Detroit Future City

Detroit Future City is a think tank, a policy advocate, and an innovation engine developing data-driven strategies to create a more equitable and sustainable future for Detroit.

DFC Future City Forum Now Available on Detroit PBS On Demand

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Detroit Future City is in its sixth year of bringing together Detroit's most passionate changemakers, we're stepping into a bold new chapter. Don't miss the opportunity to watch the 2025 Future City Forum Keynote on PBS Books beginning on October 20, 2025.

Detroit Future City's New Brief to Inform the Detroit 2025 Mayoral Election - April 17, 2025

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Detroit Future City has released the "Opportunities for the Next Mayoral Administration to Grow Detroit’s Middle Class" which focuses on key policy priorities for the next mayoral administration to grow Detroit’s middle class.

2024 Equity Forum Panel featured on American Black Journal

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“American Black Journal” on Detroit PBS brings you a portion of the 5th annual Detroit Future City Equity Forum.

Detroit Future City Releases New Brief Addressing Community Health in Detroit - Oct. 24, 2024

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Detroit Future City has released "Creating a Healthy Detroit: Understanding How the Systems We Live in Impact Our Health," a new publication that outlines social determinants of health that impact a thriving and resilient Detroit.

Detroit Future City Releases New Report on Building a Middle Class Detroit - Sept. 25, 2024

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Detroit Future City has released "Making the Middle Class: Leveraging Detroit’s Neighborhoods to Build a Middle-Class City,” a new report that examines key factors related to becoming a middle-class city, including population change, income and education, housing, and neighborhood quality.

Detroit Future City releases new report, "Saving for the Future: Land Conservation in Detroit" - October 30, 2025

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Detroit Future City (DFC) has released Saving for the Future: Land Conservation in Detroit as part of Detroit GreenSpace, a citywide effort to transform portions of Detroit’s 18 square miles of vacant land into protected natural areas that strengthen neighborhoods and improve environmental health. The report introduces both Detroit GreenSpace, a citywide strategy to convert underutilized land into a connected network of natural areas, and the Detroit GreenSpace Conservancy, a nonprofit organization that will provide long-term stewardship and ownership of conserved land.

Detroit Future City Releases "Keeping Your Family Home," New Report on Heirs' Properties - Feb. 27, 2024

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Detroit Future City has released the “Keeping Your Family Home: Addressing the Challenges of Inherited Properties in Detroit” report to detail the scale of family-owned properties in Detroit inherited through generations without formal legal proof of ownership.

Detroit Future City's CEO, Anika Goss, Discussed Detroit's Climate Crisis at TED Countdown Summit - July 11, 2023

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How can cities become resilient to the shocks of climate change? As a leading force behind Detroit's ongoing revitalization, Anika Goss spends a lot of time thinking about this question. Connecting the city's industrial past to its sustainable future, she explores the link between climate vulnerability and economic inequity, offering a vision for responding to both challenges at once.

Our core areas

Detroit Future City’s Economic Inclusion department works to promote equity and inclusion in education, employment, and business opportunities for all Detroiters, with the goal of growing Detroit’s Black Middle Class.

ECONOMIC INCLUSION

Detroit Future City’s Equitable Neighborhood Planning department combines original research, cross-sector collaboration, technical assistance, and policy development to foster a more equitable and resilient city.

EQUITABLE NEIGHBORHOOD PLANNING

Detroit Future City’s Land Use & Design department works to foster equity and sustainability in Detroit neighborhoods promoting the use of Green Stormwater Infrastructure and open space projects.

LAND USE & DESIGN

The Center for Equity, Engagement, and Research (The Center) produces relevant and accessible research focused on advancing economic equity and an improved quality of life for all Detroiters.

THE CENTER FOR EQUITY, ENGAGEMENT, & RESEARCH

CHECK OUT OUR RESOURCES

DFC 2030 Plan
Economic Equity Dashboard
Videos
Research
Tools

Latest News

Poverty, a critical issue in Detroit’s mayoral race, is on the rise

Poverty, a critical issue in Detroit's mayoral race, is on the rise
In the Media | September 19, 2025

In this article, Annalise Frank of Axios Detroit discusses Detroit’s poverty rate and how this topic is a central theme of the ongoing mayoral race. Frank recognizes Detroit Future City’s […]

Youth Policy Lab annual report highlights year of pivotal research and growing training programs

Youth Policy Lab annual report highlights year of pivotal research and growing training programs
In the Media | September 12, 2025

In this article, the University of Michigan’s Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy recognizes the Youth Policy Lab (YPL), and as part of strengthening career and technical education (CTE), […]

Free Detroit medical clinic expands services: ‘It’s just a beautiful thing’

Free Detroit medical clinic expands services: ‘It’s just a beautiful thing’
In the Media | September 5, 2025

In this Planet Detroit article, David Sands discusses how the Malta Clinic moved to a new Woodward Avenue location this year and is adding dermatology to the services it offers. […]