Detroit 2026-2027 budget hearings: What to know

Date: March 11

FY 2027 Mayor Proposed budget: $2,000,000 

FY 2026 Adopted budget: $2,000,000 

Percentage change: 0%

Number of employees: 47 full-time, 31 part-time employees

What’s new this year:

• 1,660 records have been added to the historical archive in the last year, bringing the total to around 3,000 records. Five percent are on display at any given time, with some being loaned to outside organizations that display archives in their own exhibits for a small fee. 
• 26% increase in revenue over the last three years due in part to paid memberships which reached an all-time high this year with about 5,000 members.   
• $350,000 in grants were clawed back as federal funding priorities shifted over the last year, with some of the funding being restored through state allocations.

Things to watch:

• Revenue is a challenge as DHS currently operates with a “small” budget deficit, despite growth that Detroit Historical Society CEO Elana Rugh said narrowed the funding gap, and the museum millage it relies on for operations is stuck in limbo after a clerical error kept it from reaching the governor’s desk, even after it passed the state House and Senate. There’s still time to get a millage on the November ballot; however, the museum is planning for the worst-case scenario. If unsuccessful, DHS will need to reduce staffing, which is expected to significantly impact museum operations. Funding is still needed for capital improvements between the three city-owned facilities it operates, including improving the electricity supply and repairing the design studio inside the 175-year-old Carriage House, which is where many exhibits are built, maintained, and stored. 
• New exhibits on the horizon include a display at the Book Cadillac that will feature the history of all 43 municipalities in Wayne County; a return and expansion of the award-winning “The Hustle” exhibit about Detroit entrepreneurs; exhibits for America’s 250th and Detroit’s 325th birthday; and others that highlight Detroit as the “City of Champions.” 

Other things to note: 

• 100% of staff are trained to work with neurodiverse populations, such as individuals with autism, and the Detroit Historical Museum and Dossin Great Lakes Museum are designated Certified Autism Centers.
• 15,000 Detroit Public Schools Community District students visited the museums and their exhibits or engaged in programming last year through a partnership agreement between DPSCD and Detroit Historical Society. Transportation was cited as a barrier to after-school programming. 

For more information, check out the video of this budget hearing.

Kayleigh Lickliter, BridgeDetroit

Date: March 11 

FY 2027 Mayor Proposed budget: $2,750,000

FY 2026 Adopted budget: $2,750,000 

Percent change: 0% 

Number of employees: Not disclosed

What’s new this year: 

• The Erb Discovery Trails, expected to open this year, will engage guests in more interactive activities. 
• During the meeting, Dr. Hayley Murphy, the executive director and CEO of the Zoological Society, requested an additional $500,000 to the budget to develop a habitat for two coyotes at the Belle Isle Nature Center — the second property they oversee in addition to the zoo. She suggested the project outcomes will clarify the myths and misconceptions about human and animal interactions in one environment. In addition, $50,000 was requested for programming for older adults. 
• The Zoological Society is revising its sustainability plan, named Greenprint, to be integrated with a new conservation plan. 

Things to watch: 

• As a result of Murphy’s request to increase funding by $50,000 for older-adult programming, the motion to move the item to Executive Session passed. 
• If approved, the coyote habitat could be up and running by the end of summer or the beginning of fall. 
• The zoo’s tri-county mileage expires in 2027. The Zoological Society does not seek a millage increase, Murphy said, and is waiting for zoological authorities in Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties to put a millage renewal on an election ballot. The motion made by Councilmember Scott Benson to have the Legislative Policy Division (LPD) draft a resolution calling for the mileage to be placed on the ballot for August’s primary election or November’s general election. 

Other things to note: 

• The Belle Isle Nature Center’s education programs saw more than 29,000 participants last year, director Amy Green said. The Nature Tots Program connects the nature center with Detroit neighborhoods. Many participants grow up to work in the park as interns and city workers because of more than 90 community partners. Youth also engage in after-school, STEM and summer camp programs. 
• Facilities condition assessment: Murphy suggested the Zoological Society must take a proactive approach to plan for maintenance, keeping the doors open and protecting the animals. A new work order system will help address the needs of the Detroit Zoo’s 125 acres. 
• Weather and road conditions impact attendance. Since reopening in 2022, more than 100,000 people have visited the Belle Isle Nature Center. 

