Frequently asked questions
What happens now?
The planning process will kick off in Summer 2025 and completed in late 2026. During this time, the City and DHC will bring community members and planning partners together to create a viable and actionable vision for the Greater Forest Park/Eastern Market neighborhood. This vision will be tied to specific Housing, People, and Neighborhood strategies guiding the revitalization of Forest Park Apartments and Diggs Homes and the positive transformation of the surrounding neighborhood.
How will we work with the community?
When residents are genuinely at the center of a planning process, relationships become the focal point. This is because for residents, planning is personal – it’s about their children, their families, their homes, their neighbors, and their streets. It is about making their day-to-day lives better in real time. Local residents will be engaged from day one, so that they can help to assume a leadership role in the process.
Will there be resident hiring opportunities as part of this process?
Three community advocates have been hired to help with engagement, data gathering and Plan feedback. We will continue to include residents as active participants in this process.
How can this benefit the neighborhood in the short-term?
The Planning Team will dedicate approximately $357,500 to identify and build an “Early Action Activity” in the neighborhood starting in the Fall of 2025. This short-term goal aims to encourage residents to help identify, lead, and implement a project that enhances the community with placemaking ideas such as public art, enhanced open space, fresh food access, or improved signage.
Has anything been planned so far?
Nothing has been planned so far! Please tell us your concerns and goals for yourself and your community. Community involvement will be essential to help shape the Plan and make sure that it reflects local wants and needs.
What types of Neighborhood improvements could result from the Plan?
Recent Choice Neighborhood Plans have led to significant neighborhood improvements including the reuse of vacant school buildings, the development of grocery stores and other retail, the creation of business incubators and health clinics, the improvement of parks, and the implementation of safer streets including sidewalks, lighting and bicycle paths. What gets included in the Greater Forest Park/Eastern Market Choice Neighborhood Plan would be up to the community members and stakeholders who help to create the vision.
What types of People Projects could result from the Plan?
People projects are community-based activities or initiatives that address issues affecting residents. Residents will help identify programs, services, and amenities to be considered and implemented in the plan. One way to determine this is by completing a survey which will be issued during the planning process. Recent CN plans focused on expanding daycare options, assistance with building technical skills for employment, improving public transit, and providing programs for youth and senior citizens.
What is mixed-income housing?
Mixed-income housing is high-quality, affordable housing in an area for people of various income levels. Households, the people living within a house, with low to moderate or higher incomes, live next to one another. This helps long-time residents remain in the community, reduces fear of displacement, and keeps them in proximity to city services and employment.
How much housing will be redeveloped and where would it go?
That would be determined through the planning process based on community input and informed by technical reports including a market study. The CN Plan would need to replace 100% of existing Forest Park Apartments (97 units) and Diggs Homes (104 units) units as part of new mixed-income developments. A first phase could occur off-site by 2027, and if it does, residents will be involved in its planning and given an opportunity to move to the new housing.
Would residents need to move during this planning process?
No, residents do not need to move out. The planning process will involve the exploration of potential future housing options. While a first phase could be completed by 2027, no major changes will likely occur on site for at least 4 years.
What comes after the plan?
Many grantees are able to begin taking positive action and identifying funding opportunities soon after the Plan is complete. By completing the Plan, the City and DHC could also potentially apply for a Choice Neighborhood Implementation Grant to help bring needed resources to the community.
For questions, please contact:
Bethany Howard
howardb@dhcmi.org
(313) 205-6153
