Detroit Growth
Wayne State University’s AI for Mobility Project seeks to improve Detroit’s public transit system
The Wayne State University School of Computer Science is working on an AI tool that may transform the way Detroiters get around the city.
Michigan ranks second-last in U.S. population growth. Former Ambassador John Rakolta, Jr. explains why.
Michigan’s population is at a crossroads. Ranked 49th out of 50 states in terms of population growth, Michigan has been struggling to attract new people and retain its residents, and the implications for the state’s economy and prosperity could be dire. According to estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau, more than 43,000 people moved out of Michigan between 2020-2022. At the 2024 Detroit Policy Conference, business leaders and policymakers convened to tackle Michigan’s shrinking population and discuss potential solutions. Former Ambassador John Rakolta Jr. and Shirley Stancato, Wayne State University Board of Governors Member, served as chairs of the conference, which hosted conversations around the future workforce, education, creating vibrant communities, and the city of Detroit’s efforts to attract new residents. One Detroit contributor Nolan Finley, who is also editorial page editor of the Detroit News, sat down with Rakolta, co-chairman of the Growing Michigan Together Council, at this year’s Detroit Policy Conference to talk about where Michigan stands when it comes to growing its population. They discuss the four drivers of growing the state’s population. According to Rakolta, growing Michigan’s population in the short term seems unlikely, but the state should still focus on increasing productivity and prosperity. One way to do so is by investing more in the educational quotient of the entire state and unifying labor and management in the workforce to increase the state’s readiness for embracing innovation, Rakolta said. He also talks about what it would take to implement these improvements. Stay Connected Subscribe to One Detroit’s YouTube Channel and don’t miss One Detroit on Thursdays at 7:30 p.m. on Detroit PBS, WTVS-Channel 56. Catch the daily conversations on our website, Facebook, Twitter @DPTVOneDetroit, and Instagram @One.Detroit View Past Episodes > Watch One Detroit Thursdays at 7:30 p.m. ET on Detroit Public TV on Detroit Public TV, WTVS-Channel 56.
Toronto transplant and Integral CEO Ashok Sivanand shares why Detroit became home for him and his business
Michigan’s population is at a crossroads. Ranked 49th out of 50 states in terms of population growth, Michigan has been struggling to attract new people and retain its residents, and the implications for the state’s economy and prosperity could be dire. According to estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau, more than 43,000 people moved out of Michigan between 2020-2022.
Michigan ranks second-last in U.S. population growth. Fmr. Ambassador John Rakolta, Jr. explains why.
Michigan’s population is at a crossroads. Ranked 49th out of 50 states in terms of population growth, Michigan has been struggling to attract new people and retain its residents, and the implications for the state’s economy and prosperity could be dire. According to estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau, more than 43,000 people moved out of Michigan between 2020-2022.
2024 Detroit Policy Conference to tackle Michigan’s population growth and business development
The Detroit Regional Chamber is gearing up to host the 2024 Detroit Policy Conference on January 11 at the MotorCity Casino Hotel. The annual gathering, presented by the Detroit Regional Chamber in January each year, draws hundreds of business and policy leaders. This year’s conference will explore initiatives and policy strategies that could bolster the state’s population and make Michigan an alluring hub for talent and business development.
Michigan Muslim, Arab Americans’ share their population growth strategies with the Growing Michigan Together Council
Amidst a broader backdrop of population stagnation in Michigan, an American Muslims Town Hall at the Arab American National Museum in Dearborn, organized by the Growing Michigan Together Council (GMTC) and the Institute for Social Policy and Understanding (ISPU), brought together council workgroup members, policymakers, advocates, and community leaders to delve into the critical issues shaping Michigan’s future. Led by Michigan’s first Chief Growth Officer Hilary Doe, GMTC council and workgroup members were there to gather ideas and develop recommendations for Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on how to grow Michigan’s population.
New Black-owned grocery store aims to tackle the food desert on Detroit’s eastside
In a promising development for Detroit’s Jefferson-Chalmers neighborhood on the city’s eastside, African American entrepreneur Raphael Wright is set to open the doors of Neighborhood Grocery LLC. This establishment is poised to make history as the first Black-owned grocery store in Detroit in nearly a decade.
New CRC report shows Michigan’s infrastructure struggles under climate change pressure
Michigan’s infrastructure is crumbling — literally. Michigan has witnessed a troubling decline in the condition of its aging infrastructure, including its roads, water, and energy systems, and the tangible effects of climate change through increased flooding, heatwaves, and severe storms have placed additional stress on these already fragile systems. Addressing the interplay between deteriorating infrastructure and the impact of climate change has become a pressing issue for residents and policymakers alike. These challenges raise urgent questions about how to modernize and fortify critical infrastructure in the face of an evolving climate landscape.
Gov. Whitmer’s Growth Council aims to boost population, economy through education and infrastructure
Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s “Growing Michigan Together Council,” unveiled during the 2023 Mackinac Policy Conference, is taking a bold bipartisan approach to address the state’s key challenges. Comprised of experts from various fields, the council’s overarching goal is to devise strategies that will bolster Michigan’s population and economy with a focus on Pre-K-12 education, higher education, infrastructure, jobs, talent, and overall societal well-being.
Imagining Michigan’s future with Richard Florida and Zoe Clark
Thriving cities are essential to a state’s prosperity. A flourishing population with a robust talent pipeline helps shape a healthy economy, but Michigan’s population has been shrinking for decades, especially in its efforts to attract young, college-educated tech talent from elsewhere.
