Detroit officials say a revamped approval process will make way for developers to build 1,000 new homes in the city by 2031.
Mayor Mary Sheffield, joined by department leaders and council members, provided more details on Wednesday, Oct. 28 to the plans she announced earlier this year to ramp up housing development. The goal of what’s been dubbed Project 1,000 is to help developers invest in Detroit by removing red tape, and in turn, create pathways for homeownership. The mayor wants to accelerate housing production to about 250 new homes a year. In 2025, Detroit built 114 new housing units and the year before, 84.
“Now, we will have the opportunity to have more housing for our residents, homeownership which creates generational wealth for families. This means we are now creating places where families can grow, build wealth and create lasting memories right here in the city of Detroit,” Sheffield said at a news conference in the Northwest Goldberg neighborhood.
Julie Schneider, director of the city’s housing and revitalization department, said the new strategy reflects the importance of building a mix of housing that has historically existed in Detroit’s neighborhoods.
“Through Project 1,000, we are working to create the conditions that allow builders to construct homes that fit the character of Detroit’s neighborhoods and respond to what residents want to see and have asked for so long,” Schneider said.
Here’s how the plan is expected to work:
- The city is proposing zoning changes that will include expanding lot dimension standards, and building out a library of pre-approved residential designs to speed up permitting. The zoning proposal is meant to lower costs and expedite the process for home builders, instead of requiring them to seek individual city approvals. The City Planning Commission is expected to hear the proposal Nov. 5. The Detroit City Council must also approve the plan. As for the pre-approved home designs, initial plans could be available for developers early to mid next year.
- The city’s Housing and Revitalization Department will offer Detroit Land Bank Authority lots with subsidies to developers to build single family homes, town houses, condos, duplexes and quadplexes. The city is working with the land bank to create more programs to bolster new construction.
- City departments, including general services, public works, construction and demolition and water, are expected to “align their work” to remove blight and make improvements to help new residential building development.
City Planning Commission Director Marcell Todd said proposed zoning changes will help developers shorten the approval process for developers.
“We are gonna unlock the potential of these lots … so that private property owners, developers, for profit, or nonprofit, government entities, who want to do this work will now have a much easier path to building housing in the city of Detroit,” said Todd.
The goal is to expand to every council district and keep homes as affordable as possible, Sheffield said. But the housing development will be based on what residents want and market demand.
