Building Vibrant Cities

Our land use initiatives strengthen existing communities, seed lasting change and provide replicable models for other cities.

Metro Detroit has experienced decades of sprawl and disinvestment in older, built-out communities, and the economic climate has further challenged inner-ring suburbs to make the most of their assets. To compete in the 21st century, our region must rethink its development patterns, practices and philosophies.

Outdated zoning ordinances and community design, inefficient processes for redevelopment or construction, and declining property values all make it difficult for cities to welcome the investment they need in order to thrive. The Suburbs Alliance works with cities to identify opportunities for projects that will have an immediate positive impact and creating lasting change.

Our programs that build vibrant cities:


greenanchorshouseGreen Anchors
: Green Anchors is the seed of a regional sustainable neighborhoods movement, transforming a handful of foreclosed homes in a single neighborhood into living examples of sustainable buildings and communities. From this small beginning, Green Anchors seeks to reinvent residential communities, one house at a time.

 

redevelopmentreadyRedevelopment Ready Communities: A flagship program of the Suburbs Alliance, Redevelopment Ready Communities created a set of best practices to help cities streamline their permitting process and attract new infill development that fit within the city’s existing style.

The Redevelopment Ready Communities program was adopted at a state level in 2012 and is now administered by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation.

Updates

Anchoring a Neighborhood

The Suburbs Alliance is kicking off Green Anchors, an ambitious project that aims to transform residential neighborhoods across our region, one house and one person at a time.

Infrastructure investment: safer bridges or wider highways?

One of every nine bridges in Michigan is structurally deficient. Meanwhile, SEMCOG’s 2040 plan intends to use a large portion of its $40 billion budget to widen I-94 and I-75.

Energy Efficiency & Bond Ratings

Can investing in energy efficiency help your bond rating? An interview with Tony Lehmann, Finance Director for the City of Huntington Woods.

 

Events

 

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