Latest news with #MikeDuggan
Yahoo
17-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Duggan nets gubernatorial endorsement from Detroit Regional Chamber
Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan delivers a keynote address during the second day of the Mackinac Policy Conference at the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island, Mich., on May 28, 2025. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance) Detroit's powerful regional business organization has thrown its weight behind Mike Duggan's independent bid to be the next governor of Michigan. The Detroit Regional Chamber PAC on Thursday announced that it was endorsing Duggan in the 2026 gubernatorial election. The decision was unanimously reached with a quorum of political action committee members present, the chamber said in a news release. Duggan got the endorsement, the chamber said, because of his proven track record of executive-level business experience prior to his time as mayor, primarily as the leader of the Detroit Medical Center. Duggan was also once on the Detroit Regional Chamber's Board of Directors. 'The Chamber and businesses across the state are growing increasingly concerned about the inability of our political parties to find common ground and move Michigan forward,' Sandy Baruah, Chamber president and CEO, said in a statement. 'Throughout his business and government career, Mike Duggan has proven he can bring people together to work toward common goals. Voters across Michigan are tired of the political infighting; they are clamoring for results-driven leadership, which is exactly what Mike has brought to every leadership position he's held.' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX That success, the chamber noted, extended to his time as mayor, which has helped Detroit experience revitalization and become a national model for renewal. Detroit's population is growing, the chamber said, and that was thanks to Duggan's leadership. 'Mayor Duggan's tenure in Detroit has been a case study in effective, consistent leadership,' David Foltyn, chairman of the Chamber PAC and the Honigman law firm's chairman and CEO, said in a statement. 'He has demonstrated a unique ability to bring stakeholders together to solve generational challenges. The business community has full confidence that he will bring that same steady hand and relentless focus on results to Lansing, creating the stable, pro-growth environment Michigan needs to compete on a global scale.' A news release issued by the chamber also noted that it was the first business organization to endorse Duggan during his 2013 mayoral write-in campaign, and supported him in his subsequent reelection bids. The chamber has a history of endorsing candidates from both major parties, having endorsed Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, a Democrat, in both her 2018 gubernatorial campaign and her 2022 re-election bid, as well former Republican Gov. Rick Snyder in his 2014 reelection campaign. However, the organization declined to make an endorsement in the 2024 U.S. Senate race, saying its board could not reach a consensus on whether to support former U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers (R-White Lake) or then-U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-Holly). Slotkin ended up winning the election. Duggan as independent will face whomever is nominated by the respective major political parties, who won't be decided until the August 2026 primary. That has given Duggan somewhat of an early opportunity to run a general election-style race early in the cycle. On the Democratic side, Duggan could face Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist II, Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson or former Cape Coral, Fla., Mayor Marni Sawicki On the Republican side, the Detroit mayor could face U.S. Rep. John James of Shelby Township, state Senate Minority Leader Aric Nesbitt of Portage, former Attorney General Mike Cox, former House Speaker Tom Leonard of DeWitt, Genesee County truck driver Anthony Hudson and Traverse City native Evan Space. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
17-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
How Detroit mayoral candidates say they'd ramp up affordable housing, tackle homelessness
Housing took center stage as mayoral candidates shared their vision — and plans — to tackle an issue Detroiters say is top of mind. Six mayoral hopefuls answered questions about how to build housing Detroiters can afford, attract funding for services and strengthen the city's homelessness response system. Homelessness increased 16% from 2023 to 2024, according to one-night counts of people experiencing homelessness in Detroit, Hamtramck and Highland Park that take place every January. Homelessness has many root causes, from mental health challenges to substance abuse, but experts have long pointed to housing as a central hurdle. To fully meet the need of people estimated to experience homelessness in Detroit a year, the city's homelessness response system needs to add at least 275 emergency shelter beds and 870 units of permanent supportive housing, according to a five-year plan released last year by the city of Detroit and its partners. Earlier this year, the city's homeless response system was under scrutiny after two