For more information, check out the video of this budget hearing. 

— Gina McPherson, Detroit Documenters

Date: March 12

FY 2027 Mayor Proposed budget: $1,760,845

FY 2026 Adopted budget: $1,530,563

Percent change: 15% increase

Number of employees: 9 full-time employees

What’s new this year:

• Coolidge Bus Terminal, the new $120 million state-of-the-art service facility for DDOT operations, bus maintenance and repair, was noted as a recent accomplishment. The new facility will be capable of housing 144 buses with future expansion and 245 parking spaces for employees and visitors. 
• The Detroit Building Authority mentioned working with DTE Energy and the Michigan Department of Transportation for EV chargers. 

Things to watch:

• City service yard consolidation is a major capital project with an expected completion date of 2028, which is the relocation of the Michigan and 19th service yard to the former incinerator site on 5700 Russell St. and another service yard at 12255 Southfield Road.
• The authority is currently hiring a program manager for Phase 1 of a project using $20 million in CDBG-DR grant funds.
• Upgrades at the Skillman branch library are still in development, and the authority is collaborating with the Detroit Library Commission. Attempts to save the windows have delayed progress.

Other things to note: 

• The city has a new real estate website, buyproperty.detroitmi.gov, featuring a searchable map of city-owned properties for sale and a video tutorial on applying to purchase Detroit public property. 
• Of properties sold last year, 65% of them were sold to people with a Detroit address. 

For more information, check out the video of this budget hearing.

-Eboni Williams, Detroit Documenters

Date: March 12

FY 2027 Mayor Proposed budget: $300,000

FY 2026 Adopted budget: $300,000

Percentage change: 0%

Number of employees: Not disclosed

What’s new this year: 

• A new urban agriculture program awarded three $50,000 grants to farm cooperatives and six $15,000 grants to individual farms that are open to the public. Program offerings vary based on vendor but will run through the end of 2026.
• The farm stand program that delivered produce to 12 community markets over the last several years will transition to a mobile market through a partnership with Wayne County to offer fresh produce to all 43 municipalities in the county.
• Pilot program with four insurance companies that will provide vouchers to patients to purchase fresh produce at Saturday markets and mobile markets

Things to watch: 

• 21 privately-owned properties within Eastern Market’s footprint are currently on the market, and Eastern Market Corporation is actively engaged with owners to advocate for the sale of properties to existing tenants and/or food-related businesses 
• ECM is working with the Detroit Housing Commission to locate new community fridges in public housing properties. They currently partner with five to six existing community fridges across the city to drop off excess food from special events. 
• “Food is Medicine” program with Henry Ford Health System is expanding to include four insurance companies that will provide vouchers to patients to purchase fresh produce at Saturday markets and mobile markets

Other things to note: 

• Discussions are underway for a potential pilot program that would allow Detroit Public Schools Community District  to purchase fresh produce from Detroit’s urban farmers. 
• Eastern Market began accepting SNAP/EBT benefits at mobile just markets last year 

For more information, check out the video of this budget hearing.

Kayleigh Lickliter, BridgeDetroit

Date: March 12

FY 2027 Mayor Proposed budget: $2,600,000 

FY 2026 Adopted budget: $2,600,000 

Number of employees: 56

What’s new this year:

• Instability in state funding priorities and the unexpected removal of $4 million to $6 million from the governor’s budget led to the museum using lines of credit and its operating reserves to maintain programs that were under contract. Additionally, the museum faces challenges due to an error that kept the museum millage legislation from reaching the governor’s desk after it passed the state House and Senate. Further complicating these issues, a shift in federal grant funding priorities means the museum cannot pursue grants geared toward the Black population specifically, despite being a museum dedicated to preserving African American history. 
• The museum’s social media was credited for an increase in attendance, and the African American Museum Association has used the Wright as an example of how museums can leverage social media to reach larger audiences.  
• A new program will be unveiled in the next year that will bring art and cultural programming to neighborhood recreation centers.

