Survey Finds 88 Percent of Detroit Respondents Are Hopeful About City
The survey from Arise Detroit asked 100 Detroiters about their impression of the future of the city. While many are hopeful, 56 percent of those surveyed view gentrification as a major problem.
Detroit's population declined for the seventh straight decade, according to 2020 U.S. Census data.
The first annual “State of The Neighborhoods Survey” was issued by Arise Detroit.
The non-profit is a coalition of over 400 blocks clubs, community associations and churches based in the neighborhoods across the city of Detroit.
“With all the talk about Detroit, the ‘New Detroit’ and issues about inclusiveness and who’s benefitting from all this investment in Detroit, we wanted to take the temperature of what’s going on in the neighborhoods,” says Luther Keith, executive director of Arise Detroit.
The online survey was emailed out to Arise Detroit’s network, drawing 100 responses from across the city. The results showed positives and negatives.
Click on the player above to hear an interview with Luther Keith about the “State of the Neighborhoods Survey”
Some takeaways:
- 88 percent of respondents said they were hopeful about the future of their neighborhood and the city
- 56 percent said they view gentrification as a major problem in their neighborhood
- Crime, under-performing schools and poverty were listed as the greatest barriers to neighborhood revitalization
“There’s no one thing you can say about the neighborhoods. We’re in a state of flux, we’re in a state of transition,” says Keith.
Yet, like 88 percent of survey respondents, Keith remains optimistic.
“Detroit has a great heart of so many people who are so resilient, who overcome the odds, who do the work not just when the TV cameras are rolling. These are the people who give me hope about the city’s future,” says Keith.
