Strong Towns Detroit

08/29/2026

08/29/2026

As Detroit officials look to rejuvenate neighborhoods near Eastern Market, they are facing a changed federal funding landscape that has shrunk a powerful and coveted grant program.

City officials, as well as those with the Detroit Housing Commission, started the process more than a year ago in the hopes of securing a $40 million Choice Neighborhoods Implementation Grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The city won upward of $30 million in grant funding from the program in 2021 that allowed it to redevelop existing affordable housing and undertake various neighborhood improvement projects in Corktown and North Corktown.

But another large grant of that size appears unlikely this go-around, as federal lawmakers have allocated an estimated $75 million nationally for the next round of the program, with individual grants of between $1 and $26 million. That’s compared to the $325 million in grants under the Choice Neighborhoods program that were distributed to seven communities in the 2024 fiscal year under the Biden administration.

Given the way that HUD is awarding the money, leaders in Detroit believe there will likely be only one project nationally that receives the new grant maximum of $26 million.

Without the coveted federal grant, Detroit housing officials say they would have to turn to state and local funding sources to make the projects possible.

Read more here: https://www.crainsdetroit.com/real-estate/residential/cdb-detroit-hud-grant-20260827/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=soc-own

08/28/2026

A young man used DDOT and Transit Windsor to get between both downtowns using the cheapest possible way.

If only there were improved options to connect our two downtowns.

For only a fiver inconveniently converted to CAD, you too can spend...

08/25/2026

⚠️Our next monthly meeting has been rescheduled to 7 PM to allow members in District 5 to attend this meeting about the Master Plan at 6 PM. We strongly encourage D5 residents to make it a double feature on Thursday!

08/24/2026

The Right to Reuse

Modern issues with the goods we buy are not unlike the ones we are seeing with our cities and buildings. Consumers are pushing back with what is termed the "Right to Repair", maybe we need a similar "Right to Reuse" in our cities.

Check out the latest from Strong Towns Detroit!

https://strongdetroit.org/2026/08/24/the-right-to-reuse/

A recent episode of the podcast 99% Invisible discussed the concept of “ensh*ttification.” It’s a term coined by writer Cory Doctorow to describe the lifecycle of many online platforms and modern t…

08/20/2026

Join us for our next monthly meeting on Thursday, August 27th!

08/14/2026

Join us for our picnic on Sunday, August 30, in Clark Park! We'll provide hot dogs, including vegan options, and you can bring a side dish to share with everyone.

08/11/2026

Now that Wayne County approved the new Public Transportation Millage, how can zoning density be increased along our area's transit corridors? How can SMART and DDOT work together with our government leaders to follow sustainable economic development patterns?

We don't need Chicago or New York City type skyscrapers, but modest density increases would go a long way to supporting local business and public services.

08/11/2026

We encourage you to participate in these upcoming Plan Detroit community meetings. Plan Detroit is an initiative of the city to rethink its zoning regulations, meaning what businesses, homes, parks, or any sort of development is allowed in certain areas.

08/08/2026

Yes, We Really Want Transit in the “Motor City” – and Our Suburbs Do Too!

On Tuesday, the Wayne County transit millage passed in a landslide. We here at Strong Towns Detroit were ecstatic, because we canvassed and spread the word along with our friends at Transportation Riders United....

On Tuesday, the Wayne County transit millage passed in a landslide. We here at Strong Towns Detroit were ecstatic, because we canvassed and spread the word along with our friends at Transportation …