Things to watch: 

• The museum was asked to host the African American Museum Association Conference in Detroit in 2028
• In partnership with the Mellon Foundation; the Wright is creating a C-suite leadership program for Black museums that will debut in January 2027.
• Legislation for a museum millage would have to be certified by the clerk by mid-May to make it on the November ballot. If that doesn’t happen, they’ll have to wait until 2028 to revisit the millage question. Museum officials are hopeful that they can raise $9 million over the next 12 months to overcome this challenge. 

Other things to note: 

• Wright members can visit other museums and attractions across the United States for free.
• One of the challenges nonprofit agencies such as the Wright encounter with philanthropy funding is that foundations typically don’t provide grant funds to improve city-owned facilities, and instead, provide funding for equipment, furniture, and other fixtures. 
• The museum schedules exhibits 2-3 years in advance. 

For more information, check out the video of this budget hearing. 

-Kayleigh Lickliter, BridgeDetroit

Date: March 12

FY 2027 Mayor Proposed budget: $0 general fund subsidy. (Land Bank CFO Reginald Scott reported the quasi-public agency’s fund balance is $64.2 million)

FY 2026 Adopted budget: $0 general fund subsidy 

Percent change: 0%

Number of employees: 56

What’s new this year:

• The Land Bank is still seeking a nonprofit developer to partner on a $15 million development on Longview Street, which would create 30 affordable housing units.
• The Land Bank currently has just 2,118 structures in its inventory, down from a high of around 40,000. Of those, just 750 are in the sales pipeline because others are either occupied, slated for demolition, or already under contract. Director Tammy Daniels expects to sell 540 structures this year. 
• Daniels said some of the authority’s biggest goals this year are increasing transparency in its inventory and providing more resources for home repair.

Things to watch:

• Will the city continue to fund the Land Bank? CFO Scott projects a $16.5 million fund balance this year. Scott said it’s expected to run a $9 million deficit in FY2027, which would reduce the budget’s spendable amount to $6.7 million next year. 
• Councilmembers had questions about the effectiveness of the Nuisance Abatement Program, which uses lawsuits to seize blighted properties. Mary Waters thinks it’s illegal; Latisha Johnson said it’s a useful tool to eliminate blight. 
• Councilmembers also wanted to make sure that residents have opportunities to purchase the 57,000 vacant parcels in the Land Bank’s inventory. They continue to hear from residents who say they missed out on opportunities to buy.

Other things to note: 

• The authority plans to launch an AI chatbot in April. The Land Bank received 67,000 calls in 2025. 
• The compliance team is currently monitoring 4,700 properties. Historically the failure rate has been around 15%, and those homes are reconveyed to the Land Bank.
• Council President James Tate wanted to know what the Land Bank does to prevent speculators from buying property. His district, which includes Brightmoor, has a lot of vacant land. Land Bank staff reiterated that 50% of vacant land are side lots or neighborhood lots available only to homeowners. 

For more information, check out the video of this budget hearing.

-Aaron Mondry, Outlier Media

Date: March 13 

FY 2027 Mayor Proposed budget: $571,808

FY 2026 Adopted budget: $529,919

Percent change: 7.9% increase

Number of employees: 3 full-time employees

What’s new this year:

• The Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA) is losing 1.0 full-time equivalent (FTE) in the proposed budget. Director James Ribbron reports the board won’t be able to fill a vacant position, and the loss increases the workload on remaining staff and may hinder their ability to add appeals to the docket within 30 days. Ribbron said the removed position was the BZA’s appeals specialist, a role instrumental in helping board members understand the system.
• The BZA has implemented Accela — a licenses and permits system that allows people to look up cases. There is now a computer at the BZA’s front desk for public use for these purposes. Because the computer is so new, the BZA does not yet have statistics on its use. It can be accessed at the BZA’s office in the Coleman A. Young Municipal Center: 2 Woodward Avenue, Suite 212, Detroit, MI 48226.
• The number of cases the BZA hears has dropped since 2024, when there were 93 cases. There were 42 cases in 2025 and between 30 and 35 cases so far this year. Ribbron attributes the decrease in 2025 to several cannabis and auto-related cases the year before. However, fewer cases mean the BZA’s revenue is expected to drop — from $112,000 projected in FY2026 to $53,040 in FY2027.

