• Rehabilitation of once-vacant historic building in Gratiot Woods neighborhood demonstrates how Detroit's streamlined PILOT ordinance is accelerating and expanding affordable housing opportunities. 
• French developer Sophie Zembra, who recently moved to Detroit from New York, also is redeveloping another vacant apartment building in the Dexter-Linwood neighborhood. 

The City of Detroit today joined development partners, residents, and community stakeholders to celebrate the grand opening of Rohns Apartments, the transformation of a long-vacant historic apartment building into 17 new homes that strengthen the neighborhood while expanding housing opportunities for Detroit residents.

The reopening of Rohns Apartments marks another milestone in Detroit's efforts to increase the supply of quality affordable housing through the City's streamlined Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILOT) ordinance. The project also reflects Mayor Mary Sheffield's commitment to implementing the priorities outlined in the Rise Higher Community Framework, which identifies affordable housing and thriving neighborhoods as foundational to Detroit's continued growth.   

“Rohns Apartments is a great example of what is possible when we remove barriers to housing investment and make it easier to bring long-vacant properties back to life,” said Mayor Mary Sheffield. “By leveraging Detroit’s streamlined PILOT program, we are creating more quality, affordable homes while revitalizing historic buildings and strengthening neighborhoods.”  

“The Rohns apartment complex brings fresh energy to a neighborhood that has waited years for new investment,” said Detroit City Councilmember Latisha Johnson (D-4.) “This project stands as a promise for a brighter, more connected future for all neighborhoods. I'm excited to celebrate the grand opening and look forward to it providing housing for Detroiters as it did for me over 25 years ago.” 

Located at 4735 Rohns Street in Detroit's Gratiot Woods neighborhood, and developed by WIZE Detroit, Rohns Apartments transforms a vacant historic property into 17 residential units, including fifteen two-bedroom apartments and two one-bedroom apartments. Each unit is equipped with stainless steel appliances, all-in-one washer and dryer, central air and more. Residents have access to ample green space on the property, as well as secure parking. Rent for a one-bedroom apartment starts at $900 per month, while rent for a two-bedroom apartment starts at $1,100 per month.  

Sophie Zembra, Owner and Managing Director of Wize Detroit, moved to New York City from France 10 years ago. In 2024, she relocated to Detroit to focus on redevelopment. She’s passionate about renovating historic buildings and fell in love with not only the history of Detroit, but the resilience of the communities.  

Zembra is also using the PILOT program to redevelop 3045 Cortland in the Dexter Linwood neighborhood. The $6 million redevelopment will feature 34 residential units with a mix of one-bedroom and two-bedroom apartments, and one studio unit. These units will have an affordability of 80% AMI. The project is expected to be completed in 2028.  

“Historic buildings tell the story of a neighborhood, and I’m passionate about preserving that story while giving these buildings a new life and purpose,” said Sohphie Zembra, Managing Director at Wize Detroit. “Rohns Apartments gave us the opportunity to take a long-vacant property and thoughtfully restore it into beautiful, comfortable homes for Detroit residents.” 

PILOT Ordinance continues to deliver results

Since Detroit City Council adopted the City's revised PILOT ordinance in October 2024, the program has dramatically accelerated affordable housing development by simplifying and expediting the approval process for qualifying projects.

Rather than calculating property taxes based on assessed property value, the PILOT program allows qualifying affordable housing developments to make payments based on a percentage of rental revenue. This predictable tax structure strengthens project financing, allowing more developments to move from planning to construction while maintaining long-term affordability.

The streamlined administrative process has reduced approval timelines from as long as one year to an average of less than 60 days, with a long-term goal of completing reviews within 30 days.

“Creating more affordable housing in Detroit requires more than good development projects. It requires effective policy tools that make those projects financially feasible,” said Housing & Revitalization Director Julie Schneider. “Detroit’s streamlined PILOT ordinance is helping us turn vacant and underutilized properties into quality affordable homes by providing developers with a more predictable path to investment.

The results have been significant. Since implementation of the revised ordinance:

• More than 7,000 new or preserved units of affordable housing have been approved.  
• An additional 6,142 units are in the pipeline to be approved.  

Rohns Apartments was identified among the early developments utilizing the streamlined PILOT process, demonstrating how the ordinance is supporting smaller neighborhood redevelopment projects alongside larger mixed-income developments.

Other approved PILOT developments include:

• The Booth Community (District 1) delivering 61 units of Permanent Supportive Housing, while transforming the former St. Mary of Redford Parish School. 
• The Claire (District 5) delivering 40 units of affordable housing and revitalizing the 100-year-old building originally called The Clairwood. 
• Gesu Senior Housing (District 2) will deliver 36 units of affordable housing specifically for seniors, while transforming historic Gesu Parish Center building. 

Advancing the Rise Higher Community Framework

The opening of Rohns Apartments directly advances several priorities identified through Mayor Sheffield's Rise Higher Community Framework, which was developed following one of Detroit's largest community engagement efforts.

The Framework's Thriving Neighborhoods strategy calls for expanding access to affordable, high-quality housing, preserving existing housing assets, supporting neighborhood revitalization, and ensuring residents can remain in the communities they call home.

Detroit's PILOT ordinance serves as one of the City's key implementation tools for those goals by:

• Expanding the production and preservation of affordable housing. 
• Supporting rehabilitation of historic and vacant buildings. 
• Reducing financial barriers that delay housing development. 
• Encouraging investment across Detroit neighborhoods. 
• Creating greater housing stability for Detroit families, seniors, and workforce households. 

Building on Detroit's Housing Momentum

The grand opening of Rohns Apartments comes as Detroit continues to build momentum in expanding housing opportunities across the city.

The City's Housing and Revitalization Department continues to administer the PILOT program, providing developers with a faster, more predictable approval process while ensuring developments meet affordability requirements established under City policy.

As additional projects move through the development pipeline, Detroit expects the program to continue supporting thousands of new and preserved affordable housing units, reinforcing the City's long-term strategy of creating inclusive growth that benefits residents in every neighborhood. For more information about Detroit's Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILOT) program, visit the City of Detroit Housing and Revitalization Department.