City announces first eight Certified Tech Hubs, new interactive map to help residents access digital resources

Deputy Mayor Todd Bettison spoke about the committment of the Duggan administration to closing the digital divide.

Deputy Mayor Todd Bettison joined the Office of Digital Equity & Inclusion Director Christine Burkette, City Council Members and community partners this week to announce the first eight City of Detroit Certified Tech Hubs.

The announcement was held at the Dick & Sandy Bauch Campus of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeastern Michigan (BGCSM) on Tireman Ave., one of the locations granted this certification.

The Office of Digital Equity & Inclusion launched the Certified Tech Hub initiative to ensure Detroit residents had equitable access to basic digital literacy resources and tools they need.

As of February 6, there are currently eight Certified Tech Hubs in Detroit. These locations, and the tools and resources they offer, can be found on a new interactive map on the Detroit’s Office of Digital Equity and Inclusion website at detroitmi.gov/digitalequity.

The City of Detroit held its regular biannual Revenue Estimating Conference this week to receive an update on the Detroit economic outlook and approve new economic and revenue forecasts for the remainder of fiscal year 2024 and for fiscal years 2025 through 2028.

State law requires the City to hold independent revenue conferences in September and February each fiscal year to set the total amount available for its annual budget and four-year financial plan.

Detroit’s economy continues to show steady growth marked by job and wage gains for Detroiters and improving employment level, according to the Detroit Economic Outlook for 2023-2028 released by the University of Michigan earlier this month.

Find more information on the Revenue Estimating Conference at detroitmi.gov/budget.

Detroit’s first Arab and Chaldean immigrants arrived more than a century ago. Yet, there are currently no historic districts or individual properties listed in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) related to these communities. A new project by the City of Detroit’s Historic Designation Advisory Board (HDAB) will change this.

Detroit is the first city in the nation to receive an Underrepresented Communities (URC) Grant that recognizes Arab and Chaldean immigrants. This $50,000 URC grant was awarded to the HDAB by the National Park Service to fund a historic property survey of Detroit sites related to Arab and Chaldean community history.

The HDAB will work with Arab and Chaldean community partners to collect local and family histories. Based on community feedback, a site related to Arab and Chaldean history will be listed in the NRHP. Detroit-based places of study will include businesses, churches, mosques, restaurants, grocers, schools, and community centers.

For additional info about this project, please visit: detroitmi.gov/government/boards/historic-designation-advisory-board/special-projects.

Applications remain open for Detroiters to apply for the Neighborhood Beautification Program (NBP), which awards grants ranging from $500 to $15,000 to beautify vacant land across Detroit.

The deadline to apply for funding this year is February 23.

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

Detroit-based block clubs, neighborhood associations, nonprofit organizations, and faith-based groups can apply at waynemetro.org/neighborhood-beautification-grant.

Request your tree at detroitmi.gov/gsd.

Residents can sign up for Detroit Alerts 365 to receive emergency alerts

City residents can sign up for Detroit Alerts 365, which sends Detroit-specific emergency notifications through the CodeRED emergency notification system. This free system allows individuals to choose how they would like to receive alerts – via telephone, text message, and/or email.

There are several benefits to enrolling in Detroit Alerts 365:

• Notifications are on the go with individuals, who receive important alerts and non-emergency notifications, based on their address directly to your cell phone, home phone, text, or email
• Individuals will receive notifications targeted to residents in a specific area experiencing emergency conditions
• Personal data is secure in the CodeRED system
  
  

In addition to registering for Detroit Alerts 365, residents can download the CodeRED Mobile Alert App to receive emergency alerts based on your current location.

To register, go to detroitalerts365.org or text DetroitAlerts365 to 99411.

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

The Detroit Health Department is continuing its free radon test kit giveaway through February. After March 1, residents can purchase radon kits for $10 from the Health Department.

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 a home has a high level of radon, and 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.

Application portal opens for 10th year of GDYT jobs program for youth

The 10th year of Detroit’s summer jobs program for local youth, Grow Detroit’s Young Talent (GDYT), kicked off recently, with the application portal opening for thousands of Detroiters between the ages of 14 and 24.

More than 8,000 young Detroiters are expected to participate in the program this summer.

The application portal will stay open until May 31, and the program is also open to metro Detroit businesses looking to host young people this summer.

For more information about the youth applicant process, refer to GDYT’s Roadmap to Success at GDYT.org.

Mayor joins SE Michigan coalition in support of water affordability legislation

Mayor Duggan joined a coalition of Southeast Michigan elected officials last week in support of state legislation to create shutoff protections and a statewide water residential affordability program.

The legislation will help individuals on fixed incomes and low-income residents maintain water service with monthly bills limited to no more than three percent of their income.

The City of Detroit Office of Arts, Culture, and Entrepreneurship (Detroit ACE) is seeking nominations for two new appointees – Detroit Poet Laureate and Detroit Composer Laureate.

The Detroit Poet and Composer Laureates will be appointed by Mayor Mike Duggan, whose administration has revived City support of Detroit’s creative workforce.

The standard for Detroit’s poet laureate is a high bar. The previous poet laureate was the late, esteemed Naomi Madgett Long, who died in November 2020 at 97.

To qualify for the appointee positions, applicants must:

• Be Detroit residents
• Have a substantial body of published composition
• Have at least 10 years of experience writing published music

Mayor Duggan, Wayne County announce lawsuits on Insulin price

Mayor, local leaders celebrate Residences at Water Square opening

Mayor Duggan joined members of the City Council and local leaders to celebrate the grand opening of The Residences at Water Square. The 25-story riverfront development occupies the site of the former Joe Louis arena in downtown Detroit. Residences at Water Square is Detroit’s first all-glass residential high-rise building.

The Residences is the first high-rise riverfront residential building to open in Detroit since the third tower of Riverfront Towers opened more than 30 years ago.

All units feature 10-foot floor-to-ceiling windows providing views of the Detroit River and the city skyline. It also features an all-season pool with an outdoor sun deck, a rooftop terrace and sky lounges.