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Detroit Evening Report: New incentives aim to boost homeownership in Pontiac

21 November 2025 at 20:33

Pontiac launches new Down Payment Assistance Program

The City of Pontiac unveiled its Down Payment Assistance Program this week, an initiative aimed at expanding homeownership opportunities for first-time buyers and encouraging wealth and investment in Pontiac neighborhoods. City leaders are inviting renters to apply for this first-of-its-kind program.

To qualify:

  • Your prospective home must be in Pontiac.
  • Applicants must be first-time homebuyers or individuals who have not acquired a home in the past three years.
  • You must complete a homebuyer education session through the organization National Faith Homebuyers and receive a certificate.
  • You must work with the homebuyer organization to meet HUD and program requirements.

For more information or to schedule an appointment, call 313-255-9500.

Additional headlines for Friday, November 21, 2025

Detroit breaks ground on new affordable housing near Brewster Wheeler

The City of Detroit broke ground this month on four new buildings that will bring 211 units of affordable and permanent supportive housing to long-vacant land next to the Brewster Wheeler Recreation Center.

The units will have rents based on 30 to 80 percent of the area median household income.

Three of the buildings will include 53 units that received 9 percent Low-Income Housing Tax Credits from the State of Michigan. They will offer a mix of one- and two-bedroom units starting at less than $500 a month.

The fourth building will be a 52-unit permanent supportive housing development, with each unit supported by project-based vouchers that keep residents paying no more than 30 percent of their income for rent.

Completion of all projects is scheduled for 2027.
More information: https://detroitmi.gov/news/work-begins-80m-development-bringing-211-new-units-affordable-permanent-supportive-housing-brush 

Sports

NFL
The Detroit Lions face the New York Giants on Sunday as they try to bounce back from a tough loss to the Eagles. The Lions are currently third in the NFC North. The game will be held at Ford Field, with kickoff at 1:00 p.m.

NBA
The Pistons have won 11 games in a row. They’ll look to keep the streak alive as they face the Bucs at the Fiserv Forum. Tipoff is Saturday at 8:00 p.m.

NHL
The Red Wings sit at the top of the Atlantic Division as they prepare to face the Columbus Blue Jackets tomorrow at 1:00 p.m. at Little Caesars Arena.

The Rink at Campus Martius opens for the season

The holiday season brings the return of The Rink at Campus Martius Park, which opens to the public starting tomorrow. From November 22 through March 1, visitors can experience what USA Today named the No. 1 Best Ice Skating Rink in the country in its 2024 ranking.

For hours and additional details, visit: https://downtowndetroit.org/experience-downtown/things-to-do/the-rink/

Local shopping for Black Friday and Small Business Saturday

DER will be off for Thanksgiving and Black Friday, but local businesses will be out in force for the holiday shopping weekend. Online tourism site Visit Detroit has compiled a list of local shops to explore, including sneaker boutiques, floral shops, art galleries, and more.

To see the full list, visit: https://visitdetroit.com

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Detroit Evening Report: Grand opening of Violet T. Lewis Village affordable housing project

20 November 2025 at 21:51

Detroit held a grand opening for the Violet T. Lewis Village senior apartment complex on Wednesday. It sits on the site of Michigan’s first and only historically Black college. The school was founded by a Black woman named Violet T Lewis. 

The Lewis College of Business offered courses in typewriting, bookkeeping, stenography, penmanship and office management. It was closed in 2013 amid Detroit’s bankruptcy and was re-opened as the Pensole Lewise College of Design and Business in partnership with the College for Creative Studies. 

Dr. Violet Ponders speaks at the opening ceremony of the Violet T. Lewis Villa.

Dr. Violet Ponders is Lewis’s granddaughter. She tells the story of how her grandmother started the school. 

“When she got out of school, she found it difficult to get the kind of job that she wanted. Then once she began to go and do some other things, she then found out that there were there was nobody that looked like her in offices doing office work. So, you know, she kept saying, we got to do something. We got to do something. So she did something. She founded the college in 1928. She was an educator, but yet she touched the souls of people in a different kind of way.

