We offer various types of housing subsidies that serve homeless persons with severe and persistent mental illness or chronically homeless persons without a disabling condition. Our Rental Assistance Program (RAP) oversees the distribution of available rental subsidies. The compliance department verifies the eligibility and income of each applicant. Persons eligible for rental assistance pay no more than 30% of their income toward rent.

• Shelter Plus Care (S+C) provides rental assistance combined with support services. Eligibility criteria include chronic homelessness and severe mental illness.
• Tenant-Based Rental Assistance (TBRA) provides short-term rental assistance for chronically homeless individuals with disabilities who have a good chance of achieving housing stability within 12-24 months.
• Homeless Assistance Recovery Program (HARP): We are the lead agency that works with local homeless service providers to identify and refer homeless applicants to HARP.

We help people of all backgrounds, including veterans, youth and families. All our supportive housing staff are trained in our guiding philosophy of recovery and wellness, person-centered treatment planning, and community inclusion of those we serve.

Our program provides both housing and supportive services to enable and empower the person to change his or her life. These supportive services address the mental health, substance abuse, life skills, educational, employment and other issues that challenge the individual. The array of services are provided by Southwest Counseling Solutions and numerous partner agencies that have come together in this comprehensive effort to treat the underlying conditions of homelessness.

One third of our staff are peer specialists who know firsthand the experience of homelessness and recovery from serious mental illness and substance abuse. We have more than 20 peer specialists who are in a unique position to assist and encourage the homeless persons who enter our programs. 

Our Housing Resource Center is at 1600 Porter St., Detroit, 48216. Contact us at 313.963.6601 or email us.

   Results

• Helped 974 chronically homeless persons and families obtain housing in past seven years, including 109 in 2012
• 94% of those helped into housing have remained in permanent housing for more than six months
• Provided outreach to 971 homeless individuals and families in 2012 \
• Provided support services to 184 formerly homeless veterans at Piquette Square; 92% of the Piquette veterans report they are “significantly better off” since they moved in; half have participated in a job-readiness programs
• 92% of the Piquette veterans report they are “significantly better off” since they moved in; half have participated in a job readiness program; one-fifth obtained employment; 24 enrolled in school to pursue a degree
• Continued to provide support to 280 formerly homeless individuals and families
• Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) program served 673 individuals; provided rapid rehousing services to 352 and homelessness prevention services to 115; 94% of those served have household income below 30% of AMI
• National award for “Excellence in Innovation” in 2009 from National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare
• 93% success rate in housing homeless individuals with mental illness or addiction ⎯ the highest success rate among 500 programs in the nation (2009 statistic)

We help people of all backgrounds, including veterans, youth and families. All our supportive housing staff are trained in our guiding philosophy of recovery and wellness, person-centered treatment planning, and community inclusion of those we serve.

We take a Housing First approach. We believe it is imperative to first provide housing to the homeless person, and then offer the mental health counseling and substance abuse treatment that the person needs to pull his or her life together and reintegrate into society. Almost all of these individuals receive supportive services within three months of being housed, and these services are geared to the particular needs of the individual. Each individual also creates a personal plan to attain several key goals. Within a year, 90% of those we serve in our supportive housing program reach at least one of their life-changing aims.