Our First Term Promise

During the first term of the EJ Administration, Detroit will experience a bold and balanced transformation that stretches from the skyline to the sidewalk. We will govern with the principle of simultaneous development—pushing for progress downtown while aggressively revitalizing our neighborhoods. Our vision is clear: no part of Detroit should be left behind.

While we prepare to break ground on the Detroit Cultural Center and an advanced textile manufacturing plant in 2029, we will not wait four years to act. In our first term, we will purchase and renovate two former DPSCD schools and transform them into community centers. These centers will be designed through community input and run by Detroiters, providing free mental and physical health services, co-working spaces, youth mentorship, job training in emerging markets, and a safe environment for personal growth. These will serve as our proof of concept for future neighborhood development, providing immediate relief and empowerment to residents while we build toward the larger vision of Motown 2.0.

We will also take immediate action to begin revitalizing three key commercial corridors: Seven Mile & Greenfield, Seven Mile & Gratiot, and Dexter & Davison. These areas will see sidewalk renovations, storefront improvements, beautification, small business attraction, and strict regulation of absentee and exploitative landlords. These zones will also receive Detroit's first three smart kiosks—interactive tools offering residents job listings, city alerts, and access to local news and Wi-Fi.

The Motown Community Trust Fund will begin with $1,000,000 in in-kind donations. Of that amount, $750,000 will be allocated to launching a Detroit-based trading desk. This desk will mirror the structure of a Wall Street trading floor—fully legal, fully regulated, and fully committed to Detroit's financial future. We will recruit the brightest young financial minds from across the country and invite them to relocate to Detroit to help build a financial model that supports city pensions, educational stipends, housing grants, and small business investment. The remaining $250,000 will be used to establish the trust's legal, technological, and compliance infrastructure. Our goal is to prove that Detroit doesn’t have to beg for handouts—we can build wealth from the inside.

Housing justice will be a cornerstone of our first term. I will work to freeze tax foreclosures across the city and work with the City  Council to pass an ordinance allowing Detroit to confiscate and renovate abandoned homes. Our housing ordinance will also place strict limits on the number of residential investment properties any single landlord can own. This is about protecting Detroiters from predatory speculation, gentrification, and displacement. I will also oversee the renovation of 50 land bank homes, ensuring these homes are renovated to code and sold at-cost to first-time home buyers on a 0% interest, 15-year note. Payments will be made directly to the city and the homes will be appraised at current market value, providing instant equity for residents. All of those interested in applying for one of these homes must first enroll in a city-operated personal development course.

In education, we will launch the Detroit Pathfinders Program, beginning in Westside Academy. This school-based mental health initiative will be run by licensed social workers and will provide culturally competent, trauma-informed care directly inside schools. Every student will have access to a counselor trained to help them navigate not only school stress but also issues like grief, violence, poverty, and identity. This program will serve as a national model for how cities support youth mental health.

We will also launch the Second Chance Initiative, a mandatory personal development course for probationers and parolees returning to our city. This program will focus on employment readiness, emotional intelligence, discipline, and parenthood. Our aim is to restore dignity and direction in the lives of returning citizens, not just monitor them.

Digital infrastructure will also be expanded to support every resident. We will build three smart kiosks in our target revitalization zones, begin work on a Detroit City App to centralize services, and initiate a pilot virtual school curriculum to offer academic flexibility to students who need it most. Every move we make will prepare Detroit not only for today but for the next fifty years.

This is "The EJ Administration," and our mission is to "Plan for 50" — every policy, every project, and every dollar will be judged by how it impacts Detroiters half a century from now. We are not managing decline. We are building greatness.

Together We Can. Together We Will.