Mayor Duggan and Detroit ACE announce plans to activate neighborhood Arts Alleys around the city

• Funded by $3 million through ARPA with support from the Ford Foundation

• Project a key component of Mayor’s Blight to Beauty initiative

• Artists, alley design to be selected by residents during community engagement process

• Transformations to include infrastructure improvements for alleys making them renewed and able to be utilized again

Alley in Artist Village before Arts Alleys project.

An example of what the same alley may look like after Arts Alleys activation.

Mayor Duggan and Detroit ACE announced this week a new initiative to transform commercial and residential alleys in five neighborhoods across the city into community gathering spaces where residents can exhibit and experience art.

The project, called the Arts Alley Initiative, is funded with $3 million from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) approved by Detroit City Council. The Arts Alleys project, which is part of Mayor Duggan’s Blight to Beauty campaign, is also supported by the Ford Foundation. The Art Alleys project is being conducted first as a pilot for possible future neighborhood alley activations by residents in neighborhoods throughout the city.

The Arts Alleys project will build on work already being done by community groups and neighborhood associations that have activated alleys in their neighborhoods with art and creativity. It also builds on the work being done by the City to clear brush and trash from thousands of alleys across the city. Over the past two years, alleys behind nearly 2,000 residential blocks have been cleared and reclaimed.

The Detroit Arts, Culture, & Entrepreneurship Office will execute community engagement throughout key areas in the city. The five pilot Arts Alleys will be in:

• Jefferson Chalmers
• Old Redford
• Schulze
• NW Goldberg
• Springwells

The objectives of this project are to spur neighborhood development and revitalization, mitigate localized flooding through low-cost stormwater management strategies, create opportunities for the creative workforce, and highlight neighborhood creativity. These spaces will become hubs for small business activations, events, and sources of pride for residents in each community.

For more information, read the full story at Detroit ACE Arts Alleys (detroitmi.gov)

$40M Detroit Water and Sewerage Department project to increase capacity in the local and regional sewer system

• Project to keep about 100 million gallons of stormwater annually out of the combined sewer system on the city’s westside, reducing basement backups

• Two new detention basins and green paths inside Rouge Park

• Lead service line replacement and downspout disconnection included as part of the project

Council Member Fred Durhal III (left to right) joined DWSD Field Services Director for Stormwater & Permits Lisa Wallick and DWSD Director Gary Brown to begin construction of the Far West Stormwater Improvement Project

Detroit Water and Sewerage Department (DWSD) Director Gary Brown and Councilman Fred Durhal III announced a five-year, $40 million project that will redirect rainwater and snowmelt from a westside neighborhood into two new detention basins, as well as provides other neighborhood improvements. The construction will be led by Detroit-based business, Major Contracting.

Two new detention basins will filter stormwater and discharge it directly into the Rouge River, providing significant relief to the local and regional combined sewer system. The project also includes water main and lead service line replacement. New for this DWSD project is the addition of downspout disconnections for about 400 houses that have gutter downspouts connected to the sewer system. Major Contracting will begin the preparations for the new sewer piping related to the detention basins.

As part of its long-term strategy to reduce the amount of rainwater and snowmelt going into the combined sewer system, DWSD has been designing and planning a massive stormwater project in the Far West Detroit neighborhood near Rouge Park since 2016.

It is estimated that the retention project will remove 98 million gallons of stormwater runoff each year from the combined sewer system on Detroit’s far west side. The stormwater will be stored in the new retention area, allowing it to be filtered naturally before being discharged into the Rouge River.

For more information, read the full story at $40M Detroit project (detroitmi.gov)

Government officials, developers break ground at Left Field, bringing deeply affordable housing to Corktown as part of $30M HUD neighborhood grant

• Left Field is first project to break ground under City’s sweeping $30M Corktown Choice plan to bring 500 units of affordable housing to one of Detroit’s fastest growing neighborhoods.

• 120-unit housing development at former Tiger Stadium site will set aside 40 percent of its units for Detroiters earning no more than 60 percent or area’s median income.

• City was awarded highly competitive HUD Choice Neighborhood grant as part of Mayor Duggan’s strategy to prevent displacement as Corktown development drives up rents.

Mayor Mike Duggan, along with City, State and Federal officials, joined with Corktown residents July 27 to break ground on Left Field, a $42-million residential development at the former site of Tiger Stadium that will bring deeply affordable housing to one of the City’s fastest growing neighborhoods.

Left Field is the first development in the City’s sweeping Choice Neighborhood Initiative (CNI) transformation plan to begin, following years of planning and community engagement.

Left Field, being built by American Community Developers (ACD), is a two-phase development that will have a total of 120 apartments, 40 percent of which will be at deeply affordable rates at or below 60 percent area median income (AMI). Each phase will cost about $21 million and have 60 units each along the Fisher Service Drive and Cochrane Street.

This first phase is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2023, and the second phase will begin later this year and open in 2024.

The project is supported by the $30-million HUD CNI grant awarded to Detroit last year that will create more than 800 units of housing with a wide array of affordability and housing options throughout Corktown. The work, led by the City’s Housing & Revitalization and Planning & Development teams, will ensure Detroiters of all backgrounds and incomes will be included as the neighborhood continues to see rapid development and escalating rents.

