Where home begins.
The Booth Community is transforming a long-vacant Detroit school into 61 permanent homes — giving veterans, families, and neighbors the stability and support to rebuild their lives.
61
Permanent Homes
10
Reserved for Veterans
2027
Expected Completion
What is The Booth Community?
The Booth Community is a Permanent Supportive Housing development by Volunteers of America Michigan (VOA Michigan). We’re transforming the former St. Mary of Redford Parish School — a landmark that sat empty on Detroit’s far West Side for over two decades — into 61 safe, affordable homes for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness.
Stable housing is paired with on-site support services so residents can focus on their health, employment, and future — while strengthening the surrounding neighborhood.
“The Booth Community is more than housing — we’re bringing people home.”
– Aubrey Macfarlane, VOA Michigan CEO/President
Is This a Shelter?
Many people ask this — and it’s an important distinction.
Many people assume The Booth Community is a shelter. It isn’t. It’s a place where people get to stay — with real leases, no time limits, and real services to help them thrive.
Permanent Supportive Housing combines a stable, private apartment with access to on-site support services — things like help with employment, healthcare, and budgeting. The goal is long-term independence, not a temporary fix.
Residents at The Booth Community will prioritize individuals experiencing chronic homelessness, including veterans and cost-burdened renters — people who spend more than 30% of their income on rent.
In Detroit, roughly 61% of renters are cost-burdened. Projects like this one exist because the need is enormous and the options are limited.
| Shelter | Permanent Supportive Housing | |
|---|---|---|
| Length of stay | Night-by-night stay | Permanent lease, no time limits |
| Space | Shared, temporary | Private apartment |
| Focus | Crisis stabilization | Long-term independence |
| Services | Minimal | Case management, healthcare, employment & more |
| Address for job applications | No | Yes — a real home address |
Examples of Other Volunteers of America Michigan Properties
Artist’s rendering of The Booth Community.
The Booth Community Will Provide:
17 Studio Units
40 One-Bedroom Apartments
4 Two-Bedroom Apartments
Note: The images provided are from a similar project by the same architectural firm and closely represent how the apartments in The Booth Community may look. We’ll update these photos as the project continues to develop.
How We Support Residents
Every resident has access to wraparound services designed to help them stabilize and grow. The former gymnasium is also being converted into shared community space for all residents to use.
- Case Management
- Healthcare Coordination
- Employment Support
- Education & GED Programming
- Mental Health Resources
- Medicaid Enrollment Help
- Transportation Assistance
- Household Setup Assistance
- Section 8 & Benefits Navigation
- Social Security Assistance
- Lease Compliance Support
- Shared Community Common Space
Support the Booth Community
A house never truly becomes a home until there’s a bed to sleep in, a kitchen to cook in, and
furnishings that truly make you feel at home at the end of a long day.
Together, we can give individuals overcoming homelessness more than just a safe place to stay.
With your support, we can fully furnish and equip homes that provide stability, dignity, and a true
fresh start
The Building’s History and Future
Early 1990s — St. Mary of Redford Parish School closes
The school on Detroit’s far West Side was shuttered and sat vacant for over two decades.
Planning Phase — VOA Michigan acquires the property
Volunteers of America Michigan purchased the building and launched community engagement — partnering with the Grandmont Rosedale Development Corporation, Grandmont Community Association, Schoolcraft Improvement Association, Crary/St. Mary’s Block Club, and the City of Detroit District 1 Office.
Earlier Projects — Two successful predecessors
The Booth Community follows the Residences of St. Matthew (East Side Detroit) and St. John Paul II (Banglatown/Detroit-Hamtramck border) — both successful conversions of unused parish schools into permanent supportive housing in the Archdiocese of Detroit.
April 9, 2026 — Groundbreaking ceremony
Detroit Mayor Mary Sheffield joined VOA Michigan leaders and community partners officially break ground, marking the start of active construction.
