Community Development
Futures Task Force
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Members of the Community Development Futures Task Force listen as Gregory Parrish of the Detroit-Area Community Information System gives a presentation.
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The Right Direction for Detroit
On August 7, 2009, Community Development Advocates of Detroit (CDAD), released a statement outlining eight essential principles for the revitalization of Detroit and its neighborhoods. The eight‐point statement is a product of the on-going work of CDAD’s Community Development Futures Task Force, and a precursor to the full written report expected in December 2009. CLICK HERE to download a copy of the statement, “The Right Direction for Detroit.”
DOWNLOADS
The following documents presented at previous Futures Task Force meetings are available for download:
- The final Detroit SDAT Report by Alan Mallach
- “Growing Stronger: A Plan for the Future of Detroit’s Community Development Corporation System”-- a report commissioned by the Futures Task Force and conducted by UM Urban & Regional Planning Interns--May 2009
- Detroit Marshall Plan as presented to the Detroit City Council on December 2, 2008
- The New Brightmoor Presentation by Al Bogdan
FUTURES TASK FORCE UPDATE
The Community Development Futures Task Force is a unique, multi‐sector collaborative representing over 76 community development organizations, government, educational institutions, funding institutions, businesses and city‐wide and regional nonprofit organizations.
Over 118 different individuals have participated in the “Futures” Task Force in order to develop a set of recommendations for reinventing Detroit—including strategies for neighborhood revitalization, right‐sizing Detroit’s neighborhoods, and a system to support the work of community development for organizations engaged in these efforts.
Since February of 2009, the Futures Task Force has been engaged in intense, three‐hour monthly meetings in order explore solutions to the challenges facing the future of neighborhood community development in the city of Detroit, and listen and learn from the various stakeholders engaged in those solutions. A data‐driven project, research is a major component of the Task Force’s work.
To this end, CDAD partnered with the University of Michigan Urban and Regional Planning Program. As their capstone project, the eight U of M students researched how community development work is done in other cities. The result was the 116 page report entitled, “Growing Stronger: A Plan for the Future of Detroit’s Community Development Corporation System” which includes recommendations for the Task Force to consider.
Consultant Jane Morgan has helped facilitate some of the more complex discussions, and has assisted the group in developing a framework for the “right‐sizing” work that must be undertaken.
Since February, the following Detroit‐area funders have come before the Task Force to share their perspectives: David Egner of the Hudson Webber Foundation, David Campbell of the McGregor Fund, Laura Trudeau of the Kresge Foundation, Elizabeth Sullivan of the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan, Tonya Allen of the Skillman Foundation and Deborah Younger of LISC.
In addition, the following organizations have presented to the task force: The Greening of Detroit, on vacant land reuse; The College for Creative Studies, on arts & community development; The Detroit
Economic Growth Corporation, on the Fresh Food Access Initiative and Social Compact; and The Center for Community‐Based Enterprise, on employee‐owned enterprise.
On August 7, 2009 the Futures Task Force released a preliminary statement as a precursor to its final document due to be released in December 2009. (See page 2 for more details). CDAD would like to thank the Skillman Foundation, Bank of America and CEDAM for their funding support of the Futures Task Force.
A FUTURES TASK FORCE OVERVIEW
Neighborhoods in Crisis...
The city of Detroit has been hit harder by the home foreclosure crisis than most other cities in the country. The affects of the foreclosure crisis are ravaging our city—resulting in the degradation of quality housing stock, blight, unsafe streets and havens for criminal activity.
Community Development Corporations (CDCs) are the eyes, ears and “first responders” to the conditions on the ground and have years of experience mobilizing residents to respond to neighborhood issues, as well as creating vital housing and commercial redevelopment initiatives, and programs and services to help improve the quality of life for families in the community.
Community Development Advocates of Detroit, through the Futures Task Force (formerly the CDC Crisis Task Force), is working to create and recommend practical solutions that lead to the successful revitalization of Detroit’s neighborhoods. Neighborhood based community development corporations (CDCs) play an important role in the revitalization process. Thus, the design of an effective system/network of CDCs, along with appropriate support for CDCs is crucial.
The Goal
The goal of the Detroit CDC Crisis Task Force is to produce a document that describes an effective system of support for Detroit CDCs within the context of a larger, neighborhood revitalization strategy.
Timeline: The Futures Task Force plans to deliver a final document in December 2009.
Research/Discussion Components:
- Define “CDC Crisis” and precipitating factors
- History of community development in Detroit/Citizens’ District Councils
- Best practices in the revitalization of neighborhoods in nearby or similar cities: Cleveland, Chicago, Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Boston, Louisville
- Look at the issue of “targeting” in other cities, i.e., Richmond model
- Examine the possibility of mergers/joint operating agreements and strategies for identifying and sharing expertise among CDCs
- What role does each entity play? (CDCs, Funders, City, County, State, Intermediaries, Neighborhood Associations/Block Clubs, State/County/City Land Banks)
- Political restructuring/City Council districts/wards
- CDBG program, NSP Program
- Look at using “cluster” approach from CRS project to define districts/neighborhoods
- Look at shrinking city data, and best practices in responding to this challenge
Look at best practices in vacant land reuse (urban farming, greenlining strategies, other)
Task Force Structure
The Task Force consists of a core group consisting of CDCs, public officials, appropriate city wide resource organizations and strategy partners, universities, data experts. This group meets monthly.
We have partnered with the University of Michigan School of Urban Planning, and a team of eight Master’s level Urban Planning students who have produced a preliminary report on the CDC System of Support. The students' report does not reflect CDAD's final recommendations but will be incorporated into the deliberations of the Task Force.
The Futures Task Force has invited Detroit-area funding partners to provide input through a series of “hearings.” Ideally, the work of the Task Force will intersect with the work of the Kresge Foundation sponsored “Neighborhood Funders Forum.”