Housing Crisis.

In Detroit, only 1/4 of the total number of houses and apartments (both government-assisted and unassisted) is affordable to people who are at 30% or lower of the area median income, i.e., extremely low-income (ELI).

What's Causing the Housing Crisis in Detroit?

The 6 A’s

  • Availability

    Only 1 of 35 individuals who qualify can get government rental assistance.

    Housing costs skyrocket when there’s high demand and low availability of rental units. The working poor can no longer afford, what was once, low-rent spaces.

  • Affordability

    Even studio apartments cost 50% of ELIs monthly income.

    When housing is over half of your income, there’s very little money left for transportation, food, or other necessary daily expenses.

  • Accessibility

    The landlord's required security deposit isn’t doable.

    Saving first and last month’s rent for the security deposit is impossible for ELIs. Other accessible housing options are the unsafe extended-stay motels and rooming houses.

  • Acceptability

    Room & board houses lack basic amenities to prepare a hot meal.

    Rooming houses have limited government regulation or oversight, and that makes them risky. Rooming can cost as much as a 3-bedroom bungalow.

  • Adaptability

    19% of ELIs have disabilities, both seen and unseen.

    Because over 90% of Detroit homes were built before 1970, they won’t accommodate wheelchairs. Wheelchair users need zero-step entrances, wider hallways and door frames, or single floor living.

  • Aloneness

    80% of qualifying adults without income-based housing are single without children.

    Because our federal housing programs understandably prioritize households with children, single adults alone often end us extremely housing insecure, i.e., homeless, couching surfing, car-dwelling, or staying in unsafe conditions otherwise.