Things to watch:

• One large expense for BZA is the contract with a court reporting system that transcribes proceedings for $6.25 per page. City Councilmembers questioned whether that cost could be reduced. Ribbon has asked the city’s procurement department to review this contract.
• There is one vacancy on the BZA, and four other members’ terms will end this year. Ribbron reported that while absenteeism is not a problem for board members, tardiness is. Ribbron was asked to provide this kind of information to the councilmembers who appoint the BZA board members. 
• Entities who are dissatisfied with a BZA decision can appeal to the Circuit Court.

Other things to note: 

• Several councilmembers and Ribbron expressed the need to communicate well with residents to let them know about planned development and how they can have input into changes for their neighborhoods. Currently, only people within 300 feet of a development project have to be notified.
• Could they cut the number of cases handled by the BZA by informing the public of ways to challenge decisions made by Detroit’s Buildings, Safety Engineering and Environmental Department (BSEED) before coming to the BZA? The public is not making use of alternatives that exist for them.
• Is the reduction in the number of BZA cases a good thing – possibly due to developers and others complying with ordinances better? Or is it a bad thing – due to development not happening as much as we think?

For more information, check out the video of this budget hearing.  

-Marcia Hartman, Detroit Documenters

Date: March 13

FY 2027 Mayor Proposed budget: $21,900,000

FY 2026 Adopted budget: $20,700,000

Percent change: 5.8% increase

Number of employees: Not disclosed

What’s new this year: 

• PLD will create a new lighting plan over the next year that will center around community input and focus on improving lighting in neighborhoods and alleys. The last time the city’s lighting plan was updated was in 2014. 
•  “Light Up Detroit” program will roll out this year to create new mid-block lighting in Detroit’s neighborhoods. 
• The Public Lighting Department and Public Lighting Authority have been working in the last two years to replace thousands of old, rotting light poles and wires to create a uniform look throughout commercial corridors.

Things to watch:

• Discussions underway about expanding PLD’s apprenticeship program to create a pipeline of local talent in the lighting and power industry. 
• There’s an overlap between the work DTE Energy and PLD are doing on power lines, and the department hopes to find a way to coordinate.
• PLD is looking to improve visibility of the department in the next year so people know who to call when a streetlight is broken. 

Other things to note: 

• Public Lighting Authority Director Beau Taylor admitted to using ChatGPT to respond to councilmembers’ budget questions, and said he would love to integrate AI into the department’s software. 
• PLD typically fixes broken lights in need of minor repair within five days of being notified, and two weeks for larger, more complicated repairs. 
• PLD hired a new staff member to handle community relations following a resolution in last year’s budget that called for better coordination with residents. 

For more information, check out the video of this budget hearing.

-Kayleigh Lickliter, BridgeDetroit

Hearing date: March 13

Mayor’s proposed fiscal year 2027 budget: $45,389,682

Adopted fiscal year 2026 budget: $43,472,160

Percent change: 4.2% increase

Number of employees: 319.5

What’s new this year:

• On Feb. 17, 2026, the Detroit Public Library Commission approved a contract with a firm to assess the inside and outside of all DPL locations (including, for example, flooring, HVAC, lighting, roofs) and how much it would cost to address issues. The assessment is due at the end of August or early September. The estimated cost could be $200 million to $300 million across all libraries, according to Brown.
• The Detroit Public Library reported 85 staff vacancies – partly because of branch closures – and is prioritizing customer service representatives, which are entry-level positions.

Things to watch:

• Libraries’ capital improvement assessment due later this year.
• How DPL will rally to try and get funding for branch repairs and improvements.
• Skillman, Monteith and Knapp branch re-opening.

