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SOS Housing Crisis Center
Address:
114 N. River
Ypsilanti, MI 48198
Phone: 734.484.4300
Fax: 734.485.8739
HOUSING CRISIS LINE:
734.484.4300
M-F, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Walk-In Hours:
M, Tu, Th, F: 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
W: 9 a.m. - 8 p.m.
Kasia Kolnowski assists
a community member by phone. |
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Housing Crisis Services
What are Housing Crisis Services?
The Housing Crisis team provides information and referral services,
short-term crisis counseling, limited financial assistance when funding is available, and coordination of services with other agencies serving
families and individuals experiencing housing difficulties.
Such
difficulties may include problems with landlords, unsafe housing, the
need for shelter, the need to find affordable housing, or eviction
prevention. In addition, the housing crisis team conducts the initial
screening for the SOS Prospect Place Family Shelter Program.
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Who receives Housing Crisis
Services?
Housing Crisis Services assists families and individuals who reside
in or are moving to Washtenaw County.
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What are Eviction Prevention and
Housing Relocation services?
Eviction Prevention helps families and individuals who have been served
with an eviction notice to maintain housing by providing financial
assistance for a portion of their rent. This assistance depends on availability of funds.
Housing Relocation helps homeless families to obtain housing with financial assistance for a portion of the rent on a new apartment. This assistance depends on availability of funds.
Housing Crisis Services will work with families to identify other
sources of financial assistance.
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Who is eligible for Eviction
Prevention and Housing Relocation services?
Families are eligible for financial assistance if they have:
- an income that will help them to sustain their
housing
- an eviction notice of seven days (only for families
needing eviction prevention assistance)
Families are eligible for financial assistance once every 12 months.
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What if families need emergency
shelter?
Housing Crisis Services can refer consumers to emergency shelters
within and outside of Washtenaw County, usually in the Detroit or
Jackson area. If families need transportation to shelters outside of the county, Housing Crisis Services will provide transportation. (Transportation assistance is dependent upon available funding.)
When there are openings, Housing Crisis Services screens
families for the SOS Prospect Place Family Shelter.
Families are then referred to Prospect Place Family Shelter staff for a
comprehensive intake and assessment.
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What are some of the reasons that
families seek assistance?
Lack of Affordable Housing--Many families cannot
afford housing in Washtenaw County. Due to the lack of affordable
housing options, families are often forced to spend more than 75% of their total income for housing.
Lack of Family Emergency Shelters--In Washtenaw
County, there are three homeless family shelters for families who are
not in a domestic violence situation and who are over the age of 18.
These shelters have approximately 17 family units. Many families are
forced to seek emergency shelter outside of Washtenaw County. When
families move out of the county to be housed in emergency shelters,
adult family members may lose their jobs. Children are uprooted from
their schools and friendship networks.
Challenges in Renting Apartments--Some landlords
and apartment complexes are biased against families with poor credit
records, large families, disabilities, etc. Housing Crisis Services
team members work with consumers to identify alternative housing
options and refer them to legal advocacy support if they suspect
discrimination.
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How do people access our services?
We are located at 114 North River Street in Ypsilanti. The Housing
Crisis Services' phone hours are Monday through Friday 9:00 a.m. to
5:00 p.m. We can be reached at (734) 484-4300. Housing Crisis Services
team members are available to meet in person with families from 9:00
a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, and 9:00 a.m.
to 8:00 p.m. Wednesdays.
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