Business owners and residents who stay in Detroit, or move to the city, are getting money, thanks to a grant from an initiative aimed at growing Detroit’s population.
Move Detroit, launched earlier this year, handed out $15,000 in individual grants for its "Make Detroit Home" program on Oct. 6 to at least a dozen of recipients, including owners of a nail salon, early childhood center, travel company and first-time homeowners. Mayor Mary Sheffield announced the growth plan, a partnership with Dan Gilbert and the Move Detroit Coalition, at her first State of the City address in March.
"These individuals are entrepreneurs who are growing their businesses, creating jobs, investing in property and making a long-term commitment to our city," Sheffield
said. "We want Detroit to be a place where you can afford to live, raise a family, grow a business and see a future for yourself. That means keeping people at the center of our decisions and making sure our city growth creates opportunities in every neighborhood across our city. Because population growth isn’t simply about increasing a number, it is about helping people build lives, businesses, and wealth, and a future right here in Detroit."
Hillary Doe, CEO of Move Detroit, said so far, 158 households of nearly 400 people have stayed or moved to Detroit through the program. Among them were the 13 applicants who received the larger $15,000 grant. The coalition will award at least $500,000 to help 313 current and future Detroiters with funding, and expects to plan another round of funding.
"The response from people saying ‘yes’ to Detroit was powerful. In just a matter of weeks … 6,500 people applied from our own neighborhoods here in Detroit, their own businesses and companies, and from across the country who wanted to be here to build their future," Doe said.
Detroit cannot be replicated
Justin Wilson, who has deep roots in the city, moved back to Detroit from Los Angeles to work in corporate partnerships for the Detroit Pistons. Wilson’s great grandfather is Detroit musician Jackie Wilson. Several generations of his family worked for the Big Three, and he and his parents are graduates of Renaissance High School and Cass Technical High School.
“Detroit has become synonymous with me. My village here is incredibly strong and it gave me the foundation that allowed me to find success, leave here at 17, attend Duke University in North Carolina, live and work in places like New York and Los Angeles, and be able to travel abroad to several countries,” Wilson said.
However, Detroit cannot be replicated, he added. The program helped finance his return back home, helping cover down payment and moving costs.
“And the funding from this program not only helped with that transition, but it also allowed me to pursue early homeownership, something that I didn’t necessarily think I’d be doing at this time. And later this month, I look to officially become a homeowner in Detroit, joining the great McDowell neighborhood,” Wilson said.
Jewelry manufacturer Karissma Yve hosted the announcement at her business Gildform, an AI-product creation company that helps brands make their products. That includes jewelry, home decor and other accessories. Yve started out her craft by learning to pour metal on her own to form jewelry, and later created Gildform on the city's west side.
"To date, thousands of creators and brands have signed up. Brands like Marvel, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever ... as well as brands like Universal Music Group. We're creating products for creators and artists like Billie Eilish, and we're building these products end-to-end in Gildform," Yve said. "Detroit is and has always been the heart and soul of American-made manufacturing, the heart and soul of culture, of music, of art, of design, of technology, and innovation."
Yve said the grant allows her to invest in her workforce, training and hiring.
Business grant recipients
- Sierra Boone, who will use her grant toward her first home in Corktown, where she is also establishing her early childhood startup headquarters and first brick-and-mortar location.
- Imani Elie, who will buy property on the east side to serve as the headquarters for her travel company and a youth hospitality training center.
- Karissma Yve, who will invest in workforce and business growth to keep her AI product design and manufacturing startup, Gildform, in Detroit.
- Brandi Daniel, who will invest in her Alexander Nail Salon on Livernois Avenue, and housing improvements in the city.
- Eric Friday, who will invest in his home while expanding the infrastructure behind his real estate platform, Monopoly Bros, to boost neighborhood investment, real estate education and growth in the city.
- Darrell Goodman, who will establish a permanent location for Motor City Jerk’D.
Returning Detroiters
- Andra Glenn, who will relocate from St. Louis and fund closing costs and improvements on a home purchase.
- Christine Mainor, who will fund renovations on her Detroit Land Bank Authority home, while expanding her business, Lux by Renee.
- Shelby Horne, who will expand her marketing agency, secure housing and build toward launching a dance studio and youth mentorship initiatives.
- Yewande Odusanwo, who will move from Chicago to grow her company, Zora Digital, while supporting Detroit small businesses and underserved founders.
- Shannon Robinson, who will move back from Colorado to pursue early-career homeownership.
- Joshua Spencer, who will move back from South Carolina to invest in homeownership and launch a youth mentorship nonprofit.
- Justin Wilson, who returned from Los Angeles to reestablish roots in Detroit, pursue first-time homeownership, and grow his career in corporate partnerships with the Detroit Pistons.
Move Detroit will provide another 300 grants of $1,000 each to Detroiters choosing to stay, return or move to the city for the first time.
Dana Afana is the Detroit City Hall reporter for the Free Press. Contact: dafana@freepress.com. Follow her: @DanaAfana.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Move Detroit gives $15,000 grants to retain residents, grow population
