By Ed White
The Associated Press
Contractors curious about an extension cord laying on the roof of a Michigan grocery store made a startling discovery: A 34-year-old woman was living inside the business’ sign, with enough space for a computer, printer and coffee maker, police said.
“She was homeless,” Officer Brennon Warren of the Midland Police Department said Thursday. “It’s a story that makes you scratch your head just somebody living up in a sign.”
The woman, whose name was not released, told police she had a job elsewhere but had been living inside the Family Fare sign for roughly a year, Warren said. She was found April 23.
Midland, best known as the global home of Dow Inc., is 130 miles north of Detroit.
The Family Fare store is in a retail strip mall with a triangle-shaped sign atop the building. The sign structure, probably around 5 feet wide and 8 feet high, Warren said, has a door and is accessible from the roof.
“There was some flooring that was laid down,” he said. “A mini desk. Her clothing. A Keurig coffee maker. A printer and a computer things you’d have in your home.”
The woman was able to get electricity through a power cord plugged into an outlet on the roof, Warren said.
There was no sign of a ladder. Warren said it’s possible the woman made her way to the roof by climbing up elsewhere behind the store or other retail businesses.
“I honestly don’t know how she was getting up there; she didn’t indicate either,” he said.
Store employees responded to the discovery “with the utmost compassion and professionalism,” according to a spokesperson for SpartanNash, the parent company of Family Fare.
“Ensuring there is ample safe, affordable housing continues to be a widespread issue nationwide that our community needs to partner in solving,” Adrienne Chance said, declining further comment.
The woman was cooperative and quickly agreed to leave, Warren said. No charges were pursued.
“We provided her with some information about services in the area,” the officer said. “She apologized and continued on her way. Where she went from there, I don’t know.”
The director of a local nonprofit that provides food and shelter assistance said Midland which has a population of 42,000 needs more housing for low-income residents.
“From someone who works with the homeless, part of me acknowledges she was really resourceful,” said Saralyn Temple of Midland’s Open Door. “Obviously, we don’t want people resorting to illegal activity to find housing. There are much better options.”
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