit and Detroit Free Press
