Metrics for Success
Goal 1: Increase access to healthy food, green spaces, and recreation opportunities
Having access to healthy food and exercise are essential to Detroiters’ ability to thrive in their communities and lead healthier lifestyles. Food distribution has been front and center during the pandemic, with the Parks and Rec team distributing more than 2 million meals in 2020, about 25 times more than the average 80 thousand meals annually pre-pandemic.
Within City parks, we piloted planting and maintenance strategies to provide habitat and tree canopy, while reducing maintenance barriers. The General Services Department (GSD), in partnership with DWSD and others, implemented green stormwater infrastructure (GSI) throughout the park system as part of regular compliance and to improve environmental outcomes, educate residents, and provide a natural park amenity. Sites include Rouge Park, O’Hair Park, Palmer Park, Chandler Park, and more.
Parks and Rec grew the City’s soccer program from 300 participants in 2019 to over 2,000 in 2021. Additionally, in 2019 the City launched a T-ball league with over 250 participants and ran 50+ sports clinics during the summer of 2021. $30M was appropriated for new and expanded recreation centers.
Goal 2: Improve air quality and reduce exposure to pollution
Poor air quality and consistent exposure to pollution have negative impacts on health. For Detroiters to live healthier lives, we must ensure they can breathe clean air. There has been an increased focus on targeting communities within vulnerable census tracts for tree planting efforts to lower temperatures and mitigate pollution, with over $1 million spent in 2021 in these areas.
In 2021, the Department of Public Works (DPW) completed a pilot truck routing study for the 360 miles of commercial streets in Southwest Detroit, recommending 60 miles of commercial truck routes. Municipal parking enforcement has begun a transition to 100% electric vehicles, hybrid SUVs will replace about 300 oversized pickup trucks used by field services crews, and 600 hybrid police pursuit vehicles were purchased. DDOT expanded its electric bus project to purchase four buses, which will reduce diesel emissions that Detroiters breathe on a day-to-day basis.
Goal 3: Advance equity in access to economic opportunity
For Detroiters to thrive, they must have access to opportunities. However, economic opportunity is not equitably accessible by all Detroiters. In order to change this, the City developed hiring practices to enable more Detroiters to be at the top of the list for City roles and developed a leadership development program to promote diverse leaders. In 2018, the City of Detroit and Stellantis (formerly Fiat Chrysler Automotive (FCA)) entered into an agreement to ensure that Detroiters have priority access to 5,000 new jobs, which helped set the course for the City to work with dozens of new employers to provide priority hiring for Detroiters going forward. The City will soon launch the Skills for Life program which will provide paid work and training opportunities for ,1200 people over three years.
To prepare Detroiters for these jobs, through a partnership between Detroit Public Schools and Detroit at Work, the City began delivering free adult high school completion programs with a stipend for participants who complete the program. Additionally, DDOT has placed Wi-Fi on 120 DDOT busses to improve internet access for Detroiters. The Civil Rights, Inclusion, and Opportunity Department has established the Office of Disability Affairs and released a 3-year strategic plan.
