By Linda Little & Adam Hollier
Detroit is on the brink of a housing crisis. The signs are there: record inflation rates; skyrocketing housing prices that outpace home valuations—making it difficult to secure mortgages; exponential increases in rental rates coupled with the end to eviction moratoriums. According to the US Census Bureau (www.census.gov), Detroit’s median household income of $32,498 is a little over half of the state median income of $59,234 making housing unaffordable for not just the 39% of people living in poverty, but a growing working population unable to find adequate housing. Too many Michiganders are working full time jobs and can’t afford to buy or rent a home. An increasing number of individuals and families are slipping into homelessness…and the safety net is not able to help them. The strategic concept of combining much-needed healthcare with critical wrap around services gives those in need key access to comprehensive safety-net services.
The Neighborhood Service Organization (NSO), a firm that delivers holistic care and wrap-around/safety net services to address social determinants impacting health, education, and economic stability, has successfully combined primary health care with behavioral health services to come up with a strategic program aimed at providing much needed medical attention, support and aid to vulnerable populations based in the Detroit metropolitan area. ![]() NSO sends a sincere thank you to Cass Technical High School’s PTSA members and President Veronica Seatts for their kindheartedness. The cold weather items they donated will certainly help our residents stay warm when they venture outside as the temperatures in Metro Detroit have been below freezing for over a week. Great job, Technicians! The last two years have seen enormous challenges for Michiganders. However, the health crisis facing underserved members of our community reached a critical point well before the pandemic. Black Michiganders are more likely to have hypertension or diabetes than whites, and have a lower overall life expectancy. These disparities were exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, where, similar to other states, people of color have been more likely to be infected by or die from COVID-19.
![]() We are immensely grateful to Josie Norcia, and Monique Marks for their support of NSO. With so many in need right now, it’s a blessing for NSO to be the beneficiary of their generosity. United Way for Southeastern Michigan (UWSEM) volunteer engagement manager, Matt Maillard, delivered the items chosen directly from our Welcome Home Wish List that included coffee pots, cookware, dishes, utensils, and other basic household items. United Way for Southeastern Michigan helped collect and deliver the items chosen directly from our Welcome Home Wish List that included coffee pots, cookware, dishes, utensils, and other basic household items. ![]() City of Detroit Chief Operating Office Hakim Berry has enjoyed a distinguished career. Prior to his appointment as the City of Detroit's COO, Berry served as the city's Labor Relations Director leading bargaining negotiations for Detroit's police unions and bargaining for operational improvements that restored pay equity and benefits lost during the city's bankruptcy. As one of NSO's newest board members, Berry brings a wealth of expertise and experience to the position. ![]() NSO thanks the Hour Generation Foundation for providing warmth to clients living in our shelter. Many consumers come with only the clothes on their backs and without basic need items. The Hour Generation Foundation provided over 100 clothing items which will cover the needs of these individuals for some time. During the peak of the pandemic, the medical needs of our shelter clients became very apparent. After relocating the Tumaini Center to a larger space to allow us to adhere to CDC safety protocols, we decided to shift our model of service delivery to meet the needs of our clients. The birth of the Detroit Healthy Housing Center was the start of a new era at NSO, where we have fully embraced the complexity of the unique population that we are honored to serve.
![]() In July of 2021, a young couple in their early 20’s arrived at the shelter after moving from out of state to stay with a relative who took their rent money and then evicted them after only few days. The couple was devastated, which was compounded by the fact that the young woman was pregnant. Because she had moved to Michigan from another state, she did not have Michigan Medicaid and was not receiving any prenatal care. ![]() I am pleased to announce that Debra Williams has agreed to serve as the COO of NSO! Debra has a wealth of experience as a chief human resource and business operations executive. She has expertise in transformative leadership and performance management. In addition to the COO responsibilities, Debra will continue to provide oversight for Human Resources. |
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June 2022
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