The Detroit Housing Resource Library has been developed as a digitized collection of studies, instructional materials, and resources placed into a database. This is developing project that aims to function as a repository for Compact members, housing advocates and practitioners in Detroit. Resource libraries are useful in streamlining related topics within a field for either private or public use. This database is formatted via Airtable and it compiles resources under various categories within the housing topic including descriptions of each item, its associations, links and attachments, and time of updates and modifications. You may view the walkthrough presentation here. Please submit feedback to rcoker@detoitfuturecity.com.

Drivers and Trends in Housing Underproduction

Up For Growth, a national, cross-sector member network committed to solving the housing shortage and affordability crisis through data-driven research and evidence-based policy, has released a new report detailing the key factors that are driving housing underproduction. Major findings include housing affordability, uninhabitable units, and insufficient availability. In this detailed report, the Detroit region is identified as being one of many major cities across the United States tackling the issue of property vacancies. Check out more using the link below.

Housing Advocates Seek Compensation for Overtaxed Detroiters

A recent report from economic mobility reporter, Nushrat Rahman at the Detroit Free Press, details efforts from the Coalition for Property Tax Justice who recently called upon the state’s Attorney General’s office to weigh in on whether it’s legal to provide cash payments and property tax credits to compensate overtaxed Detroit homeowners. The Coalition’s efforts have culminated after a series of investigative reports from the Free Press detailing how the city overtaxed homeowners by at least $600 million between 2010 and 2016. Read the article using the link below.

Housing Evictions Report Reveal DPD Working with Some Landlords to Arrest Residents Instead of Relying on Court Orders

Housing reporter, Aron Mondry with Outlier Media, has investigated a recent eviction case of a Detroit resident who fell into an rental scam leading to an eviction. Instead of relying on the courts to carry out the eviction order against the resident, the property manager sought police action resulting in the resident facing a charge of “occupancy of the building without consent.” It has been reported that DPD’s Squatters Action Team is not waiting for the courts to act and is instead making arrests. Attorneys are arguing that these actions wrongly criminalize and punish individuals. Click the link to read more.

What Rising Homeownership Rates Mean for Equity in Detroit

Last month, Anika Goss, CEO of Detroit Future City, sat down with WDET, Detroit’s NPR Station to discuss what a growing homeownership rate means for Detroit and how equity ultimately play out in this context. Goss has stated that it’s good that the number of people owning homes has gone up, but it is essential to note that while it’s bad the population of the city has declined over the last ten years, it’s good that more city residents are homeowners. According to Goss, “what’s important to know about this is, even with a smaller population, the homeownership rate — who’s left — are people who are owning homes. And that is a good thing for Detroit…but we lost a significant number of renters and African Americans.” Listen to the discussion using the link below!

HUD Seeks Stakeholder Feedback as Agency Tackles Climate Change and Housing

The recent Inflation Reduction Act includes significant investments to address climate change in affordable housing, including $1 billion for a new Green and Resilient Retrofit Program (GRRP) at HUD. Consequently, HUD is currently designing the GRRP program and expects to make multiple rounds of funding available to support energy, and water efficiency retrofits and climate resilience of HUD-assisted multifamily properties. HUD is seeking input on funding rounds as well as on utility benchmarking. Information provided in response to this RFI will inform prioritization of work, treatment of cost-benefit analyses, and key design elements that will help ensure program goals are met. Stakeholders can submit responses via the link below.

Home Repair & Energy Saving Assistance Event

The Michigan Housing Opportunities Promoting Energy Efficiency Program (MI-HOPE) within MSHDA’s Neighborhood will be hosting a virtual event on October 26th focusing on increasing home energy efficiency. This event is designed to encourage and facilitate energy-efficiency focused on residential housing repairs and upgrades. All owner-occupied homes, non-owner-occupied single-family homes, and multi-family properties could qualify for assistance. Join experts and guests to examine the MI-HOPE program. Register using the link below.

New Data and New Ways of Thinking About Maintaining the Housing Stock in Middle Neighborhoods

In this webinar, hosted by the Middle Neighborhood Initiative, listeners will hear from Harvard’s Joint Center for Housing Studies about data they analyze as part of their Remodeling Futures Program, including remodeling trends by types of work and by income of homeowners. Housing practitioners in the home rehab space will have the opportunity to react and discuss the data and talk about how they combine resources and strategies to motivate, assist and shape the maintenance of housing stock for different types of homeowners. This is a free webinar taking place via zoom on Tuesday, October 25, from 1:00 – 2:30 PM EST. Register via the link below!

The Housing Information Portal serves as a centralized source of information about housing and neighborhood-related demographics in Detroit and beyond. Click on the “Learn More” button below to explore all types of housing data!