children died while living unhoused in a van and city officials revealed that their mother had contacted city and county services several times prior to the siblings' death. Mayor Mike Duggan released a seven-point plan to improve access to services for the unhoused following the tragedy, including expanding night outreach teams. The forum, organized by a coalition of social service agencies, took place at the Central United Methodist Church in Detroit, home to Noah at Central, a nonprofit helping people experiencing homelessness. Participants included Mary Sheffield, Saunteel Jenkins, Fred Durhal III, DaNetta Simpson, Jonathan Barlow and write-in candidate Rogelio Landin. All Detroit mayoral candidates were invited. Zara Northover, a business consultant and founder of the Moving in Faith brand, and Andrew Stein, president and CEO of the Children's Foundation, moderated the discussion. Here are the top takeaways: More: Here's who is running for Detroit mayor in the 2025 election The homelessness response system Candidates said they'd prioritize homelessness services in the budget and take steps to prevent housing instability in the first place. "Some people are homeless because of addiction issues. Some people are homeless because they lost their jobs. Some people are homeless because of domestic violence issues and mental health issues and we have to address those root causes that led to homelessness in the first place. And then on the other end make sure that there is quality, affordable, appropriate housing for every one of those demographics," said Jenkins, former Detroit City Council president and CEO of the nonprofit Heat And Warmth Fund (THAW). Council Member Durhal called for an expansion of the Coordinated Assessment Model, or CAM, which directs people facing homelessness to shelter and other housing resources in Detroit, Hamtramck and Highland Park. "We do have a CAM system now that has lower wait times but sometimes the wait times are still long. We still hear folks say that when they call the CAM system that they are told that there are not enough beds," Durhal said. There's a need for more domestic violence shelters, connecting veterans with services and reaching unhoused children, he said. Simpson, a three-time mayoral candidate, said she'd create a taskforce that meets with people who are facing homelessness and find out why they are unhoused. City Council President Sheffield said prevention is key and touted the initiatives, such as the right to counsel program providing lawyers for families facing eviction, that she's pushed. Building 'truly affordable' housing Durhal said there's a difference between low-income housing and affordable housing, between 60% to 80% of the area median income (AMI), a regional measure set by the federal government to determine housing affordability. "There are not enough vouchers that are accessible to our folks here in the city of Detroit. ... We need more vouchers," Durhal said, to provide low-income housing. At the same time, there's a need to build housing, too, he said, and cited the so-called PILOT Fast Track ordinance, which passed last year to speed up development by offering property tax cuts to developers based on rent prices. In response to a moderator's question on how candidates would build affordable housing for those at 30% of the area median income and below, Landin said "we've gotta build it," but said "this is not a quick fix." Simpson said she'd forge relationships with people with lower incomes, who need affordable housing, and landlords, to gauge how far they can reduce rents. Homeowners also struggle to afford repairs, she said. Partnering with nonprofits, churches Candidates said they'd collaborate with faith-based organizations and nonprofits to bolster housing development. Jenkins said she'd use "affordable housing bonds" to ensure there's an inventory of affordable housing and work with nonprofits and the faith-based communities. Sheffield discussed a "community anchor plan" — partnering with nonprofits and churches to provide access to capital and technical assistance to develop neighborhoods. More: How a scrappy Google map tries to fill the gaps in Detroit homeless services Attracting new funding for services, housing Durhal said he'd prioritize funding by looking at the root causes of homelessness, whether that is mental health or substance abuse. He suggested expanding services at the city's health department and the housing and revitalization department. Said Jenkins: "What we have to have is a leader who is willing, able and has a track record of fighting to bring resources to the city of Detroit and to the agencies on the ground." Resources for low-income Detroiters, unhoused students Candidates addressed how they'd bring together different groups and institutions, from law enforcement and nonprofits to hospitals and developers, to support low-income Detroiters with complex needs. Sheffield said she'd create a homeless family and services department with wraparound services in one place. Simpson said she'd ensure police officers are trained to handle encounters with people experiencing mental illnesses. Businessman Barlow said coordination starts with leadership and said there are overlooked communities. "The LGBTQ+ community continues to suffer because of being unwelcome in their homes," Barlow said. Asked how they would better support students experiencing homelessness, candidates said they'd partner with schools to provide basic services, such as housing, and place counselors in schools. Contact Nushrat Rahman: nrahman@ Follow her on X: @NushratR. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit mayoral candidates talk affordable housing, homelessness Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
