Rise Higher Detroit Survey Results

Rise Higher Detroit is Mayor Mary Sheffield’s effort to hear directly from residents and use that input to shape the City’s priorities. As part of this work, the City launched a community survey on January 9, 2026. Residents were asked to share their priorities across six areas: neighborhoods, public safety, transportation and infrastructure, jobs and the economy, education and youth, and city services.

The survey was shared in partnership with three community organizations, Detroit Action, Eastside Community Network, and MI Poder. It was available online and on paper, in English, Spanish, Arabic, Bengali, and French. Teams also went out into neighborhoods, visiting recreation centers, grocery stores, gas stations, and going door-to-door—to make sure residents had the chance to participate.

In addition to the survey, five Community Conversations were held across Detroit in March 2026. These were working sessions where residents, community groups, and City staff talked through local challenges and reacted to possible City actions. More than 1,200 residents took part, resulting in more than 8,000 responses from all 39 Detroit zip codes, sharing what’s working, what’s not, and what would make a real difference in their lives.

Rise Higher Detroit Community Framework

What is it? The Community Framework is a set of concrete recommendations to help this Administration deliver on what Detroit residents care about most. It was built from two sources: the largest community engagement effort in the City's history, and the knowledge and experience of community leaders who served on the Transition Committee. Together, these inputs shaped a bold roadmap to create, expand, and strengthen programs and policies across key areas — from Economic and Workforce Development and Safe and Just Communities to Education and Youth Opportunities — in pursuit of a Detroit that works for all.

The framework represents Mayor Sheffield’s commitment to listening and acting, organizing around six priorities that emerged directly from Detroiters:

• Thriving Neighborhoods: Expanding access to youth programs, affordable housing repairs, vibrant public spaces, healthy food and essential city services in every neighborhood.
• Safe and Just Communities: Expanding mental health resources, strengthening youth education and offering job and skills training for at-risk youth.
• Reliable Transportation and Sustainable Infrastructure: Modernizing Detroit’s transit system and protecting residents from flooding and failing infrastructure.
• Equitable Economic and Workforce Development: Creating career pathways to family-sustaining jobs and supporting small businesses so they can start, stay and grow in Detroit.
• Robust Education and Youth Opportunities: Expanding out-of-school programs and access to paid opportunities and improving mental health support for youth.
• Open and Accessible Government: Improving customer service, increasing transparency and ensuring the highest ethical standards from City government.