City of Detroit leads multi-department emergency response at Leland House, ensures residents’ safety and ongoing support

• Power Outage During Extreme Cold Prompts Emergency Evacuation to Protect Residents
• City Departments Mobilize to Provide Housing and Wraparound Services for Displaced Families
  Pets Safely Rescued and Reunited as Community Partners Support Recovery Efforts

The City of Detroit responded swiftly and collaboratively to unsafe living conditions at the Leland House, where a building-related power outage during frigid temperatures prompted the Detroit Fire Department to order an emergency evacuation to protect residents from potentially life-threatening circumstances.

Emergency Evacuation and Life Safety Response

The emergency evacuation was ordered on Wednesday, December 10 after a building issue resulted in a total loss of power, leaving residents without heat or light amid dangerously cold conditions, and without working elevators. With the building plunged into darkness, the Detroit Fire Department Fire Marshal Division, working in close coordination with Fire Operations, conducted an evacuation, going door to door and floor to floor to ensure residents made it out safely. The City of Detroit's Housing and Revitalization Department and building management ensured no residents were left behind.

The Detroit Police Department was also on scene to assist with the evacuation and ensure resident safety throughout the process.

"Situations like this underscore why the Fire Marshal Division exists," said Fire Marshal Don Thomas. "Our role is to identify hazardous conditions and act decisively to protect residents from circumstances that could quickly become life-threatening. This evacuation was about preserving life, and I'm proud of the coordinated response that made that possible."

Building Conditions and Ongoing Safety Concerns

A Fire Marshal assessment determined that the building remains unsafe to enter due to ongoing conditions that pose significant risks to occupants. As documented in the Fire Marshal report, the issues extend beyond the initial outage and require resolution before the property can be safely reoccupied. At this time, it remains unclear whether residents will ultimately be able to return to their homes.

Housing, Hoteling, and Wraparound Services

The City of Detroit's Housing and Revitalization Department (HRD) led efforts to immediately relocate residents to hotel accommodations, including pet-friendly options, ensuring families were not separated from their animals. HRD has also been providing wraparound services, including transportation to jobs, resources for clothing, food support, and other immediate necessities.

In parallel, HRD continues to connect residents with long-term housing solutions should reentry into the Leland House prove impossible.

"Our team has been working relentlessly on behalf of impacted residents," said Chelsea Neblett, Director of Housing Solutions. "We have been in contact with households nearly every day, and we were already working with Leland House residents before the power outage occurred. Our focus remains on stability, dignity, and ensuring no one falls through the cracks during this incredibly difficult time."

So far, HRD is supporting 31 households in total, with 28 households using hotel accommodations and three households staying with friends and family members. Seven households are receiving ongoing transportation support, coordinated food assistance, including pet food, and will support ongoing temporary housing needs. 11 households have been approved for permanent housing, with additional residents receiving housing approvals each day. HRD will support move-in costs such as security deposit and first month rent for eligible households.

We thank the following partners, Detroit at Work, Detroit Housing Commission, DTE, Forgotten Harvest, Metro Food Rescue, Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, Pet People, Red Cross, Salvation Army, and area landlords for their support on behalf of impacted households.

Legal Advocacy on Behalf of Residents

The City's Law Department is actively working on behalf of residents in bankruptcy court to advocate for funds to be directed towards addressing the residents' immediate needs, including housing and essential services.

Pet Rescue and Reunification Efforts

As residents came to realize they would not be able to immediately return to the building, many notified their case workers that pets had been left behind during the evacuation. Detroit Animal Care and Control, part of the City's General Services Department (GSD), worked swiftly with local rescue partners to safely retrieve dogs and cats from the building.

"All of these animals were clearly loved, and we knew how important it was to get them out safely and back to their families," said Crystal Perkins, Director of Detroit Animal Care and Control. "Thanks to the quick coordination between our teams and our rescue partners, every dog and cat was rescued and reunited with their owners. That outcome means everything."

Community Partnership and Hoteling Support

Hotel accommodations for displaced residents were made possible through the generosity of DTE, which covered the cost of hoteling for the first 11 days following the emergency. The City of Detroit is now paying for ongoing hotel support.

"We are deeply grateful to DTE for stepping up in a moment of real need," said Trisha Stein, Chief Strategy Officer for Mayor Mike Duggan. "Detroiters benefit when city departments work together and when our community partners join us in that mission. This is what collective problem-solving looks like, and it makes a real difference in people's lives."