The Anchor at Mariners Inn offers a fresh start for people who have been unhoused as well as those overcoming addiction.
The Detroit development features 44 permanent supportive housing units for individuals transitioning from homelessness and 40 units for individuals undergoing substance use treatment.
PROJECT DETAILS
DEVELOPERS: Cinnaire Solutions and Mariners Inn
ARCHITECT: LBBA
GENERAL CONTRACTOR: O’Brien Construction Co.
MAJOR FUNDERS: City of Detroit; Michigan State Housing Development Authority; Independent Bank; Federal Home Loan Bank of Indianapolis; National Equity Fund; Cinnaire Lending; Masco; McGregor Fund
“The blending of housing types provides a continuum of care for residents regardless of the living situation they are coming from,” says Christopher Laurent, president of Cinnaire Solutions, which developed the property along with Mariners Inn, a century-old nonprofit that provides treatment and shelter services.
The Anchor doubles Mariners Inn’s capacity and, for the first time, opens its programs to women. The nonprofit is providing a range of services to all residents at the development, which has case management offices, an art therapy room, a fitness center, a computer lab, a courtyard, and other areas to promote interactions.
Nick Carter
The development sits in a prime location in the city’s sports and entertainment district. “It’s often easy to take people who have special needs and relegate them to forgotten corners of our communities. But, when they are in the heart of the city, people don’t forget and recognize that everybody has needs and requires support at a certain point,” Laurent says. “Recognizing that we can serve people with different needs throughout all parts of our community is powerful.”
The development team used a condo structure to allow the permanent supportive and recovery units to share the same building. The $29 million development is also one of the first projects in Michigan to combine 4% and 9% low-income housing tax credits.
