March 7-18: The University of Michigan will be hosting sessions showcasing vital work carried out by Detroit leaders alongside urban humanities research funded by the Michigan-Mellon Project. Focusing on the Great Black Migration to Detroit and the subsequent movement of white residents to the suburban areas, these sessions will underlie how Detroit can overcome its racial and economic divisions to become a more egalitarian metropolis.
We encourage all who are interested to attend this free event (in-person and streamed online). Sessions 3 & 4 will be hosted in Detroit, and Thursday’s session has a housing focus with presenters including several Housing Compact members along with Detroit’s Land Bank Authority, Housing Commission, Planning Dept., and more!

Last November, Detroit Future City released the Detroit Mortgage Catalog and the Homebuyer’s Guide to Overcoming Mortgage Application Obstacles. This package is aimed to assist prospective homebuyers in Detroit. The Mortgage Catalog was developed in response to provide a snapshot of some of the products available to borrowers in one place. Identified in the Homebuyer’s Guide are pathways and applicable steps to overcoming significant obstacles when obtaining a mortgage in Detroit such as resolving credit issues alongside the key legal avenues afforded to citizens in the homebuying process.

Toolkit for Resident-Centered Outcomes Measurement in Affordable Rental Housing

Stewards of Affordable Housing for the Future (SAHF) recently released a new resource, titled “Toolkit for Resident-Centered Outcomes Measurement in Affordable Rental Housing.” This resource is designed to guide affordable housing owners, operators, funders and partners in refining or scaling resident services programs to ensure that these they are outcomes-driven, equitable and resident-centered. These resident services programs are typically geared towards improving outcomes in at least one of five broad categories: housing stability, financial resilience and stability, youth and education, community engagement and safety, and health and wellness.

Applications Now Open for Neighborhood Beautification Fund Grants

Block clubs, neighborhood associations and nonprofits can apply for their share of $2.25M in grants, ranging from $500 to $15,000. For those hoping to beautify their community but do not own the land, the Neighborhood Beautification Program through the Housing & Revitalization Department, will assist organizations with purchasing or leasing vacant lots owned by the Detroit Land Bank Authority. Up to 50 projects a year will receive funding. This year’s deadline to apply is March 17th, 2023.

Take a VIP Look at Detroit’s First 3-D Printed Home!

This fundraiser event for Citizen Robotics will be held on Thursday, March 9th from 6:00-10:00pm to give people an insider’s look at Detroit’s first ever 3-D printed home! Individuals that care about housing affordability, and how robotics might ease the construction labor shortage are invited to attend. Included will be food, beer & wine, a presentation by Citizen Robotics’ founder and an opportunity to meet the team responsible for this innovative home. Due to limited available space, tickets are restricted to the sale of the first 75 tickets.

Community Ownership Through Real Estate: Propelling a Movement Beyond a Moment

Tied to two new LISC reports focusing on commercial community ownership as a strategy for equitable and just development, this webinar will share lessons from community-owned real estate initiatives in the Twin Cities working to preserve community-serving businesses, build community wealth, and promote community-led economic development for immigrant communities and communities of color. This webinar will take place via Zoom on March 9 from 3:00-4:30pm EST.

Interested in Learning more About the Community Reinvestment Act?

On February, 23rd at 1:00pm EST, The National Community Reinvestment Coalition will be hosting an online session covering the fundamentals of the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA). Banks have the capital to be catalyst for change in neighborhoods and can be engaged through critical community partners. This presentation will also cover how NCRC uses the CRA to secure community benefit agreements with banks.