District 4 Real Estate Developers Summit

David Howell
Vice President of Development Services
Detroit Economic Growth Corporation (DECG)
O 313.237.6089
E [email protected] 

Kaci Jackson
Senior Real Estate Manager
Detroit Economic Growth Corporation (DECG)
O 313.237.6089
E [email protected] 

Cora Capler
Senior Brownfield Program Manager
Detroit Economic Growth Corporation (DECG)
O 313.294.5827
E [email protected]

Helpful Links:

Tax Abatements
What is a Tax Abatement? - A tax abatement is designed to incentivize investment by reducing tax payments for a company. Tax abatements can attract investment, increase employment, catalyze research and technology development, and drive improvement to less developed areas. Tax abatements can raise the overall economy by stimulating economic growth and tax revenue (after the expiration of the tax holiday/incentive period). Unlike grants or loans, which can help with need for immediate capital, a tax abatement is a way of offsetting or abating property and other taxes as an incentive to come to a city or expand existing operations within the city. Tax abatements allow business owners to use that savings to invest back into the business for a defined period of time. 

Detroit Brownfield Redevelopment Authority (DBRA) 
What Does DBRA Do? - The City of Detroit Brownfield Redevelopment Authority (DBRA) was established to promote the revitalization of environmentally distressed and blighted areas within the boundaries of the City of Detroit. 

The City of Detroit Brownfield Redevelopment Authority (the “DBRA”) was established pursuant to Michigan Public Act 381 of 1996 (“Act 381”), as amended, to promote the revitalization of environmentally distressed and blighted areas within the boundaries of the City of Detroit. Under Act 381, substantial redevelopment throughout Detroit has been supported by Brownfield incentives. Since the program’s inception, the DBRA has facilitated the approval of over 250 plans for Brownfield redevelopment including residential, mixed-use, retail, industrial, office and commercial uses. 

Developers of properties that qualify as contaminated, blighted, or functionally obsolete and are part of an approved Brownfield plan, may be eligible for Tax Increment Financing (TIF) reimbursement – increases in property taxes that result from new investments – for both environmental and non-environmental activities. These activities include baseline environmental assessments; due care activities; additional response activities; lead, asbestos and mold abatement; demolition; site preparation; and infrastructure improvements. 

DBRA is governed by its Board of Directors, who receive input from the DBRA Community Advisory Committee (the “DBRA-CAC”). DBRA Board members are appointed by the mayor subject to the consent of City Council.

Annie Mendoza
Community Development Manager
Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC)
O 517.855.0924
E [email protected]

Helpful Links:

MiPlace is a website dedicated to community development and placemaking in Michigan. Content on this site is relevant for communities, developers, and individuals interested in topics ranging from redevelopment and brownfield tools to crowdfunding. You can also follow us on Facebook and Twitter @miplacenews to find updates and latest news.

Elizabeth Rademacher
Allocations Manager | LIHTC
Michigan Housing Development Authority (MSHDA)
O 517.335.9864  M 517.290.6732
E [email protected]

Helpful Links:

Michigan's first Statewide Housing Plan was released in 2022 to address a broad array of intersecting challenges limiting access to safe, healthy, affordable, accessible, and attainable housing for all in a community of their choice. While housing is foundational to thriving communities and healthy families, research that led to the Plan found that historically, equity has not been at the forefront of housing policy and access. The comprehensive plan lays out our state’s challenges and offers a blueprint for how a statewide network of committed housing leaders and advocates can come together to address the goals and priorities and change Michigan’s housing ecosystem for the future by creating a connected and collaborative housing ecosystem of Regional Housing Partnerships.

Jill Bryant
Director of Real Estate
Detroit Building Authority (DBA) 
O 313.224.4514  D 313.628.0904
E [email protected]

Helpful Links:

Properties -Use this webpage to learn how to purchase City of Detroit owned land, upcoming development opportunities, and to explore public land for development in Detroit.

Detroit Zoning Portal - This tool simplifies the site selection process and shows you where your project is allowed.

Martina Orange
Manager, Real Estate and Community Partners
Detroit Land Bank Authority (DLBA) 
O 313.880.3667  
E [email protected]

Helpful Links:

Marketing Programs -The Marketing Program partners with locally based real estate companies to market properties that support infill development, are guided by City of Detroit planning studies, or adjacent to City-owned parcels that may be co-marketed for specialized development. We invite you to view the current listings, follow instructions provided in the link, and submit all proposals to the respective real estate team. Listings are available for 60 days and all marketed properties have clear title. After 60 days, the listing agents will submit all proposals to the DLBA. From that point to closing, the DLBA’s process for marketed properties is approximately 90 days 

Purchase Property By Application - If you are interested in buying a property not listed for sale on our Auction, Own-it-Now, Rehabbed & Ready, Marketing, Side Lot, Neighborhood Lot, or other Land Reuse programs, we are here to help. Big or small, we’d love to hear your ideas!

Amanda Elias
Deputy Group Executive
Neighborhood Economic Development (NED) 
M 248.727.3494  
E [email protected]

Khalil Ligon
East Region Director 
Planning & Development Department (PDD) 
O 313.628.0108  
E [email protected]

Josh Bails
Development Director - East Region
Housing & Revitalization Department (HRD)
O 313.953.0882  
E [email protected]

Helpful Links:

Properties -Use this webpage to learn how to purchase City of Detroit owned land, upcoming development opportunities, and to explore public land for development in Detroit. 

Second Floor Apartment Program - The Second Floor Apartment Program offered by the City of Detroit Housing and Revitalization Department (HRD) supports property owners seeking to renovate vacant second floor apartment space into occupied rental units with rents at or below 60% of Area Median Income (AMI). Grants provide a financial incentive to help building owners better utilize their vacant or underperforming space. With more second floor apartments, residents have more varied and viable living options, property owners have diversified income, and business corridors have increased residential customer base. 

APPLICATION CLOSED - The City of Detroit awarded Southwest Detroit Business Association (SDBA) a contract to administer 24 units of second floor apartments in Southwest Detroit. 

Detroit Duplex Repair Program - Creating Safe and Healthy Homes for Detroiters Through the Detroit Duplex Repair Program, CHN Housing Partners has partnered with the City of Detroit to help small-scale, Detroit landlords repair their rental properties and obtain a Certificate of Compliance (CoC) from the City of Detroit's Buildings, Safety Engineering, and Environmental Department (BSEED). CoCs help ensure that Detroit renters are living in homes that are safe and healthy for all ages.

Darius Barret
Associate 
Urge Imprint & EBIARA Fund
[email protected]

Helpful Links:

EBIARA PRE-APPLICATION - Thank you for your interest in Ebiara; a Fund that supports Black and Brown developers in Detroit.

Invest Detroit Foundation has formed Ebiara Developer Fund I LLC to invest in and provide technical assistance to emerging real estate development firms, including firms owned at least 51% by individuals who are either black, Indigenous and people of color, to accelerate such firms ability to scale and create greater economic impact in distressed and underserved communities in the City of Detroit (the “Fund”). The Fund has retained The URGE Imprint, LLC to provide day-to-day managerial and administrative services with respect to the Fund.

Helpful Links:

Development Resource Center - The Detroit Development Resource Center is a division of the Buildings, Safety, Engineering and Environment Department designed to help you get your project to the finish line.