Detroit Environmental Policy Soirée - Affordable, healthy homes

The Detroit Environmental Policy Soirée project is an exclusive four-part event series that will convene Detroit’s top environmental advocates, decision-makers and influencers to network and discuss solutions to the city’s most pressing issues. Our second event in the series will address an issue vital to making Detroit a healthier community: affordable, healthy homes.

Event hosts Michigan Environmental Council, ECOWorks and Wayne County Commissioner Alisha Bell invite you to join us for a lively night of conversation on how to address housing in Detroit, alongside the city's top advocates, influencers, decision makers and special guest speaker Heather Zygmontowicz, Senior Housing Advisor for the City of Detroit. While you're here, enjoy an open bar and food by Slow's Bar BQ.

BACKGROUND: AFFORDABLE, HEALTHY HOUSING

In her 2024 State of the State address, Gov. Whitmer laid out a bold vision for establishing Michigan as a place where every resident can “make it” — a place where people dream of planting their roots. For many of us, the most essential piece of “making it” means having a safe, affordable and healthy home to rest our head and house our families.

Nearly 40% of Michigan’s residential housing stock was built before 1960, many with critical repair needs. A 2020 study found over 37,600 homes in Detroit alone with “inadequate conditions.” The Detroit Repair Program put $20 million towards addressing the city’s housing, but quickly ran out of resources, leaving thousands of residents on a wait list.

What we need is a statewide program that provides holistic funding and program support to improve the quality of our housing, make them safer, and increase their efficiency.