Article Summary –
In April, a 34-year-old woman was found living inside the sign of a Family Fare supermarket in Midland, Michigan, a setup she had maintained for about a year. The woman, who had furnished the sign with items such as a mini desk, computer, and coffee machine, was discovered by contractors who noticed an extension cord coming from the sign. She was released without criminal charges but could face trespassing charges if she returned, and her discovery has highlighted the ongoing issue of affordable housing in Michigan.
Woman Found Living in Midland Grocery Store Sign
In late April, the Midland Police Department discovered a woman living in a grocery store sign. This unusual case revealed a woman set up comfortably within the sign of the Family Fare market in Midland, complete with her own mini-desk, computer, printer, coffee machine, food and clothing.
“They knocked on the door and she opened it. She fully understood when we told her ‘you can’t be here’,” said Brennon Warren, a public information officer with the Midland Police Department.
Contractors working on the roof on April 23 noticed an extension cord coming from the sign’s door, triggering the unusual discovery. The woman was reportedly living in a space on top of the roof, enclosed within a 10 to 15 feet long, 8 to 10 feet tall sign with a depth of 5 feet.
The woman, who remains unidentified, was released at the scene without any criminal charges. However, Warren noted that she could face trespassing charges if she returned. Upon her release, the officers offered her homeless resources but she declined.
“She left without any further incident,” said Warren. The woman claimed she had been living there for approximately a year. Store staff remained oblivious to her unique living situation but had seen her around the store in the past.
In Warren’s decade-long tenure, he has never come across such a situation. “We do see some of our homeless population and we provide them with resources, where to find food and things like that…Just trying to provide them with as much information as we can, and even if it’s to get a roof over their head for a few nights or a warm meal,” he said.
The woman was able to take some of her belongings with her. Family Fare worked with her to remove the rest of her property from the roof. She left the roof using the contractors’ ladder.
In a statement, a spokesperson for SpartanNash, the company operating Family Fare, expressed pride in its associates handling the situation with compassion and professionalism. “Ensuring there is ample safe, affordable housing continues to be a widespread issue nationwide.”
Indeed, Michigan faces an affordable housing crunch. As per the National Low Income Housing Coalition, the state has a shortage of 188,895 rental homes affordable and available for people with extremely low incomes. This implies insufficient rental homes for a family of four with an average income of just $28,030, a category that encompasses 27% of renter households.
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