Other things to note:

• Library reopenings:
  • Skillman branch is slated to re-open in 2027. Renovation plans include window replacement, a new roof, front entrance repairs and landscaping.
  • Monteith Branch is projected to re-open in late 2026 or early 2027, though that’s a rough estimate. The boiler, which had asbestos, was replaced. Other repairs, including flooring, are forthcoming. The library is expected to get new computers, desks and library materials.
  • Knapp branch closed in January 2026 and a re-opening date is unclear. The library’s boiler has been replaced, and DPL will install an HVAC system by the spring. Flooring must be replaced.
• The passing of Proposal L means the library’s budget is no longer being captured by the Downtown Development Authority (DDA), adding an estimated $2 million annually to the Detroit Public Library’s budget.  

For more information, check out the video of this budget hearing.  

 — Nushrat Rahman, BridgeDetroit 

Date: March 16

FY 2027 Mayor Proposed budget: $174,419,599

FY 2026 Adopted budget: $172,488,760

Percent change: 1.1% increase

Number of employees: 1,311

What’s new this year: 

• Community risk reduction initiative will create a plan for each city council district that focuses on fire safety and education and other types of district-specific risks and needs.
• DFD’s first paramedic class graduated last year and the second class is ongoing. 
• Detroit is the largest HEARTSafe designated municipality in the country and DFD has a goal of making one school HEARTSafe every month until it has reached all Detroit schools, which will ensure teachers, coaches, and other school staff know CPR and how to use an Automated External Defibrillator (AED).
  

Things to watch: 

• DFD has selected a contractor for the Nurse Navigation program, which will come before the city council in the near future. 
• DFD plans to expand the Code Blue program, which supports displaced Detroiters who are experiencing a housing emergency. 
• Senior building support will be offered through the mayor’s Office of Senior Affairs and will provide safety training and other resources to every senior building in the city. 

Other things to note: 

• DFD launched a self-reinspection program for businesses that have complied with previous fire inspections. Rather than conducting annual inspections for businesses that have a history of compliance, they are able to self-certify.
• DFD’s revenue from EMS runs is around $22.7 million, which is expected to increase 5-10% as more firefighters become licensed paramedics. 
• Council members expressed concern about the city’s ability to support firefighters and their families when they receive a cancer diagnosis that is believed to be associated with the toxins they’re exposed to while on the job, and were interested in ways to increase support and resources. DFD said two firefighters recently passed away due to cancer and two are currently receiving treatment. 

For more information, check out the video of this budget hearing. 

-Kayleigh Lickliter, BridgeDetroit

Date: March 16
FY 2027 Mayor Proposed budget: $35,735,745

FY 2026 Adopted budget: $31,611,175

Percent change: 13% increase

Number of employees: 100

What’s new this year: 

•  A new “rapid response team” to address repairs and investigate improvements with city facilities that provide after school programming for youth. 
• Decrease in staff — from 146 in last year’s adopted budget to 100 in Mayor Sheffield’s proposed budget — as the city’s large demolition effort begins winding down. C&DD is working with the Human Resources Department to find other opportunities for impacted employees. 
• Decrease in demolitions — from 1,797 in FY 2025 to 675 in FY 2026 and 220 budgeted this fiscal year. Of those, 133 are emergency demolitions. 

Things to watch: 

• Chandler Park Fieldhouse was supposed to be open year-round but has been closed due to challenges with the amount of air and heat the dome’s mechanical units can push out simultaneously during cold weather, which is a common issue for inflated domes, C&DD Director Tim Palazzolo said. The dome, according to Palazzolo, is an “architectural wonder” that the department is “constantly learning more research everyday.” 
• Council member Mary Waters asked about an apprenticeship program, which she said she added $1 million in last year’s budget for. Director Palazzolo said he never heard about it. 
• Around 400 properties have been tested for  potentially contaminated backfill dirt at demolition sites and most of the properties that still need to be tested are privately-owned. The next step is replacing any dirt where testing reveals contamination. Who will be responsible for the cost of cleaning up the soil is still to be determined. 

Other things to note: 

• $10 million is proposed for improvements to facilities and assets with a focus on recreation centers and fire houses. 
• Clear boards, similar to plywood commonly used to board up windows/doors, will be used to secure blighted commercial properties. The clear boards were used to secure residential properties using Proposal N bond funding, which couldn’t be used for commercial properties.  
• Facilities maintenance team completes more than 6,300 assigned tasks per year, an average of about 17 tasks per day. 

