Metromode

On Tuesday, July 29, a hot summer evening at Michigan Central’s Newlab building, Detroit’s community development leaders gathered for the Community Development Organization (CDO) VIP Expo—a celebration of collaboration, connection, and the grassroots work shaping Detroit’s neighborhoods. With music, Latin dancing, and food from across cultures filling the space, the event was more than just a showcase—it was a reminder of the collective power of Detroit’s CDOs when they work together.

Kids from schools across Detroit gathered together last month at the Lincoln Street Art Park to discuss how climate change affects their communities. “Climate change definitely affects us, especially now,” says Kierra Pleasant, a senior at Cass Tech in Detroit. Curtis Schabath, Director of Education at Green Living Science That morning, these students went door-to-door in Detroit’s Grixdale neighborhood to get residents involved in a recycling program aimed at reducing waste.

In Sterling Heights, a renewed effort to clean and green the city is creating more than just tidier roadsides — it's helping build a more connected and environmentally engaged community. What started as a traditional Adopt-A-Road program has evolved into Inspiring Green, a forward-thinking initiative focused on restoring native landscaping, promoting volunteerism, and providing local businesses meaningful opportunities to contribute.

This story is part of a series that highlights the challenges and solutions around housing in Southeast Michigan and is made possible through underwriting support from the Oakland County (Region L) Regional Housing Partnership. Navigating zoning regulations can be a complex process even for those who do it on a regular basis, like Brian Chalmers, president of Rochester Hills-based Cartessa Real Estate Company. Bill Chalmers. "It's a patchwork right now," he says. "Some towns have the information.

What’s happening: New housing developments in Pontiac and Royal Oak Township are among those to receive a combined $4.2 million in Brownfield Redevelopment Grants from the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE). Those developments plus others in the communities of Bay City, Cadillac, Elk Rapids, and Muskegon represent a total of 287 new housing units planned.

The city of Detroit is charging ahead with its vision for the 29-mile Joe Louis Greenway (JLG), opening about two miles of additional trail segments and a new trailhead this year. With the new segments, 8.4 miles of the greenway will be complete. Idrees Mutahr, chief greenway planner for the city, says another 7.1 miles are currently under construction and 5.9 miles have been funded but have yet to begin construction. Only 7.2 miles, roughly a quarter of the planned greenway, remains unfunded.

Oak Park officials broke ground on a community event hub following their 2025 State of the City Address last month. The new facility, part of a parks and recreation plan dubbed Elevate Oak Park, is slated to include a band shell, a farmers' market space, a commercial kitchen, and a room for year-round events. Plans to build were made in response to an outpouring of residential feedback asking for an increase in public amenities.

What’s happening: With the latest update in statewide equalization values, Sterling Heights is proving once again that it’s good to be a property owner in Michigan’s fourth-largest city. Sterling Heights repeats as a top five city for State Equalized Values statewide, and ranks as the top SEV community in all of Macomb County. What it is: State Equalized Value is part of the property assessment process, and determines property values for tax purposes.

What’s happening: A total of 11 transportation projects across southeastern Michigan have received financial support by way of SEMCOG and its Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP). The multimodal transportation projects will receive $11.6 million in TAP funding as the selected communities in Macomb, Monroe, Oakland, Washtenaw, and Wayne counties seek to improve mobility in a variety of ways.

This story is part of a series exploring how parks serve as engines of exploration, education, play, and equity. It is made possible with support from Huron-Clinton Metroparks and the City of Detroit. A burning field, forest, or prairie in your local park may be an alarming sight, but sometimes it's actually a sign of an intentional, controlled process with significant benefits for the environment.