It was another busy year for Detroit’s City Council, which capped off a four-year term last month during a period of transition.
Former Council President Mary Sheffield was elected mayor, marking a new era for the city. Seven of nine members were reelected by voters to start a new term in January. The 2025 legislative session featured important decisions touching every corner of life in Detroit, including the adoption of a $3 billion budget, passage of new local laws, appointments to key positions and engagement with community concerns.
BridgeDetroit vigilantly covered every Tuesday formal session and reported what readers needed to know in the free City Council Notebook newsletter. We also took on coverage of 2025 municipal elections and interviewed all mayoral candidates through Detroit Next, a partnership with Detroit Is Different.
So what happened this year? Let’s reflect through the time-honored tradition of a numbered list.
- A $3 billion budget included more funding for buses and none for the land bank. The council secured $26 million in changes to outgoing Mayor Mike Duggan’s final budget proposal, representing just 1% of the total spending.
- While some council members were “on a mission” to dismantle the Detroit Land Bank Authority, the quasi-public entity finally struck a one-year operating agreement with the city. It had been nearly two years since the last agreement expired. The long-term fate of the organization remains a big topic of future discussion.
- A proposed WNBA practice facility along the east riverfront received tax breaks to help pay for environmental cleanup. The former Uniroyal site could house Detroit’s incoming WNBA team by 2029. A youth development sports complex is planned for a second phase of the project. It notably avoided going through a community benefits process.
- Detroit City FC also received tax incentives for its new Corktown soccer stadium at the former Southwest Detroit Hospital. Developers pledged to show that sports arenas don’t need to be extractive. The club struck a community benefits agreement for neighborhood investments and commitments sought by residents. But some council members believe the deal shows the benefits ordinance is ineffective.
- A proposed zoning rules overhaul had mixed results, as the council loosened some restrictions to speed up development of vacant schools but delayed action on other zoning changes meant to encourage construction of more housing. The amendments will come back on the agenda next year. City planners hope to increase housing supply and residential density, but council members said residents need more time to understand the impact.
- A new law requires Detroit police to release body camera footage 30 days after an officer fires their weapon at a person or causes serious harm. Police accountability advocates were frustrated by loopholes in the law allowing police to delay the release of footage but supporters said it’s a good start. At the same time, the Board of Police Commissioners revisited its complaint policy just months after gutting it.
- Southwest Detroit residents celebrated new restrictions on trucking routes meant to protect neighborhoods from air pollution, noise, property damage and other safety issues. Residential streets are off-limits for commercial trucks while the council considers additional enforcement measures.
- Ombudsman Sherry Gay-Dagnogo was appointed to a 10-year term as the city’s watchdog. The ombudsman is responsible for investigating citizen complaints, working as a liaison between residents and the government. Previous Ombudsman Bruce Simpson stepped into the role as the youngest in Detroit’s history, and cautioned that the job requires courage and objectivity.
- In 2026, city attorneys will prosecute misdemeanor offenses in an effort to reduce the case load for Wayne County.
- Entrepreneurs should expect a smoother licensing process after the City Council approved ordinances meant to help small businesses get off the ground. Business licenses can be renewed every two years instead of annually, and the city cut a redundant health license for restaurants.
- The council increased fines, but also decriminalized, violations of Detroit’s curfew for minors in hopes of improving compliance. It was a response to the shooting deaths of young children this summer. Parents who can’t afford the fines can instead take parental responsibility courses.
- Detroit’s first-ever Reparations Task Force submitted its long-anticipated report of recommendations to the City Council. The group was created after voters passed a ballot initiative in 2021 and needed several deadline extensions. The final report recommends a broad set of reparative policies but lacks a clear roadmap for implementation.
- The Office of Inspector General suspended prominent demolition contractor Gayanga and its owner, Brian McKinney, pending an investigation into the source of contaminated dirt spread across Detroit. The council declined to overturn the suspension after a hearing, which featured complaints from subcontractors who say they haven’t been paid.
- The City Council approved contracts to build solar energy farms in two more neighborhoods, moving forward with the second phase of Mayor Mike Duggan’s clean energy initiative. Construction started on the first array in the Van Dyke/Lynch neighborhood. Local attorneys and some residents have meanwhile voiced concerns about how the city is using lawsuits to obtain property for the projects.
- Police Chief Todd Bettison was confirmed to replace former Chief James White after he left to lead the Detroit Wayne Integrated Health Network in 2024. Bettison had served 27 years with the police department before becoming deputy mayor. Mayor-elect Sheffield previously indicated she would keep Bettison in office.
- The City Council banned advertisements for marijuana and nicotine vapes within 1,000 feet of schools, libraries, parks, recreation centers and other places likely to attract children.
- Alternative nicotine products and smokeless tobacco were banned in Detroit stadiums. Violators will first be given a warning, but refusing to comply results in a misdemeanor and a $100 fine.
- Indigenous people regained control of a sacred burial mound at Historic Fort Wayne dating back more than 1,000 years. The City Council unanimously approved a deed transfer giving a 0.58-acre site to the Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the Potawatomi (NHBP) for $1.
- Community Violence Intervention programs will continue with support from the state. The council shifted $3 million from the city’s General Fund on top of a $4.4 million boost that was already in the budget. The Legislature also unlocked Public Safety Trust Fund dollars that will expand coverage of community groups into new neighborhoods.
20. Detroit’s first Industry Standards Board released recommendations to improve conditions for arena workers. Nearly a third of arena workers are below the poverty line and two-thirds are living paycheck to paycheck. The City Council was to implement recommendations including better child care access, subsidized public transit fares, improved job training and enhanced security measures for workers.
It should be noted that the council approved several tax abatements for the WNBA facilities. This after several Piston related people paid money to Sheffield’s campaign.
https://outliermedia.org/detroit-pistons-mary-sheffield-campaign-donation-tax-breaks/