East Side Villages: Walking Four Evolving Detroit Neighborhoods

CM credit hours for mobile workshops are awarded based on the planned dedicated instructional time. Adjustments to CM hours will not be made after the live event.

Detroit's East Side neighborhoods of East Village, West Village, Indian Village, and "Little Village" show the history of Detroit's ups and downs in a 1.5-mile walk.

Indian Village features grand old mansions and is one of the city's first designated historic districts. West Village showcases housing diversity, including historic and modern examples of single family to multifamily housing and more. East Village, one of the neighborhoods hit hardest by Detroit's vacancy crisis, is a case study in land banking, land stewardship, and resiliency. Little Village shows how private investment in a spectacular new arts hub can catalyze neighborhood transformation.

Detroit's Strategic Neighborhood Fund and an Opportunity Zone designation have boosted recent neighborhood developments. Residents are happy to see investment in their neighborhoods, but fear the possibility of displacement and gentrification.

This tour shows planners, community members, and the private-sector working together to bring about positive change in Detroit's East Side Villages. These neighborhoods are racially and economically diverse, and planning and development efforts must address multiple priorities that can sometimes seem at odds. "Broad inclusivity" and "investment without displacement" are mandatory standards for all planning approaches.