“One of the things she started was the March of Dimes fashion extravaganza, a group of community women here in Detroit raising money for polio. Everybody called her mommy TV. Those of us who were in the family, there was a certain place on the stairwell … where she stopped being mommy TV, and she became Doctor Lewis. And we would ebb and flow that way all of the time.” 

Violet T. Lewis was also one of the founders of the Gamma Phi Delta sorority. 

Fashioned in the sorority’s iconic baby blue and pink Dr Contessa Bell, the 14th president and CEO of Gamma Phi Delta says Violet T. Lewis’s impact echoed far beyond her lifetime. 

“She helped build a sisterhood rooted in service, leadership, business excellence, and empowerment through Lewis College of Business. She opened doors that many believed were locked. She championed education when it seemed like it was impossible, and during her time when it wasn’t easy, and especially for women.” 

A brick apartment complex designed for seniors. A sign outside depicts Violet T. Lewis.
The outside of the Violet T. Lewis apartment complex.

Detroit City Council person Angela Whitfield Calloway is a member of the Gamma Phi Delta Sorority and has proposed more affordable housing in the city since taking office in 2021. 

She says Lewis had done more in the city than simply opening an HBCU. 

“She owned that property over there on John R and Ferry when Black folks were restricted from owning properties over there because of the restrictive covenants in the deeds. But she worked around that and opened that school.” 

The Violet T. Lewis Village is a senior apartment complex, with rents based on income starting as low as $427 for a one bedroom. To find out more about availability call 313-270-9150 or pvm.org.

Listen to the latest episode of the “Detroit Evening Report” on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

Support local journalism.

WDET strives to cover what’s happening in your community. As a public media institution, we maintain our ability to explore the music and culture of our region through independent support from readers like you. If you value WDET as your source of news, music and conversation, please make a gift today.

The post Detroit Evening Report: Grand opening of Violet T. Lewis Village affordable housing project appeared first on WDET 101.9 FM.

Could a 50-year mortgage mean savings for home buyers?

12 November 2025 at 12:06

By Rachel SiegelThe Washington Post

President Donald Trump over the weekend floated an idea that took real estate agents, mortgage brokers and housing experts by surprise: the 50-year mortgage.

On Saturday, Trump posted an image on Truth Social titled “Great American Presidents.” It included a photo of President Franklin D. Roosevelt under the words “30-year mortgage” and a photo of Trump beneath the words “50-year mortgage.” (Mortgages were extended to 30 years in the 1940s as part of Roosevelt’s push to make home buying more affordable.)

Housing economists say the longer time frame could save buyers a couple hundred dollars a month, depending on the size of the mortgage and other details. But it would be costlier in other ways, including with more interest paid over a longer period of time. Implementing such a policy would also require tedious changes from regulators, plus buy-in from lenders and the broader housing finance industry.

So far, there’s little sense of how popular a 50-year mortgage would be. Here’s what we know so far.

– – –

What has the Trump administration said?

After Trump’s Truth Social post on Saturday, Bill Pulte, the administration’s top housing finance official, posted on X that “we are indeed working on The 50 year Mortgage – a complete game changer.” Pulte is the head of the Federal Housing Finance Agency who also made himself chair of mortgage behemoths Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, companies that have been under government control since the 2008 housing crisis. Fannie and Freddie are essential to the smooth functioning of the U.S. mortgage market and together guarantee about half of existing home loans.

In a statement, a White House official who declined to be named said Trump “is always exploring new ways to improve housing affordability for everyday Americans. Any official policy changes will be announced by the White House.”

An FHFA spokesperson who also declined to be named said, “We are studying, and have not finalized, a wide variety of options related to multi year loans, including the ability to make mortgages transferable or portable. If banks can sell someone’s mortgage, we should at least explore if there are opportunities for regular Americans to have flexibility.”

One person close to the White House said the announcement came after Democrats swept in last week’s elections, in part on pledges to boost affordability for housing and more. But that person, speaking on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss it publicly, said Trump’s social media post had no substantial policy behind it yet.

– – –

Would 50-year mortgages save buyers money?

