Deputy Mayor

Melia Howard, a lifelong Detroiter, serves as the Deputy Mayor of Detroit.

Howard is Detroit’s second woman to serve as Deputy Mayor in the city’s history. Nettie Seabrooks was the first woman to hold the position from 1994-1997 under Mayor Dennis Archer.

Before becoming Deputy Mayor, Howard served as the mayor’s Director of Community Engagement, where she has played a key role in building community support for many of the city’s marquee development projects by making sure they had a voice in the process and a role in shaping each project’s community benefits agreement. Prior to that, she was Director of Special Projects and also served as Department of Neighborhoods manager for District 5.

Prior to becoming Director of Community Relations, Howard was the Mayor’s Special Projects Manager, where she began serving as advisor to Mayor Duggan on large-scale development projects, a role she will continue as Deputy Mayor. Howard has also worked as a District 5 Manager for the Department of Neighborhoods for more than three years, where she managed community relationships and helped residents with their daily concerns.

Howard also spearheaded the Saturdays in the D program, which provides Detroit youths and adults on-campus educational activities at the University of Michigan – Ann Arbor. The program, which is partnership with UM and Ally Financial, gives 100 high school students and 100 adults each year access to educational and experiential opportunities at UM in fields like robotics and climate change.

In her role, Howard also continues the Community Violence Intervention (CVI) work. Over the first three quarters, the “Shotstoppers” initiative has resulted in dramatic reductions in homicides and non-fatal shootings in most of the six areas served by CVI community organizations.

Her passion for Detroit’s future, combined with her professional expertise, makes Howard a vital force in the city’s ongoing transformation.