11-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Developer wins praise after renovation completions at Glynn Court apartments in Detroit
A developer won cheers Thursday for finishing renovations to a 1920s Detroit building with affordable housing as it prepares for the next round of a fight against some Boston-Edison residents over a nearby rehab plan. Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan and other city officials heaped praise on the principals of Detroit-based Timeless Properties during a July 10 celebration event for the development firm's completion of renovation and expansion work at the Glynn Court apartment building, at 1415 Glynn Court, about a block away from the historic Boston-Edison neighborhood. The 4½-story building was said to be only half full when Timeless Properties purchased it about five years ago. Since then, the firm has renovated all the apartments, upgraded the electrical and HVAC systems, and most recently created seven new units on the lower level, which expanded the building to 58 total apartments. The over $1 million in rehab work was made possible through a property refinancing by the Detroit Housing for the Future Fund, which uses private investment dollars to help developers bridge financial gaps when creating affordable housing. All Glynn Court apartments are now guaranteed at "affordable" rents for at least 10 years, with more than half set aside for those earning at or below 60% of the area median income, or $42,420 for a single person or $48,480 for two people. Rents at the building start at $750 per month, the same as before the renovations. 'We know the rents are rising very quickly in the houses in the neighborhood; property values have doubled or tripled," Duggan said. "But people who want to be here can move into a $750 unit apartment and still be a part of the community — that's the kind of city we're trying to build." More: New 'elegant' apartment building planned for Detroit's Brush Park But a quarter mile away, Timeless Properties' latest proposal to turn a vacant three-story building at 9851 Hamilton that was once a church's community center into a 49-unit market-rate apartment building is drawing less than universal applause. Although not within the Boston-Edison Historic District, the building is directly adjacent to it, and a Boston-Edison resident recently appealed an April 4 decision by the city's Buildings, Safety Engineering, and Environmental Department, or BSEED, to grant the development firm a "special land use" necessary for the project. (The special use would allow for housing and retail, where the current permitted uses are office and parking.) The firm's 9851 Hamilton redevelopment plan is now scheduled for a public hearing at 9:15 a.m. on July 21 before Detroit's Board of Zoning Appeals. The BSEED decision was appealed by one of the building's neighbors, the same neighbor who successfully appealed a 2023 BSEED decision concerning the same site and redevelopment plan. That earlier appeal resulted in a Wayne County Circuit Court judge last December requiring Timeless Properties to restart the land use request process from the beginning. The neighbor who filed the formal appeals, Kagan Scannell, could not be reached for comment July 10. At a Jan. 15 BSEED public hearing, multiple Boston Edison neighbors voiced concerns about future apartment dwellers and café customers bringing traffic to the area and taking up scarce street parking, among other things. Adam Noel, co-owner of Timeless Properties, said July 10 that they have tried their best to answer all questions from the neighbors concerning the 9851 Hamilton project. "We want to make sure that we create a building that serves the community well, whether that's through apartments or also through retail space," Noel said. 'We've reached out to community members from the Gateway Neighborhood and attended meetings there, and I've reached out continuously to the Boston-Edison neighborhood association to get their opinions on what we can do that would add positively to the neighborhood.' A representative for Detroit City Council President Mary Sheffield also praised Timeless Properties at Thursday's celebration for its work at the Glynn Court apartments. The representative, Victoria Williams, described the rehab as 'a shining example of how we do invest in our neighborhoods without displacing the people who call them home.' Tom Anderton, a partner in Timeless Properties, said Glynn Court never closed down and that residents who wished to stay in the building during the renovations could move into one of the finished yet unoccupied apartments while their apartment received the upgrades. Today, the building is more or less completely full, he said. "I don't think we had any displacement," Anderton said. Timeless Properties now has eight apartment buildings in Detroit, Anderton said, including two at the same intersection of Glynn Court and Byron