Detroit survey steers city priorities toward safety, transit and youth

Detroit residents told City Hall what they want fixed first: safer neighborhoods, better transit, stronger youth programs, more jobs and easier-to-use city services. The City of Detroit says Rise Higher is a resident-input framework, not a vote or referendum, and Mayor Mary Sheffield says it is meant to shape city priorities.

The city says more than 8,000 residents from all 39 Detroit zip codes took part, through an online and paper survey launched on Jan. 9, 2026, plus five community conversations in March. The survey was offered in English, Spanish, Arabic, Bengali and French and was carried out with Detroit Action, Eastside Community Network and MI Poder.

What Detroiters said mattered most

The city’s survey summary turns that feedback into six priorities: thriving neighborhoods, safe and just communities, reliable transportation and sustainable infrastructure, equitable economic and workforce development, robust education and youth opportunities, and open and accessible government. In practical terms, that points to neighborhood safety, bus reliability, job training, youth programming and city services that are easier to use.

One useful detail: the survey page’s six priorities are not word-for-word the same as the budget office’s Rise Higher pillars. The city’s March 9 proposed FY2027 budget groups spending around seven pillars, including public safety, reliable transportation, neighborhood restoration, social services, affordable housing and homeownership, economic empowerment and quality education.

That proposal also said it would add money for human services, youth and senior programming, transportation, and a new Human, Homeless and Family Services Department. The budget is still proposed, not final, so the next question is whether City Council keeps those priorities intact during hearings and amendments.

Sources

• City of Detroit — Rise Higher Detroit Survey
• ClickOnDetroit — Detroit mayor outlines city priorities after community survey