Imagine a shelter with humane, respectful accommodations, personal advocacy, and collaborations with all service providers. Both a structure and a program are centered on integrated care. A place so empowering that even the chronically homeless individuals stayed engaged and resolve their homelessness.

This is HOPE Shelters. 

Historically, we have been an advocacy-centered organization that puts people's needs first.
  • 1998 a grassroots response to a homeless person freezing to death on the streets of Pontiac. This happened because no one under the influence could be in the shelter that primarily served as a drug and alcohol rehabilitation. 
  • Volunteers funded and staffed the area's first "low-barrier shelter." (Serving all, even if they have a criminal background or sobriety issues.) 
  • Case management was added to the shelter. 



This is a place of healing.  WHY? 

Because the trauma and mental anguish of losing your housing is so devastating. It impacts every aspect of who you are. The old style of shelter added to the discomfort and personal pain because of the large room filled to capacity. It was loud, chaotic, and lacked privacy. We understand this and it is time for a change!

That time is coming...

We have a unique opportunity to make the biggest impact for people experiencing homelessness.
  • Private accommodations -- private bedroom, bathroom, and HVAC
  • Integrated healthcare inside the building
  • Personalized case management to solve your actual issues
  • Accessible aftercare to help you keep meeting the needs of your life

The opportunity started as a federal plan to save costs during future pandemics -- isolating people in the shelter rather than in motel rooms.  The HOPE Shelters vision reaches way beyond that. A private room, bathroom, and HVAC helps eliminate the obstacles to serving the most complex needs of those experiencing homelessness chronically. (These folks often leave too quickly because the shelter is chaotic, laud, lacking privacy, etc. A private room gives you a safe space away from all that.)

Our plan consists of a dual focus: 
  1. Build a more dignified shelter
  2. Build a more comprehensive program

First, the Building: 
  • Stante has designed a building that addresses the needs of our guests
  • Sachse is our construction management firm to control costs and time
  • The funding stack is planned like this:
    • $7M Federal ARPA funding via Oakland County
    • $3M New Market Tax Credits
    • $4M in various Naming Rights
    • $4M from private donors and foundations
Second, the Program:
  • More case management -- evening and weekend case managers
  • More collaborative partners serving inside the building
  • Full Commercial Kitchen and Free Food Sources to help Meal Host Groups
  • More rooms to accommodate 25% more people, more effectively
  • A Volunteer Training Program to put Service Navigators throughout the county
  • A seasonal plan to add 50% capacity in extreme weather
No one experiencing homelessness escapes trauma. Can you imagine yourself becoming homeless? 
  • an eviction means that your prized possessions were placed outside on the ground with no place to protect them. 
  • a breakup means that you lost a relationship and a place to call home.