For more information, check out the video of this budget hearing. 

-Kayleigh Lickliter, BridgeDetroit

Date: March 11

FY 2027 Mayor Proposed budget: $300,000

FY 2026 Adopted budget: $300,000

Percent change: 0%

Number of employees: 6

What’s new this year:

• Planned expansion of docking for cruise ships and charter boats. Port Authority will request federal funds and fundraise from shipping companies and developers to expand its docking capacity.
• The authority received a state grant to accelerate its decarbonization efforts. It has installed 10 air monitors and is working to track and warn the public about high-emission days at the port. It recently installed solar panels on its headquarters. See below for more on its transition to hydrogen power.

Things to watch:

• Port Authority received a planning grant to create plans and specifications to convert two types of boats and a piece of equipment to operate on hydrogen fuel cells. Both engines on the Detroit Princess dinner cruise boat would be converted, eliminating the smell of diesel at dockside.
• The authority aims to raise money for a Mobility Innovation Terminal, “a hub for low-carbon intermodal solutions.” It’s raised $2.5 million from the state and is hoping for $3 million combined from the city and county. Total budget is $25 million, including $19 million in federal dollars. The terminal would serve as a lab for the University of Michigan school of Naval Architecture.
• The authority hopes to attract shipbuilding business to the downriver area, and is “engaging with potential investors who are interested in reenergizing shipbuilding in the Great Lakes.”

Other things to note:

• The Port Authority’s total budget is $2.04 million. Beyond the city’s contribution, the authority receives revenue from the county, state, dock fees and grants.
• 69 cruise ships brought 20,634 passengers into Detroit last year.
• The three-day Tall Ships Festival drew 15,000 visitors last year. The event was logistically complex; the authority envisions holding it again in five years.

For more information, check out the video of this budget hearing. 

-Koby Levin, Outlier Media

Date: March 11 

FY 2027 Mayor Proposed budget: $11,308,032 

FY 2026 Adopted budget: $11,168,287 

Percent change: 1.2% increase

Number of employees: 90 

What’s new this year: Following Mayor Mary Sheffield’s Rise Higher Detroit platform, Municipal Parking Department Director Keith Hutchings floated these key initiatives: 

• Expanding the use and capability of the Park Detroit app 
• Expanding the residential parking program 
• Offering awards and discount programs for small businesses 

Things to watch: 

• This year’s proposed budget increase is primarily for salary and benefits reflecting new union contract rate increases and will be partly offset by a reduction in professional vendor contracts. 
• The department’s fleet of enforcement vehicles are all electric (EV) and “a huge feather in the city’s cap,” Councilmember Scott Benson said. The department would like to ultimately be fully EV; “the savings are exponential,” Hutchings said, and the existing EV fleet is more efficient. 
• The department will launch a text-to-pay feature in the next one to two months, which will help mitigate broken meters, bad Wi-Fi connections, and other confusion and issues around payments. “We’re going to make it so it’s absolutely impossible not to have a way to pay,” Hutchings said. 

Other things to note: 

• Hutchings cautioned against comparing Detroit’s parking issues to nearby cities like Ferndale and Birmingham, which have less car traffic and smaller populations. He said both cities follow Detroit’s lead in parking initiatives and solutions. 
• The department wants to add a “multimodal” feature to the ParkDetroit app. Users would see more parking options where they can take the Detroit People Mover, QLine, Lyft or Uber to the destination. “The biggest benefit for that is around events,” Hutchings said. The feature would later include the Detroit Department of Transportation, MoGo, Detroit Airport Express, D2A2, Michigan Flyer and Ann Arbor Area Transportation Authority. 
• Parkdetroit.us is the main portal for parking issues and info, including paying meters, contesting tickets, joining the residential parking program, getting resident discounts and learning about new initiatives. 

For more information, check out the video of this budget hearing. 

— Noah Levinson, Detroit Documenters 

Date: March 13

FY 2027 Mayor Proposed budget: $4,268,256

FY 2026 Adopted budget: $1,572,674

Percent change: 171.4% increase

Number of employees: 38

What’s new this year:

• Brittni Brown is the newly appointed director of Media Services.