For more information, read the full story at Left Field affordable housing (detroitmi.gov)

Mayor Duggan speaks before U.S. Senate committee about 2020 Census

Mayor Mike Duggan speaks with the Senate Homeland and Governmental Affairs Committee during a field hearing this week in Detroit to discuss the 2020 Census count.

Mayor Duggan, state lawmakers announce $15M boost
to Renew Detroit low-income home repair program

• Renew Detroit expands to $45M commitment, will now assist 2,000 seniors and disabled Detroiters instead of 1,500

• Phase 2 applications open Oct. 1 for roof replacements or windows

Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, along with State lawmakers and housing officials, July 29 celebrated $15 million in additional funding for the Renew Detroit program, which will help more lower-income seniors and homeowners with disabilities receive major home repairs.

Announced last fall as a $30-million home repair program, Renew Detroit has now grown to $45 million and will help 2,000 Detroiters instead of 1,500 in two phases.

Historically, the City has funded 200 to 250 annual home repairs through its Community Development Block Grant-funded Senior Emergency Home Repair (SEHR) program at a cost of up to $6 million per year. With demand far exceeding the funding available, Renew Detroit was launched to tap ARPA funds to further address this great need for assistance in the community.

In addition to increasing the program to help more Detroiters, the extra funding will allow the roof-replacement program to be expanded to include new windows. Detroiters who are approved for the repairs will have one major project performed, whichever is deemed most urgent.

For more information, read the full story at Renew Detroit low-income home repair program (detroitmi.gov)

Detroit Fire Department, City Council welcome 45 new cadets

Detroit Fire Department Commissioner Chuck Simms, DFD leadership and members of Detroit City Council welcomed 45 new Detroit Fire cadets this week. Of the group, 12 of these cadets received their badges, and are no longer considered probationary firefighters.

This is DFD’s second graduation this year, bringing the total number of Detroit Firefighters up to nearly 1,200. This will help the City of Detroit respond to fire and medical emergencies even faster.

The City of Detroit collects bulk items (all year) and yard waste (April – December) every other week at the curb. However, when items exceed the limit or include materials not collected at the curb (like construction debris), residents have options.

DPW Paid Pickup Service
The Department of Public Works will pick up items for $40 per cubic yard. Call (313) 876-0004 for details.

Use FREE Drop-Off Locations
Residents can dispose of their bulk, yard waste, and household hazardous items for free. Go here for details.

For more information on how to keep the city clean, visit keepdetroitclean.com.

CRIO is Better Serving our Communities!

Your Voice Matters. Take part in 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗹 𝗥𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 𝗠𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗦𝘂𝗿𝘃𝗲𝘆 and let us know what you need to settle discrimination complaints in a collaborative, respectful manner.

Questions?

Contact the Civil Rights, Inclusion & Opportunity at:

2 Woodward Avenue, Suite 1240, Detroit, MI 48226
Monday – Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.
(313) 224-4950, fax: (313) 224-3434

crio@detroitmi.gov

The City of Detroit has begun providing doses of the Jynneos vaccines to Detroiters who have been exposed to the Monkeypox virus or who suspect they have been exposed.  The vaccines are made available through the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS).

The vaccine will be used as first doses during initial allocations from MDHHS to Detroiters in need on the following basis:

• Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP) – To prevent development of the virus in individuals who have been exposed to the Monkeypox virus
• Expanded Post-Exposure Prophylaxis – Individuals with risk behaviors in geographies, settings, events or venues with known Monkeypox virus transmission in the previous 14 days

Monkeypox vaccinations are being administered at the following locations:

• Wayne HIV/STI Clinic at 50 East Canfield                   M-F 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

1^st & 3^rd Saturdays 8 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

• Detroit Health Department at 100 Mack Avenue          M-F 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Further information about the Monkeypox virus, and who should get vaccinated, is available by calling the Detroit Health Department nurse hotline Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. at (313) 876-4444 or send an email to dhdoutbreak@detroitmi.gov

Read the full story at Monkeypox Vaccine Available (detroitmi.gov)

For more information, read the full story at DWSD water affordability plan (detroitmi.gov)

Pediatric vaccinations and children booster shots are available by appointment only at both pediatric vaccination locations operated by the Detroit Health Department. The City also is providing booster doses for children ages 5-11 who are eligible five months after completing their initial series.

• Detroit Health Department, 100 Mack Avenue
  Monday – Friday from 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.
• Northwest Activities Center, 18100 Meyers
  Monday – Friday from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Older children ages 12 and older can obtain vaccinations and boosters on a walk-in basis at all Health Department vaccination sites, including Saturday pediatric pop-up health clinics scheduled in neighborhoods across Detroit during July and August. Free lead screenings are also available. A full list of vaccination sites can be found on the Health Department’s website or call (313) 230-0505. Bring vaccination card to appointment.

Detroit ACE, Detroit Symphony Orchestra, community groups host final Music in the Park Celebration neighborhood experience

The Office of Arts, Culture and Entrepreneurship (Detroit ACE) has been partnering this summer with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and several community organizations on neighborhood musical experiences.

The concerts are a part of DSO’s commitment to strengthen its commitment to the growth and well-being of the City of Detroit through the Detroit Neighborhood Initiative, part of a larger Detroit Strategy to invest in and build relationships with Detroit residents.

Final Music In the Park Celebration
Saturday, July 30 from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. 
Northwest Goldberg Cares Spotlight Park, 5945 Linwood St.
Sponsored by the W. K. Kellogg Foundation