Mayor Mike Duggan announces he will not seek re-election as Detroit's Mayor, sets vision for final year in office
- In announcement to City employees, Mayor Mike Duggan credits city employees, neighborhood Detroiters, business owners and philanthropist for Detroit's comeback.
Today, Mayor Mike Duggan gathered city leaders and employees to announce he will not seek re-election as Detroit’s mayor. After 12 years of service, Mayor Duggan expressed his gratitude for Detroiters who have played an instrumental role in the city’s resurgence and outlined a forward-looking plan for his final year in office—building on its current momentum, continuing to expand opportunities in every Detroit neighborhood, and emphasizing the importance of retaining and attracting young talent to strengthen Detroit’s future.
“Detroit’s story of resurgence is one of Detroiters who never gave up on their city,” said Mayor Duggan. “It has been the honor of a lifetime to serve as mayor over the past 12 years and I am incredibly proud of what we’ve accomplished together—from emerging out of bankruptcy to becoming a vibrant, healthy city that is a model of resilience and transformation. This last year is about continuing the work we started and ensuring Detroit’s success remains rooted in opportunity for everyone.”
After more than a decade of hard work and partnerships, Detroit’s population grew for the first time in more than 60 years. That growth was the result of sustained focus on issues that plagued Detroit for decades.
Detroit went from having the worst priority one EMS response times in the country to the best in the nation. Violent crime has reached historic lows.
In 2014, when Mayor Duggan took office, Detroit was burdened with 47,000 vacant, abandoned homes. Today, 3,000 remain. By building healthier, more vibrant neighborhoods across Detroit, a University of Michigan study this year found Detroit homeowners gained $4 billion in wealth over the last decade.
Mayor Duggan prioritized affordable housing with a historic investment of $1 billion in the past five years committed to developing and preserving affordable housing and will continue to push for additional programming like the recently launched PILOT initiative that aims to accelerate the construction of affordable units.
Today, Detroit is offering a roadmap to cities across the nation as an example of what can be accomplished when leaders put people over politics and build bridges instead of sewing division.
Throughout the remainder of his term, Mayor Duggan aims to build on a decade of growth—a testament to the power of collaboration among city employees, Detroiters, businesses and philanthropic partners. Mayor Duggan will continue making Detroit a model for affordable and inclusive housing, ensuring everyone regardless of income has an opportunity to live and thrive in Detroit.
“My goal was to ensure Detroit’s next mayor has a strong foundation that enables the city to thrive for generations to come,” said Duggan. “We came into a city in bankruptcy and are leaving behind a city with an investment grade credit rating and $500 million in financial reserves. I am confident the next Mayor and City Council will take Detroit to even greater heights.”