Street as the redone Glynn Court apartments. During his remarks Thursday, Mayor Duggan also reflected on the dramatic revitalization that has happened in recent years in the surrounding neighborhood, and the growing number of new and newly rehabbed buildings across the city offering affordable housing options. "There was a time when if you had an announcement at a building like this, it was either abandoned or it was being knocked down," Duggan said. "And now week after week, what we're seeing are these beautiful buildings being restored and families who are from here who want to stay in the community.' Contact JC Reindl: 313-378-5460 or jcreindl@ Follow him on X @jcreindl This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Renovated Detroit apartments are guaranteed to have 'affordable' rents
CBS News
07-07-2025
- CBS News
Detroit police, mayor present summer teen violence prevention plan
In response to a series of violent incidents in the city this summer, Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan and Police Chief Todd A. Bettison are introducing a summer safety teen violence prevention plan. The discussion includes a plan to address juvenile curfew violations in response to a trend in youth-involved incidents this summer. The City of Detroit launched its "Regulation of Minors in Public Places and Adult Responsibility for Violations," also known as the curfew law, during the mid-1980s. The press conference is scheduled to start at 1 p.m. How to watch City of Detroit press conference What: Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan and Detroit Police Chief Todd A. Bettison talking about teen violence prevention efforts. Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan and Detroit Police Chief Todd A. Bettison talking about teen violence prevention efforts. Date: Monday July 7, 2025 Monday July 7, 2025 Time: 1 p.m. ET 1 p.m. ET Online stream: Live on the player above and on your mobile or streaming device During one such incident, three people were shot at Skinner Playfield, leaving two dead: an 18-year-old who has not been named and 4-year-old Samir Grubbs. Later, authorities arrested two teens in connection. Days before the park shooting, a 17-year-old was shot during the Ford Fireworks show. And in yet another incident, a teen was shot in the head on the city's east side. "You're going to see a whole lot of this police chief this summer. You're going to see me riding buses. You're going to see me not only walking a mile, but you're going to see me everywhere. Because I believe in being boots on the ground and we're going to make a difference, and you make a difference by being present," Bettison said last week.
Yahoo
28-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Detroit's mayor tries to capitalize on voter disdain for both parties with independent run for governor
With well over a year until the 2026 midterm elections, Democrats and Republicans are already gearing up for expensive fights in House, Senate and governor's races across the country. Enter Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, who is betting that there is a path to becoming Michigan's next governor without embracing either of those party labels. Duggan, a longtime Democrat who has served for over a decade as Detroit's mayor, announced in December that he would run an independent campaign to succeed Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, who cannot run for a third term next year. It's an audacious bet, in one of the nation's most tightly divided swing states, that voters who say they are fed up with both parties are ready to back another choice. But while some of the political conditions seem ripe, recent independents running in three-way elections haven't been able to push that sentiment to victory. 'Every place I go, the depth of anger at the two parties runs deep,' Duggan told NBC News in an interview. He said he decided to run as an independent to escape the political expectations that come with serving one party or the other in Lansing, describing the current environment in the state capital as 'toxic.' Michigan currently has a divided state Legislature, with Democrats narrowly controlling the state Senate (and the governorship) while Republicans control the state House after wresting it back from Democrats in 2024. 'Every single conversation in Lansing was, 'Will this bill help me keep the majority?' 'Will this bill help me get the majority?' And nobody was solving any problems,' Duggan said. 'They wanted to create a moment that they could [use to] send out fundraising appeals off of some type of conflict.' Across the country, the appetite for third-party candidates is growing. A recent NBC News analysis found that Americans are increasingly registering to vote as unaffiliated voters, opting not to identify with a political party. Voters hold negative views of both parties, and the Democratic Party earlier this year notched its lowest ratings in 35 years of NBC News polling. Some prominent political figures have sought out a third option, away from both major parties. In the past three years, two former senators — Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona and Joe Manchin of West Virginia — left the Democratic Party and registered as independents. More recently, Elon Musk, a tech mogul and former adviser to President