STATEMENT FROM THE REV. FAITH FOWLER IN RESPONSE TO THE COURT RULING IN FAVOR OF CASS COMMUNITY SOCIAL SERVICES
March 22, 2023
For over three years, Cass Community Social Services (CCSS) has provided housing for Ms. Taura Brown on Detroit’s west side, where she might live alongside other Detroiters as part of our agency’s anti-poverty program. Sadly, Ms. Brown has chosen from the beginning to make another residence her primary home, violating both the spirit and the conditions of the Tiny Homes program.
Her refusal to surrender the tiny house after her lease was not renewed in January of 2021 has deprived other low-income people the opportunity to live in, and eventually, own the home. Additionally, many people have suffered from her misinformation and slanderous attacks including her neighbors, CCSS staff members and myself.
After hearing Ms. Brown’s motion and Cass Community Social Services’ response, the court ruled on June 1, 2022, that CCSS was indeed justified in not renewing its lease with Ms. Brown. The court ordered her to leave the Tiny Home by July 1, 2022. She appealed the decision. The Third Circuit Court affirmed the lower court’s opinion on September 14, 2022. On October 28, 2022, Ms. Brown filed a motion for reconsideration with the court. A court date was set to hear the motion on December 19, 2022. In that court date, the Judge again affirmed the order and agreed to allow her until January 9, 2023, to vacate the premises. Ms. Brown then filed several motions which were heard on Tuesday, March 22, 2023. Judge Shawn Jacque, 36th District Court, denied her motions, affirmed the ruling of the Court and signed the writ (Order of Eviction) and afforded Ms. Brown an additional ten days to vacate. In addition to the court proceedings Ms. Brown has filed numerous complaints with federal, state and local agencies, all of which were dismissed or the equivalent of dismissed after receiving substantiated proof by CCSS to their illegitimacy.
The Cass Tiny Homes were never intended to serve as second homes or to sit empty. They were designed to provide people with safe and affordable rental housing which would convert into homeownership after seven years. There is no shortage of Detroiters who need this type of housing, not as an investment property, but their primary residence.
CCSS stopped accepting rent from Ms. Brown in February of 2021 (25 months ago). During yesterday’s court proceedings Ms. Brown told Judge Jacque she currently has an account holding the equivalent of all her rent money, what would equal more than $7,500. We wish Ms. Brown well and regret that this issue could not have been resolved in a more respectful manner and without court involvement. In the future, we look forward to working with another person or family and continuing our commitment to our community and people seeking to escape poverty.
Local 4 Detroit – WDIV speaks with Cass Community Social Services Executive Director Rev. Faith Fowler and takes a look at the Tiny Home community currently being built by the Detroit nonprofit.
- Tiny Homes Detroit LIVE on Fox 2 – May 31, 2017 – Rev. Faith Fowler of Cass Community Social Services speaks with Fox 2 Detroit‘s Roop Raj about Tiny Homes Detroit.
- AOL – In The Know: These tiny houses are making a huge change for Detroit’s homeless community.
- Detroit is getting a neighborhood of tiny homes that homeless people rent to own (Business Insider)
- These unique tiny homes are designed to help pull low-income families out of poverty. (Upworthy)
- This Tiny House Community Will Turn Homeless People Into Homeowners (Huffington Post)
- Tiny Homes Detroit: Everything you want to know (Curbed Detroit)
- First residents of Detroit tiny homes have been chosen (Detroit News)
- A tiny home community rises in Detroit (Curbed Detroit)
- Tiny house community in Detroit on display in fundraising effort (Crain’s Detroit Business)
- Rent-to-own tiny housing development aims to lift low-income folks out of poverty (TreeHugger.com)
- Kids help raise $40,000 for Detroit’s tiny homes project (Amy’s Angels – Fox 2 Detroit)
- Six More Tiny Homes Appear In Detroit’s Dexter-Linwood Neighborhood (Daily Detroit)
- Tiny Homes Making Bold Statement In Housing For Low-Income (CBS Detroit)
- Detroit tiny house project is ‘game changer’ (Detroit News)
- Tiny houses are out to renew Detroit in a big way – June 2, 2017 – Plastics News
- These Tiny Houses Help Minimum Wage Workers Become Homeowners – June 6, 2017 – Fast Company
- Tiny houses give low-income Detroit residents a shot at home ownership – June 11, 2017 – Mother Nature Network
- Eye On Detroit – Tiny Homes – June 25, 2017 – CW50
- Detroit is getting a neighborhood of tiny homes that homeless people rent to own – June 16, 2017 – Yahoo!
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