With a longer timeline, home buyers have much more time to pay back a loan. And they would have lower monthly payments along the way. For example, let’s assume a home sells for $400,000. A buyer puts up 10 percent – or $40,000 – for a down payment. The buyer gets a 6.25 percent interest rate, slightly above last week’s 30-year fixed rate average of 6.22 percent.

That buyer would owe about $2,300 each month on a 30-year mortgage. On a 50-year loan, they would owe about $2,000. They might pay more than that, though – that math assumes a buyer gets the same rate for both mortgages, which is unlikely, since shorter loans typically have lower rates. So rates on 50-year loans could be higher than on 30-year ones.

A lower monthly payment could be beneficial for new buyers looking to get a foothold in the market. But it might also work against them if they are only planning on living in the house for a few years, or if they don’t know how their needs will shake out across decades.

– – –

What about potential drawbacks?

Buyers’ monthly payments may be lower, but they’ll end up paying much more interest over two more decades. With a 50-year loan, total interest on that $400,000 home would amount to $816,396, compared with $438,156 on a 30-year loan. That’s 86 percent more interest over the life of the loans, said Joel Berner, senior economist at Realtor.com.

And it will take much longer for owners to build equity. Ten years into paying off a 30-year mortgage on that $400,000 home, an owner would have a 24 percent stake in a house, setting aside rising home values. With a 50-year mortgage, that would be 14 percent.

Berner said addressing the nation’s affordability problems will take lots of ideas, including how to generate more construction so there are enough homes to meet Americans’ needs. But a new mortgage offering could juice demand before supply can catch up – which would push prices even higher.

“This is a creative way to solve this problem,” Berner said, “but I don’t think it addresses the fundamental issues that we have.”

– – –

What would it take to offer a 50-year mortgage?

Establishing a new kind of mortgage could be possible, albeit complex, wrote Jaret Seiberg, managing director at TD Cowen, in a Monday analyst note. The Dodd-Frank Act – the landmark legislation that reformed the financial system after the 2008 financial crisis – says mortgages that exceed 30 years do not meet the definition of a qualified mortgage, which also means Fannie and Freddie can’t buy them.

But regulators have the ability to alter those qualifications to keep mortgages affordable. All told, the process could take at least a year to implement, Seiberg wrote, and it’s unlikely that lenders would originate 50-year mortgages without clear policy changes first.

Without changing the qualifications, the new loans could be hard to find – and more expensive. Lenders may be less willing to offer 50-year mortgages if they know Fannie and Freddie can’t buy them, a spokesperson for the Mortgage Bankers Association said in a statement. Limited interest from investors could also push interest rates up.

– – –

What’s next?

Any details from the White House or FHFA would be needed for the market to prepare for such a change. Joe Brusuelas, chief economist at RSM, said that for now, the administration’s posts appear to be more about messaging than substantial policy. But, Brusuelas said, younger generations “may look at this differently.”

“If they think they’re saving $300 or $400 a month, then that’s a big deal,” he said. “That covers the car payment, maybe.”

Home under construction in a new neighborhood in Washington Township. (Stephen Frye / MediaNews Group)

Detroit Evening Report: Detroit Economic Club hosts mayoral forum

29 October 2025 at 19:29

There are just a few days left until Detroit’s municipal elections take place.  Early voting began last Saturday. 

The two candidates for mayor, City Council President Mary Sheffield and Pastor Solomon Kinloch,  are scheduled to take part in a forum Thursday at the Detroit Economic Club.  That’s expected to be their last meeting before next week’s election.  Each candidate will take the stage alone to answer a series of questions about their vision for the city. 

This event is not a debate. 

Additional headlines from Wednesday, October 29, 2025

SNAP benefits 

Food banks and pantries are preparing for a surge in demand if federal food aid is paused this weekend from the government shutdown.

The outlets were already struggling after federal program cuts this year. Now, SNAP benefits are set to pause Nov. 1. It’s the latest in a string of hardships placed on charitable food services. Food banks and pantries across the country are concerned about meeting the growing need left in the wake of that pause.

