DETROIT — Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan urged frustrated Detroiters to give his administration six months to make improvements before they consider moving out of the city. 

Speaking before a crowd of city, county and state leaders who were gathered earlier this week for a investiture ceremony in Detroit, Duggan said, “Maybe your neighborhood’s run down, you’re in a house and you’re thinking you’re going to just walk away from it, it’s a lost cause, like so many before you have.” 

Duggan.

 “I say to you one thing: Just give us six months. Give us six months to prove that we can turn things around. Just push the pause button and don’t leave that house yet. …Give us six months before you walk away from the value of that house. Give us six months and let us prove to you what we can do.”

Duggan also said that his administration would be judged on its ability to recover from population loss. He said under his leadership he hopes that by 2017 the city begins to attract new residents. 

“Six months from now you’re going to be able to judge for yourself whether the leadership of this city has a sound plan and is achieving it,” Duggan said.