Home values increase 23 percent on average in 2023; Homeowners gain record $1.7 billion in wealth

Mayor Duggan discusses the increased value in Detroit’s homes during this week’s press conference.

Detroit homeowners gained a record $1.7 billion in wealth in 2023 from the appreciation in value of their houses. Every residential neighborhood in Detroit saw an increase, Mayor Mike Duggan announced this week.

Based on home sales data from the past two years, homeowners saw an average increase of 23 percent over 2022. That rise in value will be reflected in an annual notice of proposed property assessment changes for 2024, arriving in mailboxes beginning this week.

The actual property tax increase is capped by five percent by the Michigan Constitution, unless the home was sold in the last year. When a home sells, the cap is lifted, and the taxable amount adjusts to the State Equalized Value the year following the transfer.

Historic Increase in Value

The rise in residential property value in the past year was so significant that the value of all residential property in Detroit grew by $1.7 billion compared to last year, the largest single-year increase on record. Earlier this month, it was reported nationally that Detroit had surpassed Miami as the city with the highest appreciation of home values, based on an annual study released by CoreLogic.

The average Detroit homeowner has seen property values more than triple since 2017. Detroit homeowners’ value grew from $2.8 billion to $8.7 billion in that time.

Beginning this week, the Detroit Department of Transportation increased frequency of bus service on the Jefferson route and other additional runs. DDOT has seen an increased number of new operators in recent months, which will help support the enhanced service frequency.

Earlier this month, DDOT graduated 30 new Transit Equipment Operators and has 115 students in class. Mayor Duggan also announced a $3 per hour raise in the starting wage and wage cap for transit equipment officers, and an additional $500 to what was a $1,000 quarterly bonus for good attendance. This pay raise, approved by Detroit City Council, has increased the number of applicants.

The Jefferson, the first Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) pilot project, will see daytime frequency increased to every 10 minutes on weekdays and 15 minutes on weekends. Bus frequency also will be added to Dexter and Fenkell routes, and peak period runs will be added to a number of other routes.

Visit detroitmi.gov/DDOT to learn more about applying to be a bus operator.

Mayor Duggan delivers remarks during Chandler Park Fieldhouse groundbreaking ceremony.

Mayor Duggan and Council Member Latisha Johnson joined community partners and residents at Chandler Park, on Detroit’s east side, to celebrate the start of construction on the state-of-the-art, $14-million ARPA-funded Chandler Park Fieldhouse.

The 130,000-square-foot fieldhouse will be the first sports dome in Detroit.  Chandler Park is the fourth largest park in Detroit, spanning 200 acres. The new facility will provide year-round sports, fitness, and recreation options.

Key features of the Chandler Park Fieldhouse include:

• Multi-use court for basketball, volleyball, and pickleball
• Football field and track for various sports, including Soccer in the D
• Multi-purpose rooms for community activities
• Administrative spaces to provide efficient management
• Shower rooms and inclusive bathrooms for residents
• 200+ space parking lot with bio-swales for sustainable stormwater management

Construction is set to be completed in 2025.

Motor City Match Round 25 grants to help entrepreneurs open businesses in 19 Detroit neighborhoods

Mayor Duggan joins business owner LaDonna Reynolds, Council President Sheffield, Councilmember Fred Durhal III, and DEGC President Kevin Johnson.

Mayor Mike Duggan and the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation (DEGC) awarded more than $1.2 million in grants to support 23 Detroit businesses in Round 25 of Motor City Match program. The grants will support the opening of nearly two dozen new storefronts in Detroit.

The 23 new businesses will be located across 19 Detroit neighborhoods, including Cadillac Heights, Sherwood Forest, Eastern Market, Bagley and New Center.

The latest group of Motor City Match recipients plan to operate a childcare center, multimedia production studio, a mini market selling household essentials and several restaurants showcasing diverse cuisines like Filipino food.

In addition, eight existing small businesses were awarded a total of $171,800 to make physical improvements to their existing space, bringing the total investment into small businesses in this round to $1.4 million.

In total, 23 Detroit businesses representing seven council districts received support from Motor City Match’s 25th round.

Since 2015, Motor City Match has awarded grants to more than 2,000 businesses, resulting in 165 new brick-and-mortar businesses currently operating throughout the city.

Grant applications now open for  Neighborhood Beautification Program

Applications are open now through Feb. 23 for Detroiters to apply for the Neighborhood Beautification Program (NBP), which awards grants ranging from $500 to $15,000 to beautify vacant land across the City.

The NBP provides funding for block clubs, neighborhood associations, nonprofit organizations, and faith-based groups that currently own vacant land to complete a project in the community. For those who hope to participate but do not yet own land, NBP staff can assist organizations with purchasing or leasing lots owned by the Detroit Land Bank Authority.

These photos show the transformation of the Marjorie Street Garden, thanks to the Neighborhood Beautification Program. The project was one of the first to receive funding in 2022. 

The NBP grants support three types of projects:

• Community Gardens
• Public Space Improvements
• Clean-Up Activities

The program has awarded 99 grants totaling $1.24 million across every City Council district since fall 2022, and $3.51 million in grants remain available through 2025. The deadline to apply for funding this year is February 23.

Detroit Animal Control strongly urges pet owners to bring animals inside, especially during extreme weather

Detroit Animal Control (DAC) and the Health Department remind pet owners that temperatures below freezing and wind chill can be dangerous, even deadly, for domesticated pets.

This is why DAC is urging pet owners to bring in their pets; however, if people leave their pets outdoors for any length of time, they are required by Michigan state law to provide them with adequate food, water, and shelter.

Failing to provide proper provisions for pets can result in misdemeanor animal cruelty violations, carrying a sentence of up to 93 days in jail, up to a $1,000 fine, community service, and loss of pet ownership for a specified amount of time.

Detroit Health Department offering free radon test kits during Radon Action Month

The Detroit Health Department is giving away free radon test kits from now through February to assist with keeping Detroiters safe during Radon Action Month. After March 1, residents can purchase radon kits for $10 from the Detroit Health Department.

January is Radon Action Month. Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer after smoking in the United States. Radon has no odor or taste and can build up in the air inside of any home or building.

Testing is the only way to learn whether your home has a high level of radon. Testing is recommended every two to five years. If a home has a high radon level, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends installing a radon reduction system.

Radon test kits are available at the Detroit Health Department building at 100 Mack on the third floor. Kits can also be found at local hardware stores, home improvement centers, and other retail stores.

For more information, visit Michigan.gov/radon.

Sign up for Detroit Connected app, gain access to local channels

The City of Detroit Media Services Department’s app, called Detroit Connected, allows Detroiters to watch City Channels 10, 21, 22, and 68 on their phones and devices, without a cable connection. Along with the service provided on the City website, this app now gives residents multiple places to keep up-to-date on local news.

The new app is now available on Roku, Amazon Firestick, Google Play, and the Apple App Store, and can be used on both televisions and smartphones. The linktree for all the services is here: link.

With Detroit Connected, residents can view live television, including City Council meetings, press conferences, groundbreakings and similar public events. The channels can also be viewed on the City website, giving residents multiple convenient choices.

Detroiters with the app can also watch videos of previous live events, including City Council, Detroit Board of Police Commissioners, and City Planning Commission meetings, along with press conferences from Mayor Mike Duggan and other City officials.