Equitable Development Task Force 

Council Member Johnson drafted a resolution to create the Equitable Development Taskforce. Campaigning upon the issue of Equitable Development, Council Member Johnson is leading the efforts to address the needs of underserved communities through policies and programs that reduce disparities while fostering places that are healthy and vibrant. There has been an ongoing need in urban areas for community development and urban planning aimed at revitalizing disinvested communities and ensuring that all residents can shape urban development and benefit from economic growth in an equitable fashion. Communities across the country are integrating smart growth, environmental justice, and equitable development approaches to design and build healthy, sustainable, and inclusive neighborhoods. The Equitable Task Force will develop a report that will produce a series of policy recommendations that will be referred to City Council, and the administration for implementation. Council Member Johnson is joined by Council Member Gabriella Santiago-Romero on this Task Force. 

The Equitable Development Task Force is made up of three committees which include: Taxation, Economic Development and Accessibility, and Zoning and Land Use. Since the creation of EDTF, we have achieved several wins for Detroiters which include: 

• Successfully pushed for the creation of a Master Plan Advisory Group to assist the Planning & Development Department in the development of the Master Plan of Policies. 
• Requested that LPD and the OFCO develop a study on the feasibility of a Local Option Sales Tax in the City of Detroit to generate revenue for equitable development 
• Passed the Fugitive Dust Ordinance 
• Requested that LPD draft a policy agreement between the DLBA and the City of Detroit to support Community Land Trusts in Detroit 

If you’d like to access EDTF presentations, minutes, and recordings of public meetings click here. 

If you have any questions or concerns about the EDTF, please contact Yolanda Jackson at 313-269-9537 or by email at [email protected]. 

Apply to Join an Equitable Development Task Force Committee 

Apply Here 

There are three subcommittees to select from: 

Economic Development and Accessibility Subcommittee: The mission of the subcommittee is to understand the City of Detroit’s current economic development practices, to research differing methodologies for improving and expanding the reach of such practices, and to suggest new policy approaches and implementation strategies to make the City’s economic development processes more equitable and accessible to more residents. 

Taxation Subcommittee: This subcommittee is focused on tax restructuring, revenues raised and abated by the city and taxing authorities. 

Zoning and Land Use Subcommittee: The subcommittee is focused on infusing more equity and engagement into the process for updating the Master Plan of Policies, minimizing industrial impacts to residential neighborhoods through zoning, and examining community land trust policies. 

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis and reviewed once a month by members of the committee(s) that you apply to. If you have questions about the application process, please email Ray Duncan at [email protected].

Minority Business Task Force 

Council Member Johnson co-chairs the Minority Business Task Force with Council Member At-Large Mary Waters and Council Member Angela Calloway. The Minority Business Task Force was established to provide a more direct focus and attention to identifying the local issues and challenges for local minority owned business and seeking new ideas as well as best practices from other cities to propose viable solutions to address barriers to minority business operations in the city of Detroit. The city of Detroit has a history of working to increase the percentage of government contracts that are awarded to minority businesses.  However, the need for a wider array of government solutions still exists.  This effort will require government, the private sector, public sector, and stakeholder organizations working in concert to fully promote and support the minority business community.