Friday, May 24, 2024     |     www.detroitmi.gov

Most City of Detroit offices will be closed on Monday, May 27 in observance of the Memorial Day holiday. Normal Police, Fire and Water and Sewerage services will be provided.

DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS
The Department of Public Works will NOT collect refuse, bulk, yard waste and curbside recycling on Monday, May 27. Monday’s collection will be picked up on Tuesday, and Tuesday’s collection will take place on Wednesday and so forth. Friday’s collection will take place on Saturday.

DDOT BUSES
The Department of Transportation (DDOT) will operate bus service on a Sunday schedule on May 27. The Rosa Parks Transit Center will remain open. DDOT Administration Offices at 100 Mack Avenue will be closed on Monday. For bus arrival information, view or download bus schedules to plan your trip at detroitmi.gov/ddot. To reach DDOT Customer Service, call (313) 933-1300.

DETROIT PEOPLE MOVER
The Detroit People Mover will operate on Saturday, May 25 and Sunday, May 26 from 10 a.m. – 1 a.m. and Monday, May 29 from 10 a.m. – midnight to accommodate individuals attending the Movement Festival.

CITY PARKING FACILITIES

There will be no parking enforcement on May 27.

Ford Underground Garage will be open 24 hours from Saturday, May 25 to Monday, May 27 for the Movement Festival. The parking fee is $10.

DOING BUSINESS WITH THE CITY
Although City of Detroit offices may be closed, many City services, such as tax and fee payments and permit applications, are available online at detroitmi.gov. In terms of some payments to the City of Detroit, individuals may utilize the DivDat kiosk or mobile app. Residents also may report issues via the Improve Detroit app.

The City of Detroit is gearing up to host the season’s premier INDYCAR race right here on the streets of downtown. It’s important for residents and visitors alike to be aware of road closures and have a transportation plan in place to get to the event in advance of race weekend.

The 2024 Grand Prix will kick off Friday, May 31 with the return of Free Prix Friday, sponsored by Comerica Bank, and run through Sunday, June 2.

Road closures will begin Tuesday, May 28 to continue set up for the Grand Prix; however, residents and visitors are will still have access to downtown through alternative transportation options such as the Detroit People Mover, SMART and DDOT buses, Transit Windsor, and the QLINE.

While the Detroit People Mover will have extended hours, DDOT and SMART buses will operate on their normal schedule with modifications to routes to accommodate road closures.

Sidewalks will remain open for those seeking to access businesses and residences downtown.

Detroit Grand Prix Road Closures are as follows:

• Tuesday, May 28 – Thursday, June 5
  • Atwater from Riopelle to Hart Plaza
  • Bates from Jefferson to Atwater
  • EB Jefferson from M-10 to Rivard
  • WB Jefferson from Rivard to Washington Blvd.
  • Woodward from State to Jefferson
  • Cadillac Square west of Bates
  • Campus Martius
• Wednesday, May 29 – Monday, June 3
  • Renaissance Drive West
  • Franklin between Rivard and St. Antoine
  • Rivard between Jefferson and Atwater
  • Antoine between Jefferson and Atwater

All remaining street closures are expected to reopen by Friday, June 7. Larned and Congress are expected to remain open for the duration of the event.

Starting June 3, Detroit residents will see a major change in the frequency of solid waste collection and an increased level of service under recently approved trash hauler contracts through the City of Detroit Department of Public Works (DPW).

Under the contracts with Waste Management and new vendor Priority Waste, recycling, yard waste and bulk items will be collected every week along with trash rather than bi-weekly. The new contract also includes expansion of services to collect debris on connector side streets, as well as the collection of household renovation materials.

Currently, residents have their trash picked up curbside on a weekly basis while bulk, recycling and yard waste are picked up on a bi-weekly basis. Vacant property pick up is also currently on a bi-weekly schedule.

Under the expanded contracted service beginning June 3:

• Trash in Courville containers will continue to be collected every week
• Bulk items will be collected every week
• Recycling will be collected every week
• Yard waste will be collected every week
• Vacant property pick up will occur every week
• Household renovation debris, which was not part of services, will now be picked up
• Side street debris, which was not part of previous services, will now be picked up

Registration is now through May 30. Any student in 7th-12th grade who lives in Detroit is eligible to participate!

