By Rep. Steve Tobocman, executive director of Global Detroit Michigan’s immigrant story is deeply woven into the history of the state. Take my grandfather, Morris Tobocman, who immigrated to Detroit from Poland a century ago to pursue the American Dream. He had almost no formal education, arrived penniless and knew no English. Like so many...
Michigan’s 2018 Ballot Proposals By Trenton Sabo, junior policy associate Ballot Proposal 1: The Legalization of Marijuana The legalization of marijuana is extremely popular in the State of Michigan. A clickondetroit.com poll found that Michigan residents in every age classification, with the exception of 65+, supported the universal legalization of marijuana in the state by...
By Camille Allen, junior communications associate CEDAM is excited to welcome Troy Villanueva, CEDAM’s new housing policy associate, to the team! A safe, affordable home (whether a rental or your own home) is critical to improving health, education and economic outcomes for families. Homeownership can be an important way to build equity and can be...
Last year CAHP acquired the since-closed Walter French school building. They have plans to transform the school into affordable housing and other spaces from which Lansing's southside residents can benefit
By Emily Reyst, communications and training associate Ashamed, heartbroken, inspired—I felt it all within a short period of thirty minutes. If you’ve read Matthew Desmond’s Pulitzer Prize winning book Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City, or if you’ve had the opportunity to hear him speak, these sentiments likely resonate with you. Desmond is...
By Camille Allen, junior communications associate CEDAM is excited to welcome Project Rising Tide (PRT) Fellowship Coordinator Sarah Teater to the team! PRT is a Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) program designed to provide at-risk communities with the tools they need to attract business investment and create a sustainable economic development framework. In each Rising...
By Susan Andrews, CEDAM membership & event specialist From food insecurity to housing, those who live in poverty face many challenges. With more than 12 percent of Americans living in poverty in 2017 (or nearly 39.7 million people), it is important to understand life in poverty to better serve clients, customers and constituents. A poverty simulation...
The Michigan Historic Preservation Network (MHPN) is a CEDAM partner. Nancy Finegood, executive director of MHPN, who is retiring in March 2019, has been an important voice and leader for community economic development and historic preservation in Michigan. The following letter by Denise McGeen, president of the MHPN Board of Directors, was initially announced through email...
CEDAM member Jefferson East, Inc. (JEI) has been a catalyst for community economic development in the five neighborhoods they serve along the east Jefferson corridor in Detroit since 1994. From the East Jefferson Development Corporation to their Clean and Safe program, the organization does a lot to empower its residents and invest in the community....
By Emily Reyst, communications & training associate On Wednesday, August 22, Dr. Tiffany Manuel, originally from Detroit herself, took to the podium at our annual Developing Vibrant Communities conference and delivered an inspiring, thought-provoking and engaging presentation on how to build public support for affordable housing and community economic development work in Michigan. A...
