Detroit Future City

DETROIT FUTURE CITY ("DFC") IS COMMITTED TO ADVANCING THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR ALL DETROITERS. WITH COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND RACIAL EQUITY AS CORE VALUES, DFC ENGAGES IN ADVOCACY AND POLICY, CONVENING, RESEARCH, TESTING, AND INNOVATION IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMMATIC AREAS:- GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE AND LAND USE, WHICH INCLUDES HELPING TO ADVANCE GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE BY CONVENING LOCAL AND NATIONAL PARTNERS, COMMUNITY EDUCATION ON GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE AND LOT ACTIVATION, AND HIGHLIGHTING AND IMPLEMENTING BEST PRACTICES AND ADVOCATING FOR OPEN SPACE PLANNING- COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, WHICH FOCUSES ON SINGLE-FAMILY RENTAL HOUSING, COMMERCIAL CORRIDOR STRATEGIES, AND DEVELOPING APPROACHES FOR THE ADAPTIVE REUSE OF OBSOLETE INDUSTRIAL SITES

THE CENTER FOR EQUITY, ENGAGEMENT, AND RESEARCH CONDUCTS AND PUBLISHES RESEARCH REGARDING EQUITABLE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AND ENGAGES WITH COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS TO INFORM AND DISSEMINATE RESEARCH FINDINGS. IN 2023, THE CENTER PUBLISHED SEVEN REPORTS COVERING TOPICS RANGING FROM PATTERNS OF MORTGAGE LENDING AND HOME SALES IN DETROIT TO GROWING MIDDLE-WAGE OCCUPATIONS IN THE METROPOLITAN AREA. RESEARCH WAS ALSO CONDUCTED FOR PUBLICATION IN 2024 REGARDING HEIRS PROPERTIES AND NEIGHBORHOOD CONDITIONS. IN ADDITION, AN ON-LINE DATA DASHBOARD WAS MAINTAINED TO MAKE THIS DATA EASILY AVAILABLE TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC. FINDINGS WERE ALSO PRESENTED THROUGH PUBLIC MEETINGS USING A VIRTUAL FORMAT.

DFC'S COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM PROMOTES POLICIES TO CREATE SAFE, AFFORDABLE HOUSING, AS WELL AS EQUITABLE NEIGHBORHOOD DEVELOPMENT. THE DETROIT NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSING COMPACT, LED BY DFC, IS A COLLABORATION OF MORE THAN 50 PUBLIC, PRIVATE, AND NON-PROFIT STAKEHOLDERS WORKING TO IMPROVE SINGLE FAMILY HOUSING CONDITIONS IN DETROIT. THE COMPACT HOSTS MONTHLY SESSIONS TO SHARE INFORMATION, IMPROVE COORDINATION, AND DEVELOP NEW INITIATIVES TOWARD THE GOALS OF IMPROVING HOUSING QUALITY AND AFFORDABILITY. THE PROGRAM ALSO WORKS WITH COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS TO PROVIDE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND PLANNING SERVICES TO PROMOTE HOUSING REHABILITATION AND EQUITABLE INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT DEVELOPMENT.

THE LAND USE AND SUSTAINABILITY PROGRAM PROMOTES EQUITABLE AND SUSTAINABLE LAND USE PRACTICES IN DETROIT. PROGRAM ACTIVITIES INCLUDE PROVIDING TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS THAT WISH TO DEVELOP COMMUNITY OPEN SPACE AND GREEN STORMWATER INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS. IN 2023, DFC COLLABORATED WITH A COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATION TO IMPLEMENT A LARGE-SCALE OPEN-SPACE PROJECT COVERING 12 CITY LOTS. DFC ALSO COORDINATED THE OPEN SPACE WORKING GROUP, A COALITION OF PUBLIC, PRIVATE, AND NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS WORKING TO PROMOTE IMPLEMENTATION OF OPEN SPACE STRATEGIES CITY-WIDE.