 Mayor Mike Duggan announced a new initiative expected to revolutionize how the City of Detroit can change the quality of life for some of its most vulnerable residents. For many Detroiters, the current pandemic has exacerbated previously existing issues related to food, housing, utilities, behavioral health, job training and employment. To address this in an unprecedented way, the new Community Health Corps, funded initially with $3.5 million through the federal CARES Act, will send staff door-to-door across the city to identify families in need of services and support programs to improve their economic mobility, health and quality of life. Mayor Duggan, along with Deputy Mayor Conrad Mallett Jr. and Nicole Sherard-Freeman, Executive Director of Detroit Workforce Development and Detroit at Work, provided an update on the new initiative August 12. The Community Health Corps (CHC) was announced in June. "What we have been finding is that too many of our residents in need of the available services and programs offered simply aren't aware of them and don't know where to go for help," said Mayor Duggan. City Council must approve the plan, then the City will hire approximately 20 staff members. The CHC would later scale up to serve a much larger number of households, once it is able to measure and demonstrate its effectiveness. Officials expect the CHC to begin its work in October. The Community Health Corps headed by Sheilah Clay, the former president and CEO of Neighborhood Service Organization, will fall under the City's Workforce Development organization, Detroit at Work. The team will include licensed social workers, nurses, community health workers (or peer counselors) and case managers, working directly with residents to address needs, identify resources and obtain services provided by social service, nonprofit and human service organizations. The team will begin working with an initial group of 160 families already identified by the City through its Housing & Revitalization Department and Water and Sewerage Department. City officials emphasized that this effort is different in that the CHC team will stay connected with families throughout the process. "We plan to grind out solutions to problems one at a time," said Sherard-Freeman. "We will stay in the trenches with you until you get to where you want to be."  Mayor Duggan, along with Deputy Mayor Conrad Mallett Jr. (left) and Nicole Sherard-Freeman (right), Executive Director of Detroit Workforce Development and Detroit at Work, provide an update on the Community Health Corps August 12.  One of the largest private real estate developers and investors, Hillwood Investment Properties, along with local partner The Sterling Group, plan to purchase 142 acres at the former Michigan State Fairgrounds. The proposed deal would bring a 3.8-million-square-foot facility with more than 1,200 new full-time jobs. Mayor Mike Duggan, along with Hillwood and Sterling Group officials, announced the deal at a news conference August 11. The development also includes a new $7-million, state-of-the-art DDOT transit center to replace the current one on Woodward Avenue near State Fair. Hillwood is in negotiations with Amazon to potentially be the first anchor tenant and occupy approximately half of the 142-acre site, that's been largely vacant and unused since the State Fair left in 2009. The developer also plans to redevelop the remaining 70 acres with auto parts suppliers or other job generators. The project will be privately financed, without the use of tax breaks or other financial incentives. Under the proposed deal, the development team will pay $9 million for the land based on a recent appraisal, and pay $7 million for the new DDOT transit center. The developer also will pay the cost for any needed demolition and environmental remediation to prepare the land for redevelopment. If City Council approves the plan in September, construction could begin as early as October. The new facility and transit center could open in mid-2022. Details on the proposed deal, including copies of the purchase agreement can be found at detroitmi.gov/fairgroundsdevelopment.   2020 Census Ends September 30 With the 2020 Census ending next month, Detroit residents are urged to complete their Census today. There are several ways to complete the Census without having to leave the house: - Go online to my2020census.gov
- Call the toll-free number at (844) 330-2020 for English
- Call the toll-free number at (844) 468-2020 for Spanish
- Also, you can visit the Census kiosks located next to the DivDat machines across the city. To find the nearest location, go here.
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