Coordinated Upstream Homelessness Prevention: Learnings from the City of Detroit’s Centralized Access Model

In the face of rising housing unaffordability and a recent 12% increase in homelessness nationally, many communities across the country recognize the need to incorporate prevention earlier in their homeless response. But how can they initiate these efforts, leverage other community-based resources, and unify a fragmented system?

In an upcoming peer learning session, Coordinated Upstream Homelessness Prevention: Learnings from the City of Detroit’s Centralized Access Model, the Harvard Kennedy School Government Performance Lab and Community Solutions will explore promising practices in launching coordinated prevention and discuss insights on testing centralized access models. This session offers lessons to all communities considering or working on coordinated prevention efforts. To shed light on one model, the conversation will highlight lessons learned from the City of Detroit, which launched a centralized hotline in May 2023 to effectively and equitably connect vulnerably housed residents to best-fit services and supports that reduce their likelihood of becoming homeless. The hotline, which receives roughly 6,700 calls per month, connects residents to services such as legal assistance for eviction prevention, income supports such as employment assistance, case management for housing relocation and navigation, emergency shelter, and more.

The call will feature a moderated panel with GPL Government Innovation Fellow Steve Knutson and two officials from the City of Detroit Housing & Revitalization Department: Chelsea Neblett, Program Director, Housing Services and David Bowser, Chief of Housing Solutions and Support Services. Both the GPL and Community Solutions work with jurisdictions across the country that are tackling homelessness prevention as a key component of their strategy to reduce homelessness.