Detroit mayor rolls out new violence prevention, beautification plans in 2023 State of the City address
(CBS DETROIT) - Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan gave his tenth State of the City address Tuesday night. Mayor Duggan laid out his plans for the future, including the development of the city's largest new construction program in 100 years, the District Detroit Program, as well as focusing on clearing the city's backlog of gun cases.
The State of the City was held at Michigan Central Station, a place that for many symbolized the decline of Detroit. Now the building is being revitalized and will be the home of Ford's new campus.
Speaking from the restored lobby, the mayor touted plans for a future designated autonomous vehicle lane, and America's first public charging road, saying the motor city could be the next silicon valley.
"We took them on head-to-head and we're building the future right here in the city of Detroit," said Duggan.
Watch the full State of the City address below:
Gabriela Santiago-Romero is the city council member from District 6, which hosted the State of the City. She said the growth is welcomed, as long as everyone in the city is brought along for the ride.
"If we do it right, residents will be able to experience the opportunities that they deserve," said Santiago-Romero.
The mayor said in the coming months the city will continue to expand affordable housing, demolish vacant homes, and undertake a ten-step plan to improve neighborhoods. That plan includes clearing another 1,000 alleyways, investing $25 million to repair 70,000 broken sidewalk slabs, and turning 27 miles of dump sites into the new Joe Louis Greenway.
"Detroiters deserve beauty and we deserve nice things," said Santiago-Romero.
The city is also rolling out a new violence prevention program.
"We don't care enough about each other. We don't value each other enough to say we're not going to take a life for that," Mayor Duggan said. "And the Detroit police are very good at taking the gun out of the shooter's hands, but they don't have the ability to take the anger out of the shooters' hearts."
New "shot-stopper" teams will utilize community groups to intervene in neighborhood violence. Each group focuses on a 3- to 4-mile area of their choosing.
"What if we took groups that are from that neighborhood, that know the history, know the families, know the dispute, know the trauma that folks have lived there? Could they reach out and diffuse some of this?" Duggan said.
Duggan said he doesn't know if the program will work, but they are going to try.
"I believe in it, I'm excited that we're taking this chance, and I'm excited to see the data that will come from this," said Santiago-Romero.
Proposals will be released tomorrow for groups interested in becoming "shot-stoppers." If selected, groups are given a two-year contract and $700,000 each year. If evidence shows a group reduced crime, they will be given an additional $700,000 to expand.