Ypsilanti human relations commission presses city for permanent shelter plan, funding review and town hall on housing

The Ypsilanti Human Relations Commission voted Thursday to ask the city attorney for legal guidance and to request information from the city manager on options for a permanent shelter, use of housing-related funds and operation of warming-center services after a lengthy discussion about homelessness, the Freight House warming center and a planned housing town hall.

Commissioners said local warming-center capacity, gaps in daily coverage and a lack of a durable shelter arrangement have left people experiencing homelessness in recurring precarity. Commissioner comments and public testimony pointed to gaps in services and to limited funding streams that commissioners said the commission should explore with city counsel and administration.

The commission’s action came after public comment from Jessica Kelly, who said her adult son has been jailed while living with chronic mental illness and homelessness. “He’s in a 6 by 6 foot cell, barred door, and he has no privileges,” Kelly told commissioners during the meeting. Commissioners cited her testimony when discussing immediate needs for respite spaces and longer-term shelter and housing supports.

Why it matters: Commissioners said the Freight House has operated as a daytime warming center but must be renewed annually, leaving providers and residents unsure each winter whether a daytime respite space will be available. The topic intersects city budgeting, county housing resources and zoning; commissioners also noted racial disparities in local homelessness and opioid deaths.

Most urgent facts: Commissioners asked for a legal memo and an administrative briefing to clarify whether and how city funds could be used to support crisis-stabilization or housing-stability programs, and how existing city funds have been used. During discussion members cited several figures discussed at the meeting: the city’s public-safety/mental-health millage account held roughly $300,000 in one line item (Fund 205), the city has accumulated about $2.4 million from a county millage since 2017 (as described by a speaker), and the city’s housing fund was referred to as Fund 102. Commissioners also noted there are about 80 Housing Choice Vouchers issued to Washington County every quarter and that local wait lists often outstrip that supply.

What the commission decided and next steps: The commission approved a motion to forward a list of questions to the city attorney about legal options and constraints for sheltering, warm-weather respite and uses of millage funds. That motion passed with one abstention (Commissioner House). Commissioners then approved a separate motion to send the same set of questions to the city manager so administration could supply budget and fund-history details; that motion passed unanimously. Commissioners said they expect responses before the commission’s next scheduled meeting and that some parts of counsel’s response would be confidential under the city’s rules for legal memoranda.

Discussion highlights: Commissioners discussed hosting a town hall focused on housing and homelessness as a first step to gather community input; Vice Chair Harper agreed to start a Google Doc draft proposal so the commission could vote on a final proposal to send to counsel for scope review. Commissioners proposed hosting the town hall at the Freight House if the facility is available, and discussed framing the event to collect information useful for future recommendations to council — for example, data on barriers to leasing, security-deposit gaps and the practical needs of case-managed clients.

Background and context: Commissioners said the Ypsilanti City Council previously voted in favor of supporting a permanent shelter, and that the Ypsilanti District Library board later passed a supporting resolution. Commissioners said they had not seen coordinated county action to implement a permanent shelter and urged that any town-hall proposals prioritize input from people with lived experience and from frontline service providers. Commissioners also noted that the Freight House warming center historically operates Monday–Thursday, roughly 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., leaving gaps on weekends.

Ending: Commissioners instructed staff to compile the legal questions and budget queries for counsel and the city manager and to bring written proposals back for the commission’s review. Commissioners said they would aim to vote on a town-hall proposal at the next meeting after the Google Doc drafting process.