Whitney Houston: To be buried in her hometown. Pic: Rex Features
Whitney Houston's funeral is reportedly to take place in Newark, New Jersey on February 17.
The singer was found dead in her Beverly Hilton Hotel room on Saturday at the age of 48.
Houston's body is expected to be flown back to the East Coast in director Tyler Perry's private jet.
The Bodyguard actress was born in Newark and raised in East Orange.
When she was a young girl she sang at Newark's New Hope Baptist Church.
After news of her death was announced local residents flocked to the church to pay their respects to the singer.
Resident Shawn Cooper told NBC New York: "The Houston family means a lot to this community, they have done a lot for this community, and being there for them is the best thing we can do as a community today."
The singer's family released a statement, saying: "We are devastated by the loss of our beloved Whitney.
"This is an unimaginable tragedy and we will miss her terribly. We appreciate the outpouring of love and support from her fans and friends. The Houston Family."
Meanwhile, Whitney's ex-husband Bobby Brown flew back to Los Angeles on Sunday night to be with the former couple's only child, Bobbi Kristina, who has been rushed to hospital twice since her mother's death.
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