Some states are trying to fill the gap, but others lack resources to help. (AP) 

Ghalib Senate 

Hamtramck Mayor Amer Ghalib is seeing some Senate opposition to his nomination to become U.S. Ambassador to Kuwait. 

President Trump nominated Ghalib earlier this year, but the discovery of social media posts criticizing Israel have pushed some Republican Senators to say they will not back his nomination in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. 

Ghalib says he will not withdraw his name from consideration for the position. 

Arthur Murray Event 

City officials gathered on Detroit’s east side Wednesday to break ground on a new housing development. 

The project, called “The Arthur Murray”, will renovate a historic building in the East Warren-Cadieux area.  The long vacant building will be turned into affordable housing and commercial space. 

The renovated structure will include 32 apartments.   

Gas prices 

Detroiters are continuing to get a break at the gas pump.  The average price of a gallon of self-serve unleaded is $2.99 today.  That’s down a penny from last week and is 12 cents cheaper than last month at this time.

Analysts say the annual switch to winter blends of gasoline is helping to lower prices, as is reduced demand for gas as we approach the colder weather months. 

Hutchinson extension 

ESPN is reporting that the Detroit Lions have agreed to a huge contract extension with defensive end Aiden Hutchinson. 

The network’s Adam Schefter is reporting that the four-year deal is worth $180 million per season.  That’s one of the most lucrative contracts ever in the NFL for a non-quarterback position.  Hutchinson has six sacks in seven games this season after missing most of the 2024 season with a broken leg.  He’s considered one of the best pass rushers in the league. 

 

Listen to the latest episode of the “Detroit Evening Report” on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

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WDET strives to make our journalism accessible to everyone. As a public media institution, we maintain our journalistic integrity through independent support from readers like you. If you value WDET as your source of news, music and conversation, please make a gift today.

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The Metro: Who wins, who loses, and who sues over Michigan’s new budget

16 October 2025 at 04:31

Michigan’s $81 billion budget opens with a promise to put more money into classrooms.

It raises per-student funding to record levels and keeps free breakfast and lunch on the table for 1.4 million children. It’s a lifeline for many schools after years of uneven pandemic recovery and shrinking federal aid. But those gains come as districts grapple with rising costs and teacher shortages.

Beyond education, the budget steers nearly $2 billion a year toward fixing Michigan’s roads and bridges. To help pay for it, lawmakers approved a 24% cannabis wholesale tax. That new revenue stream has already drawn a lawsuit from the cannabis industry, claiming the tax is unconstitutional because it alters a voter-approved marijuana law without the supermajority required.

The plan also trims vacant state jobs, pares back business incentive programs, and closes the SOAR fund that once grew large corporate deals. It adds $50 million for affordable housing and maintains funding for child care.

Bridge Michigan reporter Jordyn Hermani has been mapping the winners and losers in this deal. She joined Robyn Vincent on The Metro to discuss what this budget reveals about Michigan’s future.

Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on demand.

Subscribe to The Metro on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

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Detroit Evening Report: Wayne State’s plan to increase local enrollment

9 October 2025 at 20:42

Wayne State University launched the Warriors on the Rise program last month, which will offer guaranteed enrollment to qualified high school juniors in the Detroit Public Schools Community District.

The goal is to increase enrollment of students that come from the school district. Juniors with a 3.0 GPA will be automatically enrolled by DPSCD school officials. Families will then be invited to a meeting with the district to discuss the next steps.

Additional headlines from Thursday, October 9, 2025

DCFC Community Benefits proposal

Residents in Corktown presented the developers of the new Detroit City Football Club stadium with a detailed proposal for community benefits.

The Neighborhood advisory council is asking for a $17 per hour minimum wage for stadium staff, a commitment to give 50% of the permanent jobs to Detroit residents, child care and transportation services for workers, and a one dollar surcharge on every ticket to pay for home repairs for older homes in the neighborhood. 

Detroit City FC co-founder Sean Mann and other partners on the project will review the proposal while the neighborhood group collects more feedback from residents. Listening sessions are scheduled for 3 p.m. Friday at McShane’s on Michigan and noon on Oct. 10 at Donut Villa in Southwest Detroit. 

