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In-depth reporting on Michigan's largest city and surrounding communities, including deep dives into the big changes afoot in Detroit, its schools, neighborhoods, institutions and city hall.
Articles
Benchmark Detroit: Charting Detroit’s path from rock bottom
Mayor Duggan vows to improve services in six months. We have broader ambitions – to mark where Detroit stands today on jobs, safety and other key measures, then hold leaders accountable in the year ahead.
Benchmark: City services
Detroit’s new mayor and City Council are taking ownership of fixing street lights, blight and bus service within six months. Can they succeed where others failed?
Benchmark: Public safety
Money may not solve everything, but it would sure help ordinary Detroiters when they need working fire trucks, ambulances and police cars. Bankruptcy savings may provide a real boost.
Benchmark: Jobs
High unemployment and a modestly educated workforce present a tough challenge. A push to attract highly skilled immigrants may boost job hopes.
Benchmark: Schools
Decades of reform have failed to boost student learning in Detroit’s struggling public schools. Will improved teacher training help?
Benchmark: Livability
What makes a city appealing can’t always be measured: Community spirit. Inviting parks. A vibrant cultural scene. Now, if only leaders could do something about Detroit’s insurance and tax rates.
Editor's note: Introducing the Detroit Journalism Cooperative
Michigan’s most trusted nonprofit news organizations are joining forces to produce data-driven journalism on Detroit’s financial crisis – and the road ahead.