For more information, go to Saturdays in the D.

Tepfirah Rushdan, Director of Detroit’s Office of Sustainability, City Council President Pro Tem James Tate, and Timothy Jackson, Co-Chair of the Detroit Bee Committee, join community members to unveil Bee City USA signage at Brightmoor Pollinator Habitat.

Office of Sustainability Director Tepfirah Rushdan joined City Council President Pro Tem James Tate, representatives from the Detroit Bee City Committee and community partners this week at the Brightmoor Pollinator Habitat to announce Detroit’s affiliation with Bee City USA, celebrating the commitment to pollinator conservation and ecological sustainability.

In February, Detroit’s City Council unanimously voted to designate the City as an affiliate of Bee City USA, aligning with numerous other cities and campuses nationwide in their commitment to enhancing landscapes for pollinators.

The decision follows months of collaborative effort led by dedicated individuals and groups to secure this affiliation. Michigan is home to 465 native bee species, each playing a vital role within our ecosystems.

The City of Detroit office of Arts, Culture, and Entrepreneurship (Detroit ACE) is seeking nominations for Detroit Composer Laureate, a new position sponsored by the Ford Foundation that would advocate for and represent Detroit’s diverse musical heritage, community and spirit, building upon it’s long standing as a leader in musical innovation and excellence.

After a formal selection process, the chosen individual will be ceremonially named Detroit’s official Composer Laureate, similar to other Ford Foundations-sponsored positions, City Historian Jamon Jordan and Poet Laureate jessica Care moore.

The Laureate will be expected to teach Detroit’s musical legacy and inspire young people to continue that legacy by considering careers in music, encouraging young talents to make their careers in Detroit.

To qualify, applicants must:

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

Candidates may nominate themselves. Packets should be sent to RoseK@metrosolutions.us.

The deadline for nominations is June 7, 2024. For more information, contact Lacey Holmes in the ACE office at lacey.holmes@detroitmi.gov.

Register to volunteer for Peacenic 2024 for Detroit’s 9th Precinct on        June 15 here.

Detroit City Council President Pro Tem James Tate is launching ‘Protect Your Crown,’ a campaign that highlights the importance of maintaining one’s mental health and addressing concerns without shame or fear.

In partnership with Pro Tem Tate’s Office, the City of Detroit Health Department is also granting full access to the online Community Mental Health Attitudes Survey.

This effort is Detroit’s first citywide online collection of data focusing solely on resident mental health. Residents are invited to participate in the call to action, as pivotal data guides the future of programming.

All the information obtained from the 19-question survey is confidential with a goal of 5,000 completed surveys. Each survey response will help better understand the mental health needs of Detroiters and guide the City’s efforts to obtain resources that make the greatest impact.

The survey can be found at https://bit.ly/pycattitudesurvey.

Join the Office of Mobility (OMI) for the North End Community Bike Ride on Saturday, June 1 from 12 – 3 p.m. Participants will be entered into a raffle for a $50 Visa Gift Card and a $25 Visa Gift Card, as a part of the Detroit Bike Challenge.

There is a limited number of MoGo bikes available for people who don’t own a personal bike.

REGISTER NOW: https://bit.ly/NE-BIKES

Don’t forget to join the Detroit Bike Challenge Strava Club for a chance win prizes in May: strava.com/clubs/1049231.

The City of Detroit is proud to announce it has joined the AARP Network of Age-Friendly State and Communities. This enrollment acknowledges the City’s work to create livable neighborhoods where our older residents know their well-being paramount to the administration.