Spring 2027 — Expected completion
The $30–31 million project is expected to welcome its first residents in the spring of 2027.
In the News
(Fox 2) VOA Michigan Re-Purposing Old School into Affordable Housing for Homeless
VOA Michigan secured a state grant to convert the vacant school into 61 units serving veterans and others in need.
(CBS News Detroit) Major Project on Detroit Church Grounds Aims to Reduce Affordable Housing Deficit
How this project addresses Detroit’s affordability crisis, where roughly 61% of renters are cost-burdened.
(MLive) $31M Project to Transform Long-Vacant Detroit School into Housing for Chronically Homeless
A comprehensive look at the scope, funding, and community impact of The Booth Community.
(Fox 2 Detroit) Groundbreaking at Former St. Mary of Redford School for New Affordable Housing Development
Mayor Mary Sheffield attended the April 2026 ceremony marking the official start of construction.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Did The Booth Community Get Started and what is still needed?
Thanks to the generosity of our construction and financing partners, The Booth Community is now underway, with completion expected in the spring.
This nearly $30 million project has been made possible through tax credits and public investment—including MSHDA LIHTC, City of Detroit HOME funds, and Historic Tax Credits—along with financing and support from partners such as National Equity Fund, Fifth Third Bank, The Home
Depot Foundation, and others.
Now we need your help to bring this project home—so we can bring people home. Please take a look at our naming opportunities and other ways to support The Booth Community as we move toward the finish line.
How many housing units and what other services will the project provide?
VOAMI will provide on-site services for residents including assistance with securing household goods, furnishings, clothing and groceries; in-home visit to assess unit condition and lease compliance; employment assistance; household budgeting; connection to mental health and health care resources including Medicaid; connection with mainstream benefits and government assistance including Section 8 programs and Social Security benefits; and transportation. The former gymnasium will be converted into a multi-purpose common space.
Who will be living at VOA The Booth Community?
Housing at The Booth Community will prioritize individuals experiencing chronic homelessness, including those in the highest-need tier of Detroit’s Coordinated Assessment Model (CAM). Referrals will come through the Detroit Continuum of Care, ensuring housing is directed to those with the greatest need. Of the available units, 10 will be set aside specifically for veterans. This Permanent Supportive Housing community will help residents stabilize their health, regain independence, and rebuild self-confidence.
How Can I Apply to Be A Resident?
Construction underway, with expected completion in Spring of 2027. No applications are being accepted currently during construction.
What if I am not eligible for The Booth Community?
VOA Michigan has 11 Affordable Living Communities spread across the state of Michigan.
Please visit voami.org/services/affordable-housing/ for more information.
Additionally, the Detroit Home Connect website is an excellent resource for people in need of housing support: homeconnect.detroitmi.gov/
Is The Booth Community a Shelter for The Homeless?
No, The Booth Community is Permanent Supportive Housing.
While shelters offer a place to stay for the night, The Booth Community provides a place to rebuild a life. Residents have a permanent home—no time limits—along with access to services that support stability, growth, and future opportunity.
How can I help a person experiencing unsheltered homelessness?
You can call the Coordinated Assessment Model (CAM) hotline at 313.305.0311, visit an in-person access point, or submit a Homeless Outreach Request online. Access the form at https://camdetroit.org/outreach-request.
How has the community been informed and engaged about the project?
Over the past year, VOAMI has engaged with St. Mary of Redford Parish, local neighbors, and key community organizations, including the Grandmont Rosedale Development Corporation, Grandmont Community Association, Schoolcraft Improvement Association, Crary/St. Mary’s Block Club, and the City of Detroit District 1 Office. To keep the community informed, VOAMI hosted meetings for residents within a 10-mile radius and invited community groups to learn about the project and share concerns. A distribution list was also created to provide updates and share The Booth Community website.
Thank You to Our Funders Who Made This Possible
And to Our Incredible Development Partners
Application Process
More information coming soon!