Transforming Southfield: A New Home for Homeless Veterans
Southfield, a city rich in community spirit, has just taken a big step towards helping local homeless veterans. A once-vacant hotel, the old Holiday Inn located on Northwestern Highway near 10 Mile Road, is set to undergo renovations to become the Detroit Veterans Village. This exciting new development kicked off with a groundbreaking ceremony held by the Tunnel to Towers Foundation.
A Place to Call Home
The ambitious project aims to provide housing assistance and comprehensive support services for nearly 100 veterans right in the Metro Detroit area. This new village isn’t just about giving a roof over their heads; it’s more like creating a supportive environment where veterans can rebuild their lives. Coherent with its mission, the village will offer an array of on-site services designed to tackle the various challenges veterans face.
Comprehensive Services
In addition to housing, residents will have access to critical services including:
- Job training
- Benefits assistance
- Education assistance
- Medical care access
- Mental health support
- PTSD counseling
- Addiction treatment
These offerings aim to help break the cycle of homelessness that too many veterans experience. According to Vice President Gavin Maples, one of the key insights from their work is that simply providing housing isn’t enough. He mentions, “We discovered very early on that it’s not enough to just provide high-quality housing accommodation to a veteran in need. You have to really identify and address the root causes of veteran homelessness and provide that platform of rehabilitation.”
Revitalizing Hope
Maples expressed excitement about turning a blighted property into a beacon of hope and healing for those who have served the country. He emphasized, “Our adaptive reuse strategy, conversions of existing hospitality properties, has been very well-received by a lot of markets in which we’re doing these Veterans Villages.”
Expanding the Mission
The Tunnel to Towers Foundation began this initiative in 2023 and has already made strides in launching Veterans Villages in multiple cities across the country. They have successfully built a few of these communities and currently have projects underway in various metropolitan areas, with an eye towards setting up more across three additional cities. This bold mission has allowed them to provide housing assistance to over 6,500 veterans nationwide.
A Community of Support
Metro Detroit stands out as a location with a pressing need for permanent housing for homeless veterans. Maples pointed out that, “The need for permanent housing is particularly important. As a veteran that’s struggling, or anyone that’s struggling, there are places to put your head, but they’re federally funded and for a limited time—six months, nine months, 12 months. Then when the funding runs out, they have to search for another place.”
A Hopeful Future
The hope is that by creating supportive environments like Detroit Veterans Village, veterans will not only find a place to rest but will also gain access to the tools and resources necessary to thrive in life outside the military. With the construction underway, Southfield is stepping up to provide the support that many of these heroes have long needed.
For more details about how the Tunnel to Towers Foundation helps veterans and first responders, the community can stay informed through their resources and outreach efforts.