Michigan Cannabis Industry Association sues Michigan

A marijuana industry group is suing the state of Michigan after Governor Gretchen Whitmer passed a plan that would add a 24% tax on cannabis.

Whitmer and state lawmakers finally passed a budget that included a tax hike on wholesale marijuana to help pay for local road repairs. However, the Michigan Cannabis Industry Association is challenging that law, alleging the legislature did not have enough votes to pass it.

The lawsuit argues that because the law that legalized marijuana in the state was enacted by a citizen initiative, legislatures needed a three-quarters vote instead of a majority vote. The budget bill only passed by a 2 vote margin. 

The wholesale tax is set to take effect on January 1 and will be levied on marijuana sold to retailers.  Michigan currently has a 10% excise tax on weed along with the 6% Michigan sales tax. 

Detroit Land Bank Authority moves to provide affordable housing

The Detroit Land Bank Authority is investing $15 million to launch its Affordable Housing Pipeline. The project aims to restore underutilized multi-family buildings in the city.

The initiative will target projects that are too small for large-scale builders, yet too complex for small scale builders.

The first project in the Wade neighborhood will transform two historic 1920s buildings into 30 affordable housing units. 

Election Day transit

Detroit will offer free bus rides to voters on Election Day. DDOT will waive fares for people who need a ride to the polls on November 4.

Early in-person voting begins on October 25.  

Listen to the latest episode of the “Detroit Evening Report” on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

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Donate today »

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The Metro: A criminal record still shuts too many doors in Michigan

7 October 2025 at 01:22

In Michigan, some people coming home from prison face another kind of sentence — silence at the end of every rental application. State law does not prohibit landlords from denying housing because of a person’s criminal record. 

Lawmakers tried to change that last year with the Fair Chance Access to Housing Act. It would have asked landlords to look deeper and weigh time served, work history, and rehabilitation before they said no. But the bill never reached the floor.

Advocates want it revived, saying the need is even more urgent now. 

Michigan is short roughly 185,000 affordable homes for its lowest-income renters, and when housing is this scarce, those with records are quick to get shut out.

Landlord groups have resisted. They say they should exercise discretion over whom they rent to and that safety must come first.

So, the question before lawmakers — and all of us — is a simple one with hard edges: When does a person’s past stop defining where they’re allowed to live?

Tony Gant, an advocate for people affected by the criminal justice system, spent 20 years in prison. 

Gant joined Robyn Vincent on The Metro to discuss living in a gray area between rehabilitation and acceptance, and how he’s trying to make change in Michigan.

 

Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on demand.

Subscribe to The Metro on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

Trusted, accurate, up-to-date.

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The Metro: Why homelessness is increasing in Detroit’s suburbs

By: Sam Corey
8 September 2025 at 19:45

Social service agencies, particularly government and nonprofit ones, rely on money from the federal government to feed people, provide healthcare, and cover housing payments. And since federal cuts from both the Trump administration and the Big Beautiful Bill, many local organizations are concerned about the future of their operations.

That includes the Community Housing Network, which helps people get housing in Macomb and Oakland counties. 

How has it been reacting to federal funding cuts? And, what does homelessness look like in the suburbs, especially as it’s been rising over the past five years

Kirsten Elliott, the president of Community Housing Network nonprofit, spoke with producer Sam Corey about that and more.

 

Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on demand.

Subscribe to The Metro on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

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Progressive McCampbell runs for Detroit City Council

8 September 2025 at 16:53

There is set to be considerable turnover on Detroit City Council after November’s election. City Council President Mary Sheffield is running for mayor leaving a vacancy in District 5. Fred Durhal III also ran for mayor, but failed to advance in the primary, so District 7 is now open.

Michigan State Representative Karen Whitsett, by virtue of name recognition and corporate backing, seemed to be the front runner heading into the District 7 primary.

However, it was Democratic Socialist Denzel McCampbell that earned the most votes.

