The Basics.
When it comes to the rebirth of Detroit and it's negatively affected suburbs, I believe that if change is to come about, thriving suburbs (at least influentially) must play a part. Just as Detroit's bankruptcy bled into the surrounding neighborhoods, independent suburbs must try and do the same. In some part, this is already happening as suburban lifestyles grow and expand outwards slowly pushing those who can't afford the same standards of living away. Although less desirable, the costs of living are significantly lower. In turn, those who live within the city impoverished can't move anywhere else but the inner city and must begin their families there. They, in turn do their best to escape by moving into suburbs on the outskirts of the city lines in hopes of stating off to a better life. However there isn't much aid being offered by suburbs due to the fact they fear falling victim to Detroit's major issues, and failing neighborhoods continue to do just that, fail. I propose that by slowly inching outwards and growing these high class suburbs they can almost push the inner city back into itself, instead of dispersing itself onto other neighborhoods. Once the city is limited to a designated area, plans of support may arise and be actively placed.
Some of the safest suburbs include:
Beverly Hills
Bloomfield Charter Township
Novi
Troy
Rochester
Bloomfield Hills
Northville
Click the towns above to compare to Detroit
Beverly Hills
Bloomfield Charter Township
Novi
Troy
Rochester
Bloomfield Hills
Northville
Click the towns above to compare to Detroit
The Suburbs.
Coming back to the town of Grosse Pointe Park, let's go more into depth. In 2012 a study was created on police response time. Within Detroit, the study came to the conclusion of 30 minutes juxtaposed to Grosse Pointe Park's 3.4 minute response. Being only 17 minutes apart, it's almost impossible to imagine such a difference. By expanding Grosse Pointe Park we could slowly increase the safety of a larger area pushing lawbreakers into areas with a weaker judicial and police enforcement. It is important to note though, that even the safest suburbs are declining in standards of living and population in indirect affiliation of Detroit. By starting on the outside and working our way in however, the walls Detroit face become contained and easier to handle. Start with what is easier to fix and test using a trial and error process until the solution to Detroit's inner city is formulated to a science. This includes strengthening other topics included within this website and slowly building up the association of the the name. When the name Detroit comes up, individuals should have a mindset similar to Grosse Pointe Park, or any of the suburbs listed above. Not to say any city is perfect, but with a background so significant to the auto industry it shouldn't be associated with high crime rates and other negativities. That in turn will create desire for people to move in and around the city brining back the needed income to jumpstart change.
One of the issues the suburbs must tackle is the obvious racial divide. With neighborhoods such as Grosse Pointe Park with a 85% ratio of white residents, there is a clear unfair distribution through out Michigan. As seen in the photo above to the left metro Detroit is mainly populated by African Americans (represented by the blue.) On the opposite end, red represents the caucasian inclined areas. The graph on the right just further describes the graph if we compare it to Chicago (over double Detroit's resident size) it only falls short three racially concentrated areas of affluence. By integrating these races we expose them to better opportunities and lifestyles by default.
Metro Detroit.
If the proposal above can actively be put into place the rebirth of Detroit can be simplified significantly. By moving those living within the city into a specific outline of the inner city there are many options from there they can begin to implicate resolutions. The ultimate goal being to fix what comes to mind when the name Detroit is mentioned. By fixing what Detroit represents to individuals it will in turn become a desirable place to families to move into. Fixing Detroit is a hefty task to take on, but falls into a larger scale domino affect. By aiding outside suburbs, and working inwards it becomes contained. Locations such as Wayne County only believe in aiding the inner city if it is beneficial to both cities, and by following the fixed area of issues, benefits outside of the city can begin. Affluently throughout the debate of how the city and inner city Detroit its prevalent that the two are indirectly affecting one another. By rising suburbs in population, standards of living, jobs and integrating more mixed areas of race it can begin to restore itself. Understanding large cities such as these thrive through its citizens paying taxes and living within it.
As mentioned before, the downfall of the city was mostly the rise of the suburbs. Taking that into account, by prioritizing the aid of the inner city, we take away from the suburbs already doing well. How? The revival of any part of the city may drive city dwellers whom have moved out, to return, That drives revenue and spending down in the already shrinking suburbs. This is why it is vital to work from the outside in. Then, in the event that it metro Detroit does begin to rise again, the suburbs will be able to sustain themselves from the initial backlash of individuals relocating. To recap, by working our way out to the inside it provides the cushion of the initial fall the suburbs will face. After that however the two can finally grow together.