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Alpha House reports winter surge, seeks master-lease houses for large families
Summary
Alpha House told Washtenaw County commissioners it sheltered dozens of families under the weather-amnesty program this winter, is pursuing MDHHS master-lease funding to place larger families in houses, and is asking for continued local support for renovations and staffing at its Jackson Road shelter.
Shona Teruza, executive director of Alpha House, told the Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners that this winter’s weather-amnesty sheltering required far more space and staff than past seasons and that the nonprofit is pursuing state master-lease funding to house larger families.
"We hosted 47 families," Teruza said, summarizing the season that began Nov. 13. She told commissioners the shelter expanded family rooms, opened 14 additional rooms, and at the peak supported 55 individuals in the weather-amnesty program in addition to the regular shelter population. Teruza said the organization used a prior winter’s one-time county allocation of $125,000 for direct client assistance (security deposits, moving costs) and building upgrades to prepare for this winter’s surge.
Why it matters: The winter surge exposed gaps in capacity for large families, acute health needs, and on-site medical support. Commissioners asked whether county grant funds earmarked for shelter renovations should be used on Jackson Road upgrades or held for a planned Eastside facility; Teruza recommended prioritizing a new Eastside center and said Alpha House will keep hustling on Jackson Road work.
Alpha House reported these operational lessons from the winter season: many shelter guests arrived with untreated or undiagnosed mental-health needs; several families were young parents (including parents aged 24 or younger); seven families had four or more children; and single parents headed most of the very large households. Teruza said referrals mainly came from HAWK (the county’s coordinated referral list) and DHS, with some drop-ins. She described disease spread (flu, COVID, RSV, norovirus) as a staff-management challenge and recommended on‑site vaccinations and a nurse during future seasons.
Funding and next steps: Teruza said Alpha House applied to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) master-lease program, which released $7 million statewide, and requested six houses be assigned to Washtenaw County to house larger families with privacy and stability. She also said the shelter used donations and state/county funding for temporary hoteling while doing renovations, and that some unexpected capital work (a surprise fire-suppression upgrade, plumbing and bathroom upgrades, security and low-level renovations) was needed to increase capacity.
Commissioner questions and follow-up: Commissioners asked whether county winter funds could instead go to renovations or to an Eastside center; Teruza recommended using county one-time funds for an Eastside site. Several commissioners praised staff and volunteers and suggested a follow-up summary presentation in May or June covering full lessons learned, staffing needs, and the results of the MDHHS master-lease application. Teruza confirmed Alpha House continues to provide drop-in emergency shelter outside the winter season when extreme weather or air-quality events require it.
Ending: Teruza asked the board for continued support—financial and in helping identify an additional shelter site—and said Alpha House will return with a recap after the winter season. "We still offer emergency shelter as a drop in for anyone," she said, underscoring that weather response continues when needed.