Listen: Progressive McCampbell runs for Detroit City Council

McCampbell has some deep liberal credentials, including time as Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib’s communications director and as the head of the Progress Michigan. McCampbell was also a Detroit Charter Revision Commissioner and lost a bid to replace Detroit City Clerk Janice Winfrey in 2021.

His opponent, Whitsett, hasn’t shied away from attacking McCampbell for his progressive roots. The Detroit Democrat has taken criticism from members of her own party for praising Donald Trump during the Covid-19 pandemic and caucusing with Republicans during last year’s lame duck session.

McCampbell isn’t fazed by Whitsett’s attacks.

“I’ve been a community organizer my entire adult life and been working around voting rights, election protection, equitable development, making sure that we have what we need in our neighborhoods around environmental justice issues – the right to breathe clear air,” McCampbell said.

So for me, it is actually making sure that our people have the power, but also that we have a city government that is responsive to their needs.

McCampbell says he’s knocked on 15,000 doors in his district.

“What folks are actually upset with…is the way that our government has given away so much money to, the billionaire class and corporations, while their needs go to the wayside,” McCampbell said. “So for me, it is actually making sure that our people have the power, but also that we have a city government that is responsive to their needs.”

Water affordability legislation was left behind in the state legislature when 2024’s lame duck session ended early. McCampbell says it needs to be brought back.

“I have been advocating for solutions that address affordable housing. I’ve been advocating for solutions to address water affordability, because water is a human right,” McCampbell said. “I’ve been pushing to make sure that corporations and their interests are out of our government, that would get money out of politics.”

McCampbell says Whitsett isn’t “showing up” for people in her House district by working with Republicans to kill Democratic priorities. Whitsett was the lone Democrat who voted for the GOP-led House budget.

If elected, McCampbell wouldn’t be the only Democratic Socialist on council. Gabriela Santiago-Romero is running for re-election in District 6.

As for Detroit’s race for mayor between Sheffield and Rev. Solomon Kinloch, McCampbell is still making up his mind.

“I’m focused on the District 7 race, but, I think what I’ll be looking for is a mayor that works closely and collaboratively with Detroit City Council.”

Trusted, accurate, up-to-date.

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The Metro: Why Michigan doesn’t have enough housing — and how to change that

By: Sam Corey
28 August 2025 at 18:23

In America, the average age of a homebuyer is 56. In Michigan, a variety of sources say that it’s closer to 40. But that’s still incredibly high when compared to the average age of homebuyers just a few decades ago.

The reason that people are buying homes later in life is because home prices have been rising exponentially. Many don’t have the money to buy homes, even when they want to. Affordable housing just isn’t around. 

But there is political support behind changing this trend. 

Just two days ago, Governor Gretchen Whitmer applauded the state’s housing agency for helping to build 75,000 new housing units over the last four years. And two weeks ago, a different organization proposed a plan to speed up home building and home repairs in the state. 

The Michigan Municipal League wants the state to spend $800 million over five years on affordable housing projects. 

Dan Gilmartin of the Michigan Municipal League spoke with Robyn Vincent about how the state should be expanding its investment in housing construction and rehabilitation.

Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.

Subscribe to The Metro on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or NPR or wherever you get your podcasts.

 

Support local journalism.

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More stories from The Metro

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Citizen Vox: Detroiter highlights the need for better senior services

28 July 2025 at 17:26

Detroit is just a few weeks away from a primary election that will decide the two final contenders to become the next mayor. WDET is listening to the voices of Detroit voters as part of our Citizen Vox project.

One of those voters is Dena Norris. She says she wants the next mayor to address issues that hit close to home.

Listen: Detroiter highlights the need for better senior services

The following interview has been edited for clarity and length.

Dena Norris: So, top of mind for me is senior security, you know, and more services for seniors. You know, as I travel down in age, I’m interested in those specialties. I’m also very concerned about affordable housing. It is outrageous the rents that, you know, people are being asked to pay and for so little.

I provide housing for senior women who are in temporary states of homelessness. And I know that they’re not going to find anything — it’s going to be very difficult for them to find affordable housing when they leave me. I like the concept of tiny homes. I think that is an excellent way to go. If we can have more communities of tiny homes… It’s a small thing, a big thing, you know, a small contribution, but a very big thing.

