- Lansing's warming center faced criticism last year for not allowing overnight sleeping.
- The city has partnered with Holy Cross to provide a more permanent solution this year.
- The Holy Cross New Hope Community Center will add 70 beds daily, expanding to 100 beds during colder months.
- The city allocated $800,000 from the state to fund the expansion.
- Advocates and homeless individuals see this as a positive step, though not a complete solution.
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For the sake of protecting his privacy, we'll call him Mike. He said he's been homeless for about a year, after losing his job. Now he spends most nights sleeping on a self made cot in Downtown Lansing.
“I wish I had a bed, I mean its uncomfortable, but I try and make it as comfortable as possible,” Mike said.
According to state data, more than 32,000 people, like Mike, are experiencing homelessness in Michigan, and as the colder months approach, conversations around Lansing’s Warming center are coming back to surface.
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“It just seemed kinda rushed last year and it seemed like it was put together last moment,” said advocate Luna Brown.
Brown was one of several advocates voicing their concerns about Lansing's warming center last year. You may remember after the City secured $800,000 from the state, the Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries was chosen to run the warming center. The city got some backlash because the location, the Letts Community Center, did not provide beds.
“It was an overnight warming center, but people weren't allowed to sleep there,” Brown said.
This year, city officials said the warming center will have a new look.
“We will not have the warming center at the Letts this year, we are really pleased to have partnered with the Holy Cross for a more long term option,” said Director of Lansing’s Human Relations and Community Services Kim Coleman.
That long term option involves an expansion to the Holy Cross New Hope Community Center, which will be equipped with an additional 70 beds daily and up to 100 beds during frigid temperatures.
The city has decided to allocate the $800,000 they secured from the state to make this happen.
“We're anxious and excited about having a place for people to go,” Coleman said.
“It's not fixing the problem completely, but it is a step in the direction and its needed,” Brown said.
“It's good to know because they could use more beds, they have a lot of people who want to get in there,” Mike said.
The city said Holy Cross will have an additional 50 beds available next month for this Winter. Once the expansion is done, thats when the 100 beds will be available in 2025.