• The department is conducting a strategic review of the operations to improve internal processes, clarify workflows and identify opportunities to streamline work across city departments.

• Closed captioning will be planned for Channel 10 immediately. 

Things to watch:

• City vendor ENCO will be expanding closed captioning capabilities within the next two weeks for the city’s news Channel 10. 

• City of Detroit YouTube channel and website also will be revamped to incorporate approaches to keep residents engaged and informed.

• Mayor Mary Sheffield’s Rise Higher Detroit transition initiative aims to ensure residents receive clear, timely information about city programs, services and resources. 

• The Media Services Department will continue to work with city officials to record and publish meetings and public announcements to ensure Channel 10 is a clear and consistent platform that keeps Detroiters informed.

Other things to note:

• Reason for the large budget increase: The cable department with 19 FTEs, previously separate, will be consolidated under Media Services.

• Media Services public requests: The Media Services Department fulfills an average of 2,000 multimedia requests per year — most of which are graphic design requests to support the city’s administration and City Council communications.

For more information, check out the video of this budget hearing.

-Shaheda Jenkins, Detroit Documenters

Date: March 18

FY 2027 Mayor Proposed budget: $2.4 million

FY 2026 Adopted budget: $1.9 million

Percent change: 26% increase

Number of employees: 19

What’s new this year: 

• DAH will be upgrading its website to provide more and better information about the hearings process, as well as have all forms and documents required by property owners. 
• The department launched a text messaging service in December to notify property owners of unpaid judgments. It also contracts with a law firm to help with collections.  
• Other goals: Host community blight court and enable livestreaming of hearings. 

Things to watch: 

• The collection rate for judgments has increased to 30%. Two years ago it was 16%. Director Julianne Pastula credits improved outreach, enabling more people to attend hearings. 
• Pastula said that DAH would like to have an “amnesty day” — similar to one held by the 36th District Court — to waive late fees and penalties. 
• DAH issues blight clearance certifications, which confirms that a property owner has no outstanding blight tickets. It issued more than 2,500 last year at a 64% approval rate. This is the first year DAH reported this number to City Council. 

Other things to note: 

• The department has been more aggressive in issuing liens and garnishment filings when property owners don’t pay their fines. 
• Councilmember Santiago-Romero asked if tickets can ever be waived. She said she hears from constituents who get a ticket — sometimes repeatedly — and can’t afford the fine. Pastula said DAH cannot waive tickets, and encouraged residents to resolve correction orders before they become tickets. 
• DAH is one of the few departments with higher revenues than expenditures. Last year it took in $6.7 million compared to its $1.9 million budget.

For more information, check out the video of this budget hearing. [Editors: Hyperlink “check out the video” to the video]. 

— Aaron Mondry, Outlier Media

Date: March 16  

FY 2027 Mayor Proposed budget: $7,450,000

FY 2026 Adopted budget:  $7,450,000

Percent change:  No change

Number of employees: 80 FTE including Transit Police

What’s new this year: 

• 16 refurbished railcars purchased from Toronto, Ontario, will be retrofitted to replace the existing Detroit People Mover (DPM) fleet.
• The system enhancement study initiated in the fall of 2025 will continue to identify ways to increase mobility and quality of life for Downtown Detroit.
• The department will use marketing efforts and strategies to increase ridership and generate revenue.  

Things to watch:

• DTC has begun a $1 million Community Benefits Agreement for infrastructure improvements at the Water Square station to be completed by spring 2027.
• DTC will be using new technologies to maintain and service the tracks with minimal disruption to businesses, residents and riders.

Other things to note: 

• The DPM had 250,000 riders in FY 24-25, a 23% increase from the previous year.
• The DPM will be celebrating its 40th anniversary next year. 
• Part of the 40th anniversary events will be the renaming of the Financial District station in honor of former Mayor Coleman A. Young.

For more information, check out the video of this budget hearing. 