Sascha Raiyn, WDET News: Have you heard any candidates addressing the issues that are important to you?

DN: No, I haven’t. I listened to one forum, and I was impressed with a few of them. I don’t remember if they addressed those issues specifically, but I don’t think so.

They were talking about creating more jobs. Really important. We need that too. Everybody talks about, in every election, you know what they bring, what they’re going to bring. And then nobody brings anything. You know, if you don’t know how to operate economically, what can you really bring to the city?

You have great ideas. You know, I had great ideas once upon a time.

Great ideas are great ideas. Can you manifest them? Do you have the skills? Do you know how to work it? By the numbers, those are the important points.

SR: Do you see some enthusiasm, interest in this election right now?

DN:  I don’t. I don’t, you know, but I don’t feel any enthusiasm in the city for this election. Period. Maybe I’m not hanging out in the right places, you know, but I’m not feeling that energy.

Support local journalism.

WDET strives to cover what’s happening in your community. As a public media institution, we maintain our ability to explore the music and culture of our region through independent support from readers like you. If you value WDET as your source of news, music and conversation, please make a gift today.

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State housing development authority releases new guide to combat housing shortage

22 July 2025 at 15:41

The Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA) has released the Get Housing Ready Guide.

It’s a checklist for local governments to attract more housing development and investment. The state still faces a shortage of 119,000 housing units.

MSHDA Director Amy Hovey spoke with WDET about what is causing the shortage, and how the guide can help communities address it.

Listen: State housing authority releases new Get Housing Ready Guide

The following interview has been edited for clarity and length.

Amy Hovey: In the state of Michigan, we’re still about 119,000 units short of where we need to be for our current population in the state. That shortage comes from a few different things. One, the amount of people that live in each housing unit has shrunk. Quite often there’s one or only two people in the home. So, even if your population is somewhat stagnant, like it is in the state of Michigan — if you have less people in each home, you’re going to need more homes. We’ve also had a big increase in second homes and short term rentals. It’s great that we have those. That has also led to a shortage of housing for people who live here permanently. So we need to create all kinds of tools to help with the development of housing. And this guide really just kind of highlights all the different things — whether it’s zoning changes, whether it’s financial tools, whether it’s planning, whether it’s knowing where you want the housing developed, and having land control and working with land banks. There’s lots of things that a local municipality can do to really be housing ready.

Bre’Anna Tinsley, WDET News: What is the biggest obstacle that local governments are facing right now concerning attracting these investments?

AH: The cost of developing housing is really the biggest obstacle. Often in our state right now, the cost to develop housing far outweighs what Michigan families can afford. So we need everyone to come to the table to reduce those costs. Some of the suggestions we have look at their land use policy. How can they allow for a more dense housing structure? Meaning, like row houses or multifamily even for sale homes that make it more affordable to develop. Also allowing for smaller housing to be developed, which matches really what new families are looking for and also what they can afford.

I also think if local communities prioritize the development of housing, making sure that they’re reviewing plans quickly, that they have pattern books of plans they’ve already approved in the past, that they’re coming to the table and trying to make the process as easy as possible and as short as possible to get housing developed. You know, the longer it takes, the more expensive it is.

BT: I notice that particularly in Detroit, that urgency to build more housing, especially more affordable housing, we tend to lean more towards multifamily units — not necessarily single-family homes. I’m curious if the policy changes that you’re suggesting will help allow more single-family homes to be built.

AH: I do think so. I think the reason why you see a lot of multifamily being developed, particularly in Detroit, is that’s where a lot of the subsidy is geared towards. At MSHDA, we get a lot of money from the federal government that is just for multifamily. We don’t get as much assistance for homeowner for sale development.

And so really, there’s a couple things. One, we need the state government to step up and put more funding towards for-sale. We need local governments to rethink their neighborhoods, to make it more affordable for developers to come and develop for-sale housing. For example, in this guide, we talk about the housing TIFs (Tax Increment Financing) under one of the financial tools and incentives. We have seen developers across the state use that housing TIF tool to develop single family for sale housing. And so if you’re a community that’s willing to approve these housing TIFs, you’re more likely to attract these single-family kind of neighborhood developers into your community.

