Detroit

After a pandemic pause, Detroit restarts water shut-offs—part of a nationwide trend as costs rise

COMMENTARY | Cities are turning to water shut-offs as more water service bills go unpaid as utility costs continue to climb.

  • By Elizabeth Mack, Edward Helderop and Tony Grubesic, The Conversation

Detroit Sues the U.S. Census Bureau Over Alleged Undercounts

The Census Bureau contends that Detroit lost 7,100 residents from 2020 to 2021, but Mayor Mike Duggan said that number is inaccurate.

  • By Daniela Altimari

Detroit to Use Up to $75M in Federal Aid on Workforce Program

The city will direct American Rescue Plan Act dollars to an initiative that will involve residents doing neighborhood projects, while also completing job training or earning high school degrees.

  • By Bill Lucia

Behind Detroit’s Homegrown Campaign to Close the Digital Divide

To educate residents about the FCC’s broadband subsidy program, the city launched a hotline and a marketing campaign with TV ads featuring the city’s distinct neighborhoods and flyers to hand out at churches.

  • By Andrea Noble

Cash for Jabs? Officials Look to Cash Perks to Boost Vaccine Uptake

West Virginia's governor announced a $100 incentive program this week. In Detroit, people can get a $50 debit card for driving someone to a vaccination site.

  • By Bill Lucia

Major US Cities Face Challenging Budget Shortfalls, Report Shows

The Pew Charitable Trusts studied 13 major cities and found they face fiscal 2021 budget shortfalls of up to 17%, and they are using creative methods to try to balance their budgets.

  • By Brent Woodie

How Schools Can Reduce Parents’ Anxiety During the Pandemic

COMMENTARY | In a recent survey, parents say the more support they got from schools, the less anxiety and depression they reported experiencing.

  • By Lucy (Kathleen) McGoron and Julie Wargo Aikins, The Conversation

Cities Giving Paid Leave to Employees to Work the Polls

Facing shortages of poll workers, some city officials are allowing employees to volunteer as election workers in exchange for paid leave.

  • By Kate Elizabeth Queram

Protesters Sue Detroit, City Pledges to Countersue

Protesters against police brutality sued the city for the use of excessive force. The city’s top lawyer said he was “pleased to hear” of the lawsuit—because the city plans to countersue.

  • By Emma Coleman

In a City That Was a Coronavirus Hotspot, More Public Employees Will Return to Work

Hundreds of workers in Detroit saw their pay and hours slashed in recent weeks as the city reeled from the virus outbreak.

  • By Bill Lucia

An Airport Fully Embraces 'Terminal Tourism'

Non-ticketed visitors can accompany loved ones to their gates at Detroit Metropolitan Airport, the latest to establish a pass program to allow non-passengers past security.

  • By Kate Elizabeth Queram

Can the Most Stubbornly Suburban of Suburbs Make a More Urban Future?

Oakland County, Michigan, has long spurned transit and kept Detroit at arm’s length. But new county executive David Coulter isn’t afraid of density.

  • By Amy Crawford, CityLab
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Detroit Gears Up for Decennial Effort to Avoid Census Undercounting

In a city with a long history of population losses, Mayor Mike Duggan announces the city’s point person to lead community outreach to promote the 2020 count.

  • By Michael Grass

Detroit’s Long-Term Budget Stability Finds Firmer Fiscal Footing

“Eliminating this debt cliff removes another major roadblock for Detroit’s long-term recovery,” according to Mayor Mike Duggan.

  • By Michael Grass

From Fear to Fun, Detroit Shifts Halloween Focus

The city is discontinuing its anti-arson patrols in favor of community- and kid-friendly Halloween events.

  • By Kate Elizabeth Queram

Owning Real Estate Has Not Panned Out for Many African-Americans

In nearly a fifth of the ZIP codes where most homeowners are black, home values have decreased since 2000, compared with only 2 percent of ZIP codes where black homeowners are not the majority.

  • By The Pew Charitable Trusts

Introducing Resident-Centered Autonomous Vehicle Pilots

The Knight Foundation aims to take projects out of the hands of car companies in five cities.

  • By Dave Nyczepir

Detroit's Plan to Revitalize Public Transit

The strategic plan proposes 82 steps to be completed in a five-year time period.

  • By Kate Elizabeth Queram

Water Quality Concerns Prompt Shut-Offs for All Detroit Schools

STATE AND LOCAL ROUNDUP | Another real-life test for quake early-warning tech … Vermont leaders see a hotspot for blockchain … and a not-so-secret “secret” DMV in N.C.

  • By Michael Grass

There’s a Shortage of Welders. Will More Women Fill the Gap?

Past efforts to attract women to welding have had underwhelming results. New programs aim to change that.

  • By Liana Aghajanian, The Atlantic

Detroit Residents Can Receive Free Condoms By Mail

The program, which began in April, has distributed roughly 6,000 condoms.

  • By Kate Elizabeth Queram