An Oakland County nonprofit that provides emergency shelter for homeless residents has finally received word that $3,000 in unauthorized credit card charges were reversed by a local hotel.

Another nonprofit is still waiting for similar news.

Micah 6, a Pontiac-based nonprofit that provides food, activities for children and other community engagement, pays for a few nights in a hotel when residents have a housing emergency.

The nonprofit provided rooms this year for three people on Jan. 21, Jan. 24 and Feb. 12 at Suburban Studios in Auburn Hills.

In January, Suburban added $855.20 in unauthorized charges. Between Feb. 1 and March 16, more unexpected charges appeared, totaling $2,616.01.

On Monday, after being contacted by The Oakland Press about the charges, Suburban Studios notified Micah 6 that the disputed charges on the nonprofit’s card would be reversed in three to five business days.

But another nonprofit, Hope Shelters, is still awaiting resolution of its dispute of $3,041.49. in unauthorized charges to its credit card.

Katie Romska, Micah 6’s operations director, said she’s been disputing the charges and getting frustrated with Suburban Studios’ general manager, Matt Odish. She said Micah 6 has receipts for the authorized charges, but no receipts for the unauthorized charges.

She and Micah 6 Executive Director Coleman Yoakum mentioned the unauthorized charges at a meeting with other nonprofits last week. That’s when they learned others are having similar issues with Suburban Studios, including Hope Shelters.

“We didn’t realize the gravity of the situation until last week — that it’s happening to others,” Romska said.

Karen Plants, operations manager at Hope Shelters in Pontiac, said her organization has not used Suburban in nearly a year. But in May 2024, she found an unauthorized charge of more than $1,259.93 on Hope Shelter’s credit card.

On Sept. 27, 2024, Suburban charged the card another $1,781.56. For the September charge, she said, a man Hope had helped earlier in 2024 sought a room at Suburban Studios. Hope officials were not aware he’d asked for the room and the hotel did not contact the nonprofit before charging their card.

Hope disputed the charges with the credit card company but recently learned the dispute was rejected. Both charges, totaling $3,041.49, were reinstated.

“The credit card company said the hotel claimed we received goods or services,” she said. “But we didn’t authorize that.”

“It frustrates me that (Odish) admitted he improperly charged our card and promised a refund,” said Brian Wright, Hope Shelter’s executive director. “He not only failed to give the refund, he protested when we reported it to our bank.”

Micah 6’s Romska and Plants said they repeatedly asked Odish to remove credit card information from Suburban Studios’ computer system. Romska said one of two cards has since been successfully removed.

Both women called Suburban’s online listing company, Choice Hotels, but were told Suburban Studios is an independent franchise. Choice Hotels did not respond to an email from The Oakland Press seeking comment. City and state records show the hotel is owned by Auburn Hills Hospitality in Birmingham. Company officials did not respond to The Oakland Press’ message.

Micah 6’s Yoakum said early Monday he was exasperated and may file a police report.

“I would just like to get my money back and never have to deal with these people again,” he said.

Suburban Studios offers extended stay room prices between $53 and $90 a night. Hope Shelters typically pays about $80 per night, Plants said.

The Better Business Bureau for Eastern Michigan and the Upper Peninsula, which promotes ethical business practices, gave Suburban Studios a D-plus grade last year for failing to respond to a complaint filed more than a year ago. The person wrote to the BBB about poor housekeeping. Reviews on the hotel’s Google listing includes one complaint about a credit card charge.

Odish did not respond to calls or an email from The Oakland Press seeking comment.

While Micah 6 had charges reversed by Suburban Studios, Plants said Hope Shelters is still awaiting resolution of its complaint.

Monday afternoon, she filed a complaint with the state attorney general’s office and filled out a form to recover Hope Shelters’ money in small claims court.

“He’s a for-profit business,” she said. “We don’t have money to throw around here. We haven’t given our employees a raise in three years.”

The state attorney general’s website has tips on credit card safety. Visit https://www.michigan.gov/consumerprotection/protect-yourself/consumer-alerts/shopping/credit-cards.