Mayor Duggan’s administration is working in partnership with the Detroit City Council to enhance and promote the City’s robust programs and resources available to seniors. This includes:

• Detroit’s Housing & Revitalization Department has worked to preserve 10,000 units of affordable housing for anywhere between 15-40 years, much of which is dedicated senior housing
• Mayor and City Council allocated $45 million of the city’s American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) dollars to Renew Detroit, a senior roof repair program
• A Senior Emergency Home Repair program provides up to $15,000 for various repairs
• Department of Public Works prioritizes sidewalk repair around senior’s homes
• Digital Equity & Inclusion Department provides digital literacy and fintech training to seniors
• Recreation Department has dedicated senior programming such as chair yoga and ballroom dancing, and hosts one of the coolest events of the year, our Senior Olympics
• Providing access to American Sign Language and other language services through our office of Civil Rights, Inclusion & Opportunity Department
• Department of Transportation has recently overhauled our paratransit system, which now boasts of 95 percent on-time performance with caring operators
• Department of Mobility and Innovation is working with external partners to pilot a door-to-door shuttle service for seniors to get to and from appointments and shopping
• The Detroit Health Department recently piloted a Re-Engage in Self-Care and Enjoy Today (RESET) program to help adults over 50 improve their post-pandemic well-being, becoming more active and engaged

Detroit grows in population for the first time in decades

Detroit has gained population for the first time in more than six decades, according to new population estimates released last week by the          U.S. Census Bureau.

According to the estimate, Detroit gained 1,852 residents between July 1, 2022 and July 1, 2023, marking the first time since 1957 Detroit has not lost population in the eyes of the Census Bureau. Last year’s official (adjusted) Census population for Detroit was 631,366. As of the new Census Bureau estimate, Detroit’s population now stands at 633,218.

As a result of its gains, Detroit is now ranked as the 26th most populous city in America, up from 29th place this time last year. The city of Detroit also led the state of Michigan in total population growth in 2023.

The increase comes amid a streak of positive news in Detroit recently, including:

• $1 billion invested in more than 4,600 units of affordable housing over the past five years
• Job growth with more than 25,000 more Detroiters employed since 2014
• A return to investment grade bond status for the first time since 2009
• $3 billion in added wealth for Detroit’s black homeowners since 2014, according to a University of Michigan study
• Reductions in crime beating national trends, including the fewest homicides in 57 years
• Successfully hosting the largest ever NFL Draft at 775,000 people over three days

Mayor Duggan talking with passengers aboard the northbound Woodward bus on the way to check out the newly-opened Jason Hargrove Transit Center.

Mayor Duggan marked the opening of the Detroit Department of Transportation’s (DDOT) newest transit center, the Jason Hargrove Transit Center at the State Fairgrounds, by highlighting how passengers can now make transfers in comfort and out of the elements.

Named in honor of the late bus operator Jason Hargrove, whose advocacy for driver safety resonated deeply with the community, the Transit Center stands as a testament to his legacy.

Over the past year, diligent efforts have transformed a vision into reality, culminating in the construction of a 52,000-square-foot facility designed to accommodate the needs of both passengers and operators.

Motor City Match’s Round 26 awards help launch new businesses in 17 Detroit neighborhoods

In a boost to Detroit’s entrepreneurial landscape, Mayor Duggan and the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation (DEGC) awarded $890,000 in grants to 18 local businesses as part of the 26th round of the Motor City Match program.

These grants will support opening nearly two dozen new storefronts across the city, further contributing to Detroit’s economic revitalization.

The new businesses will be located across 17 Detroit neighborhoods, including Riverbend, Nolan, Bethune community, Wade and Bagley.

City moves to ensure DMC Hospitals remain open to continue emergency and healthcare services for Detroiters

The City of Detroit has moved to ensure Detroit Medical Center hospitals and healthcare services remain open and accessible to Detroiters for years to come. The City Council unanimously approved Mayor Duggan’s request to support the DMC’s RZA 15-year extension, enabling the DMC to continue receiving vital tax exemptions.

The Renaissance Zone program is a collaborative effort between the City of Detroit, the County of Wayne, and the State of Michigan to give tax incentives to residents and businesses. This program works to encourage economic stability and development within the eight designated RZA areas of the City.

As part of an agreement with the City, DMC will continue to provide its emergency and health care services for Detroiters, ensuring care for the uninsured and underinsured.

DDOT graduates 33 newly certified bus drivers

Deputy Mayor Todd Bettison joined members of the Detroit Department of Transportation (DDOT) to congratulate the 33 newly certified Transportation Equipment Operators.

These operators completed months of classroom and on-the-road training before receiving their official operator badges. This graduation comes as the Department works to expand its driving force.