The multi-phased Clay Center project is being built on three acres and will involve approximately 50,000-square-feet of clinic, housing and support space.

DETROIT—Earlier this week, health and human services agency Neighborhood Service Organization broke ground on The Clay Center, a campus geared to end homelessness in the City of Detroit.

The phased development is being built on the site of the former 7th Police Precinct at 3364 Mack Ave.

Believed to be the first of its kind in the region,The Clay Center will follow NSO consumers from homelessness, transitioning into shelters and temporary housing and then, ultimately, into permanent supportive housing. The project will include wraparound services along with primary health care, mental health services and other supportive services for people moving out of homelessness, NSO officials state.

In addition to shelter space and on-site health care, the campus will offer substance abuse treatment, job-readiness training and other amenities, such as a commercial kitchen, dining and laundry rooms, physical activity spaces and outdoor gardens. The fully integrated health care center will be open to the public, creating access to primary and dental care, behavioral health and pharmacy services for the community.

“Our city's revitalization won't mean much if those who struggle with homelessness aren't made a priority,” says Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan. “Thanks to our partners at the Neighborhood Service Organization, we are seeing a $20-million investment in the McDougall-Hunt neighborhood to provide permanent supportive housing and critical support services to our homeless population.”

Project financials are being finalized. NSO states that it plans to officially kickoff its capital campaign in the weeks ahead. Initial construction will develop a two-story, 42-one-bedroom affordable housing unit, made possible by Michigan State Housing Development Authority and the City of Detroit. The development partner is MHT Housing, Inc. Project architect is Fusco, Shaffer and Pappas Inc. Chase provided construction financing for the new housing.

The more than three-acre campus with nearly 50,000-square-feet of clinic, housing and support space will be self-sustaining through strategic built-in revenue streams.

Also, part of the plan is a medical residence, which will enable homeless individuals who are stable and would otherwise be sent home to recuperate from the hospital, but who still require minor continuing care, to have a safe space to receive continuing medical treatment, according to NSO.

The shelter and service center will temporarily house 56 single adults, as well as supportive services to help them transition back into permanent housing. The space is designed to allow for a transitional configuration that will permit bed availability to shift based on the needs of the community as demand for male/female beds change.

“The face of homelessness has changed in Detroit. For nearly 65 years, NSO has been a community-based organization that has been able to shift with the changing demands and needs of people and communities that we serve,” says Linda Little, president and CEO, Neighborhood Service Organization. “The Clay Center is another bold step for us to set a new bar for our approach to doing our part to end homelessness for those we serve and help them live to thrive. We not only want to provide housing, we want to provide tools, life skills and services that will help to uplift the whole person in a sustainable way.”

The Clay Center is named in honor of former NSO President and CEO Sheilah P. Clay, who retired in 2018. With the organization for nearly 22 years, including 18 years at the helm, Clay oversaw the $55 million conversion of the Bell Building into permanent, supportive housing for formerly homeless adults and into NSO's headquarters.

Instant Insights /

Construction Begins on Groundbreaking Project to Aid Detroit's Homeless

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