DETROIT – The City of Detroit has promised it will take steps to improve its services for homeless people after two children died sleeping in a casino parking garage.
It happened Feb. 10 inside the Hollywood Casino parking structure off Beaubien Boulevard.
Officials said five children were sleeping in a van parked inside the structure when the mother noticed her 9-year-old son was not breathing.
While at the hospital, officials said the children’s grandmother reported that one of the other children, a 2-year-old girl, was not breathing, and the friend returned to take her to the hospital as well.
Both children were pronounced dead at the hospital. The cause of their death remains unconfirmed.
The mother reportedly had reached out to city officials for help months before they died.
During a press conference Thursday, Feb. 27, Mayor Mike Duggan announced a seven-step plan to prevent further deaths.
“This cannot ever happen again,” Duggan said. “There is no point in having an immediate shelter system if the people who most need it don’t know about it.”
You can watch the full press conference in the video player below.
1 -- Require Site Visits for All Families with Minor Children
The Housing and Revitalization Department mandates site visits by outreach workers for families with minors reporting imminent shelter loss through the Coordinated Assessment Model (CAM). This decision addresses the challenge that 76% of CAM calls are from individuals currently with shelter, making it hard for call center workers to fully assess situations from initial phone calls.
2 -- Give Special Attention to Finding Families in Vehicles.
The Detroit Police Department will intensify efforts to locate families living in vehicles, particularly in parking garages. Collaborating with 24-hour outreach teams, they aim to connect individuals with safe overnight accommodations.
Any member of the community who is aware of unsheltered individuals living in a vehicle can help by calling 866-313-2520.
3 -- Expand HelpLine to 24 Hours.
The Detroit Housing Resource HelpLine and CAM have expanded their service to a 24-hour operation. Previously available only during business hours, the line will now offer nighttime support, connecting unsheltered individuals to outreach teams after hours for shelter assistance.
4 -- Double Number of Drop-In Beds.
The Immediate Shelter system plans to double its drop-in center beds from 110 to 220 within 90 days. Although no one has been turned away due to lack of space since the system’s implementation in Winter 2025, increased demand is expected due to outreach efforts and publicity.
5 -- Expand Night Outreach Teams.
The City has enhanced its outreach efforts by adding an additional team from 6 p.m to 2 a.m. This adjustment aims to provide more complete around-the-clock coverage, especially during critical hours.
6 -- Continue Successful Use of Police Precincts as Havens for Safety & Referrals.
In the last two weeks, 25 individuals in need of shelter have used Detroit police stations for help and 61 households have been transported to shelters.
“If you have a friend who’s unexpectedly on the street at night and you don’t understand the telephone numbers in the system, go to your police precinct. They will be a safe haven,” Duggan said.
7 -- Expand Street Outreach & Education.
Duggan said many unsheltered individuals lack access to updated news and social media information. To address this, the city plans to expand communication efforts by making resource information available at common locations for those in a housing crisis -- such as bus stops and gas stations.
“We’re not looking for an individual scapegoat,” Duggan said. “We’re looking to fix the system.”
More information can be found on the official Detroit website here.
