DETROIT — Mayor Dave Bing released information about the Detroit Works neighborhood revitalization project Wednesday at the Odd Fellows Great Room here. He said a short term intervention strategy will be implemented in the next 14 days as part of the project using data and input from the community to guide decisions about where to concentrate some city services and investments. 

Mayor Dave Bing released information about the Detroit Works neighborhood revitalization project Wednesday in Southwest Detroit. “Detroit’s best days are not behind us,” Bing said.

“Detroit’s best days are not behind us,” Bing said.  He says the strategy is not a deviation from the project’s initial focus of creating a long-term vision for the city. He said 28 community meetings were attended by about 10,000 Detroiters and additional encounters with citizens since the project launched made it clear the action is essential in the short-term as the long-term vision is being developed.

Local and national experts examined the physical conditions and market trends of Detroit neighborhoods. Based on the analysis it was determined there are three types including steady, transitional and distressed. In a steady market homes are in physical good condition and  occupied by living residents. The transitional market consists of a relatively high presence of bank owned properties; a mix of rental and owner occupied homes; and there has been some vacancy and population loss. 

“Each market is different and has its own set of circumstances,” said Bing. “The data provides us with a clearer picture as to how our city government can be more effective at concentrating our limited resources based on the needs of the specific type of market.” 

Also within the next 14 days the city will begin to concentrate some services and investments based on specific conditions of the market. To track the effectiveness of the short term strategy three demonstration areas have been identified that include steady, transitional and distressed market types existing within their borders. 

In the demonstration areas the city will apply the same market approach service delivery model the rest of the city will be receiving; leverage foundation, state, federal and non-profit investments and actions along with the city resources; engage and work closely with CDCs, nonprofits, block clubs, and churches to gain more knowledge about the markets in each area. 

In nearly six months a new neighborhood analysis will be conducted in the three demonstration areas. The findings will be used to evaluate the impact of the interventions, and adjusted accordingly to ensure the right interventions are being used to build market strength.