Donald Trump who spent more than a quarter-billion dollars to help him in 2024, posted on X amid a feud with Trump about the appetite for 'a new political party in America that actually represents the 80% in the middle,' though it's unclear how serious Musk was. (Duggan wrote in response to the Tesla and SpaceX CEO, 'Now you've got my attention…' alongside a smiley emoji.) That sentiment aside, turning the broad idea of unhappiness with the two parties into actual statewide victory for an independent candidate is difficult, as recent years of elections show. In Oregon, former state Sen. Betsy Johnson mounted a well-funded independent campaign for governor in 2022, at times receiving almost 20% of voters' support in public polling. But on Election Day, Johnson received under 9% of the vote, with Democrat Tina Kotek winning the race. Last year in Nebraska, Navy veteran Dan Osborn ran an independent campaign for Senate that gained national attention. Democrats didn't field a candidate in the race and Osborn lost to incumbent Sen. Deb Fischer, a Republican, by over 6 points, though he held Fischer well below Trump's margin in the state. In Michigan, Duggan insists that he's received support from voters on both sides of the aisle, saying he's simply offering them a choice outside of the traditional two-party binary. 'This whole evenly divided, Republican and Democrat 'attack each other every two years in an election cycle' isn't working for Michigan, and maybe I give the voters a different choice,' Duggan said. Duggan's presence adds another layer of complexity as both parties gear up for a competitive race. Though Whitmer won her second term by more than 10 points, Michigan is typically a tightly balanced battleground. In 2024, the state backed Trump for president by less than 2 points and Democrat Elissa Slotkin for Senate by an even slimmer margin. Four years earlier, Biden defeated Trump in the Great Lakes State by nearly 3 points. But Democrats and Republicans still have to sort out who their nominees for governor will be, and voters don't head to the polls in the state's primary until August of next year. On the Democratic side, Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist and Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson have launched campaigns to succeed Whitmer. Republican Rep. John James, state Senate Minority Leader Aric Nesbitt, former state House Speaker Tom Leonard and former state Attorney General Mike Cox have all jumped into the GOP primary. '[Duggan] announced right at the beginning of the year, which gives him a full two years with no primary to get around the state and tell his story,' Jason Roe, a Republican strategist in Michigan who is not currently working for any gubernatorial candidate, told NBC News. With Democrats and Republicans focused on their own primaries, 'there's really no reward to any of those candidates to attack him,' Roe said, adding: 'And so I think he gets to go around, you know, talking about rainbows and unicorns' without getting attacked. Democrats have targeted Duggan recently, if not in a way many voters would have seen, accusing him of corruption in one digital ad funded by the Democratic Governors Association's Victory Fund in May. 'Duggan is running a self-serving campaign that has no path to victory,' DGA communications director Sam Newton told NBC News in a statement, adding: 'The DGA has beaten attention-grabbing third-party candidates before — and we're confident that we'll do it again in Michigan in 2026.' Michigan Democratic Party Chair Curtis Hertel also slammed Duggan, telling NBC News that the mayor is only running as an independent because he didn't want to run in the Democratic primary. 'I think most of this is about Mike's ego. It was bruised by the fact that he couldn't actually win a Democratic primary,' Hertel said. 'He has very thin skin.' On the other side of the aisle, Republicans haven't yet engaged in formal campaigning against Duggan. But one national Republican strategist noted that the Michigan race is going to be competitive — and expensive — next fall whether Duggan is drawing significant support or not. Roe noted Duggan's popularity in and around Detroit, adding that he's well-liked by Michigan's business leaders. 'People see the business community, the organized business community, migrating to him,' he said. Roe, who lives in the suburban Detroit area, said that Republicans in his area seem particularly attracted to Duggan's campaign as well. But he cautioned against drawing conclusions about Duggan's popularity among partisans until after next year's primary. 'There's a big but here. They don't have a binary choice. They don't know who the Republicans are. They don't know who Democrats are,' he said. Hertel compared Duggan's support now to that of early support for previous independent candidates elsewhere. 'What we've seen, a lot of times, with these independent candidates, is, you know, they get a lot of attention at first, but when we get closer to election time, people make different decisions,' Hertel said. 'Right now it's, 'Well, I know Duggan, and I feel Duggan has done some great stuff in Detroit. No clue about these other people,' right?' Roe said. 'Once there's nominees, and you have three people to choose from, that will likely change.' This article was originally published on
