Residents have been raising concerns about the increasing number of homeless people and incidents related to them in the local area. The Shelter Association of Washtenaw County sees this as a crisis that needs community solutions.
Nicole Adelman is executive director of the Shelter Association, which operates Ann Arbor’s Delonis Center. She says the continued closure of shelters and homeless programs in other counties has pushed more people to seek resources in Washtenaw County.
She says combined with a shortage of affordable housing, this ongoing influx is putting greater pressure on local agencies.
“We're becoming a bigger city. And I think it's just becoming more visible, and that's an issue that we're going to have to grapple with as a community together. So, I think the businesses need to be part of the solution. We want to help them, and we need their help too.”
Adelman says solving the growing homelessness crisis will take the entire community working together to expand housing and connect people with supportive services.
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