Raymond E. Shepherd House is a new 4-story building providing 53 units of much-needed affordable senior housing in Ferndale, MI. The LGBTQ+ affirming housing will offer a safe, welcoming environment to a population who is likely to have experienced discrimination based on their identity. LGBTQ+ seniors are more likely to face poverty and homelessness, due to decades of employment segregation, marriage inequality, and housing discrimination. The Raymond E. Shepherd House will serve as a welcoming, LGBTQ+ inclusive housing option for seniors who are struggling due to the rise in luxury housing developments in Ferndale. 

The building will be named after a former deacon at the Metropolitan Community Church of Detroit and a volunteer at Affirmations, the Ferndale LGBTQ+ center. Reverend Dr. Roland Stringfellow, the senior minister at MCC Detroit, first proposed the project after learning about the Ruth Ellis Clairmount Center, a supportive housing and community space for LGBTQ+ youth.  

The first floor will include a community event space serving the broader Ferndale community and resident amenities: a computer lab, fitness room, and access to the garden/patio space.