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The Metro: How will Detroit’s next mayor address homelessness and housing?

17 July 2025 at 18:32

Affordable housing has been a major issue for many voters in Detroit.

In fact, according to recent University of Michigan surveys, housing affordability is a top priority for residents. In the majority renter city that is Detroit, 60% of those renters are cost-burdened — meaning they spend over 30% of their income on housing costs.

A lack of affordable housing is considered one of the root causes of homelessness. In 2024, a one-night count conducted by the city of Detroit and two local nonprofits showed a 16% increase in Detroit, Hamtramck and Highland Park’s homeless population compared to the year before.

Ted Phillips, executive director for the United Community Housing Coalition, and Nushrat Rahman, economic mobility reporter for the Detroit Free Press and BridgeDetroit, joined the show to discuss the drivers of and possible solutions to this growing problem.

Use the media player above to hear the full conversation.

Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.

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The Metro: Detroit fed up with unsafe, unethical real estate practices

8 July 2025 at 16:24

The city of Detroit is suing a blockchain real estate company after many of its properties allegedly violated local safety and health codes.

Real Token, or RealT, is a Florida-based company that markets itself as a decentralized real estate security token platform. In the lawsuit, the city alleges that the company’s co-founders, brothers Remy Jacobson and Jean-Marc Jacobson, have neglected over 400 properties in the city by failing to maintain basic health and safety requirements.

“We’re talking about roofs that are leaking, sewage leaking in the basements. We have standing water as well in many of the basements…408 properties, 408 properties and not one of them has a certification of compliance,” said Detroit City Councilmember James Tate of the violations at a press conference.

Conrad Mallett, corporation counsel for the city of Detroit, joined The Metro on Tuesday to share more details about the lawsuit.

Use the media player above to hear the full conversation.

Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.

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The Metro: Slotkin’s ‘economic war plan’ to revive America’s shrinking middle class

By: Sam Corey
2 July 2025 at 16:47

Last week, Michigan Sen. Elissa Slotkin gave a speech at a progressive think tank where she gave a stern warning about America’s shrinking middle class.

She says the middle class has been shrinking since the ’70s, making it more challenging for young Americans to become as affluent as their parents. Part of the reason for that, she says, is how much the economy has changed structurally, and the failure of government to change along with it.

“We were already taking on water as the middle class, and now we’re about to hit a Category 5 hurricane in the form of artificial intelligence,” she said. “We gotta reset on how we do the basics of government and of our lives and focus on those essential things.”

Slotkin says part of the solution is to build more housing, expand access to health care, invest more resources in small businesses and to ban donations from corporate Political Action Committees. 

Metro Producer Sam Corey spoke with the senator about her “economic war plan” to build up the middle class, and why she says Democrats should be on the offense right now. 

—WDET’s Jenny Sherman contributed to this report.

Use the media player above to hear the full conversation.

Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.

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The Metro: A realtor’s insight into Detroit’s housing market

27 June 2025 at 18:26

After decades of steady decline, Detroit’s population is finally growingLatest data from the U.S. Census Bureau shows Detroit increased its population by 6,800 residents from 2023 to 2024.

And even more people seem to be moving to Detroit’s neighboring suburbs, with many housing investments being made in recent years in the city’s outer suburban ring and nearby “exurbs” like Lyon, Milford and Commerce townships.

Ro Harvard, a realtor with Island Realty — an affiliate of Keller Williams Realty — joined on The Metro on Thursday to shine some light on the inner workings of Detroit’s housing scene, and what types of amenities and priorities draw buyers to certain communities — from school districts and walkability to affordability and property values.

Use the media player above to hear the full conversation.

Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.

Trusted, accurate, up-to-date.

WDET strives to make our journalism accessible to everyone. As a public media institution, we maintain our journalistic integrity through independent support from readers like you. If you value WDET as your source of news, music and conversation, please make a gift today.

Donate today »

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