—  Damien Benson, Detroit Documenter

Date: March 16  

FY 2027 Mayor Proposed budget: $238,142,092

 FY 2026 Adopted budget: $209,155,060

Percent change: 13.9% increase

Number of employees: 1,224

What’s new this year:

• Youth and seniors: DDOT plans to launch a year-round free bus program for K-12 students and work with the mayor’s education liaison to reduce absenteeism and increase access to youth activities and extracurricular programs, according to DDOT Executive Director Robert Cramer. Meanwhile, the “Accessibili-D 2.0” program, originally a self-driving shuttle for seniors and people for disabilities, aims to expand to include veterans and survivors of gun violence, new parts of the city and become a permanent DDOT service for residents. This year’s budget includes $1 million to get it up and running, Cramer said, and then DDOT plans to rely on a Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) grant.
• Bus shelters and seats: DDOT plans to install 100 shelters and 175 benches and is in the process of replacing cloth bus seats with plastic ones. DDOT aims to replace seats on 68 buses by July.  
• Rider experience: DDOT has funding to do en route enhanced bus cleaning and surface cleaning at transit centers to improve the clean and safe experience. A pilot version of this touch-up program is expected to be implemented March through April and then system-wide in fiscal year 2027. DDOT is revamping “real-time information” for the public and is working with a partner that the People Mover and SMART used to track detours and rider alerts, Cramer said.

Things to watch: 

• Bus availability: From July to this point in the year, bus availability fluctuated, Cramer said, citing “technical capacity, capabilities and skillset of the workforce,” forcing DDOT to rely on vendors, instead of leaning on technicians in house.
  •  Four all-electric buses are expected to be on the road in May. Drivers and mechanics must be trained.
  • Cramer said DDOT has resolved issues with 45 New Flyer Clean-Diesel buses, about 50% of which were not working on a daily basis. Thirty-five of those buses are now available.

• Coolidge Terminal Project: This $165 million project, roughly 15 years in the making, is nearing its April opening. Riders won’t interact with this terminal, but mechanics and drivers will, Cramer said.
• Citywide access to EV charging: Three new public fast chargers and 11 level-2 chargers are available. Another 21 fast chargers are planned for 2026 and beyond. District 3 Council Member Scott Benson raised concerns about the reliability of chargers at recreation centers. Ryan Michael, deputy chief of business innovation and emerging industries for the mayor and acting chief of the Office of Mobility Innovation (OMI), said the city works with partners, including the Construction and Demolition Department, to ensure that chargers are fixed and parts are ordered to restore service.

Other things to note:

• New union contracts increase pay for transportation equipment operators (TEO) and maintenance staff. Driver numbers have gone up after new contracts were approved in November 2025.
• The safe system initiative includes an incentive program to earn $500 every quarter for zero preventable crashes.
• DDOT’s Ride Free for Three program soft-launched last year and is for Detroit-based businesses to offer new employees free monthly passes. Since it launched, DDOT provided more than 100 passes and is looking to continue the program into fiscal year 2027.

For more information, check out the video of this budget hearing. [Editors: Hyperlink “check out the video” to the video]. 

— Nushrat Rahman, BridgeDetroit 

Date: March 18 

FY 2027 Mayor Proposed budget: $7,763,615

FY 2026 Adopted budget: $8,216,258

Percent change: 5.5% decrease 

Number of employees: 42 

What’s new this year: 

• $400,000 reduction in the disability affairs office. 
• Detroit Business Opportunity Program (has over 300 certified Detroit-based businesses).
• New CRIO Director Jade. E Mathis is looking to address how to improve areas of language access services.

Things to watch: 

• Introducing a mental health component in the disability affairs division.
• Plan to hire a position in the Cannabis Affairs division. 
• How they will be able to use AI to improve service delivery. 

Other things to note: 

• CRIO includes nine divisions: Civil Rights Department, Disability Affairs, Policy, Data, Cannabis, Incentives and Compliance, Detroit Business Opportunity Program and Veterans Affairs. 
• The office would like to introduce braille in materials and two in-house sign language interpreters. 
• 51% tax on cannabis, which may lead residents to the black market to buy cannabis.
• One public commenter urged the city to revisit reallocating the $400,000 back to the disability affairs. 

For more information, check out the video of this budget hearing. 

— Eboni Williams, Detroit Documenters