Homelessness | City of Grand Rapids, MI

Overview

We develop, support and promote solutions that reduce homelessness in our community and support individuals and families in need through City-wide initiatives and strategic partnerships.

Any individual or family who is experiencing homelessness or at-risk of homelessness should call 2-1-1.

Philosophy & Mission

We are committed to developing, supporting and promoting solutions that create a direct impact in preventing and resolving episodes of homelessness and supporting individuals and families in need. We believe housing is the answer to homelessness demonstrated by our history of supporting homelessness prevention and rapid re-housing efforts. We also believe this is a community-wide effort that requires dedicated and results-oriented partnerships.

Initiatives

The City of Grand Rapids has developed and supported community-based initiatives that assist individuals and families experiencing homelessness. This includes building partnerships with housing and homeless service providers to directly address this issue.

The following are examples of recent initiatives we have implemented and/or supported:

The Homeless Outreach Team (HOT)
Geographically Targeted Housing Outreach
Built for Zero

Our partnerships with community organizations and nonprofits are a key factor in reducing homelessness in our community. We invest federal grant funds annually to support homelessness prevention and rapid re-housing services. During the COVID-19 pandemic, additional investments were made to support street outreach efforts and increased emergency shelter capacity.

Homeless Outreach Team (HOT)

In April 2020, the City of Grand Rapids developed the Homeless Outreach Team (HOT) to provide COVID-19 education and mitigate its spread among persons experiencing homelessness. The team has transitioned to an ongoing, active homeless outreach unit. HOT provides street outreach Monday through Saturday. The team canvasses the community to interact with unsheltered persons and engage with businesses and residents to resolve issues. It also works to build relationships with individuals experiencing homelessness to better assist them in obtaining services and connecting to housing solutions.

The Homeless Outreach Team is under the supervision of the Grand Rapids Fire Department. A contract with Network180 has added mental health clinicians and addiction specialists to the team. HOT works in the community Monday through Saturday and only responds to issues related to unsheltered homelessness.

HOT can be reached about issues related to street homelessness at 616-456-4240 and via email at grhot@grcity.us. Click here for frequently asked questions about the Homeless Outreach Team.

Funding

Funding for City initiatives to reduce homelessness and address housing needs primarily comes from federal grant awards. The City of Grand Rapids’ Community Development Department allocates funds based on its Consolidated Housing and Community Development Plan in accordance with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

For full details on funding, find the most current Annual Action Plan under Reports and Plans on the Community Development page

Continuum of Care

Our efforts are one part in a larger system in addressing housing and homelessness. We actively participate in the Grand Rapids Coalition to End Homelessness (CTEH) – a collaborative of more than 60 organizations, agencies, municipalities, and individuals who come together with the shared goal of ending homelessness.

The CTEH serves as the Grand Rapids/Wyoming/Kent County Continuum of Care (CoC) with specific responsibilities to comply with the HEARTH Act, the guiding legislation for US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) funding targeted to address homelessness.

For more information on the Continuum of Care, visit http://endhomelessnesskent.org/about/

Resources for Assistance

Any individual or family who is experiencing homelessness or at-risk of homelessness should call 2-1-1.

Homeless Outreach Team

The Homeless Outreach Team can be reached with issues related to street homelessness at 616-456-4240 and via email at grhot@grcity.us.

Donate or Volunteer

If you are interested in donating or volunteering, please contact one of the local service providers in our community.

Housing and Urban Development

HUD Resources