Detroit Mayor Mary Sheffield signs order to expand affordable housing fund

Detroit Mayor Mary Sheffield signed an executive order directing 100% of commercial property sale proceeds to the Affordable Housing Preservation Trust Fund, with 70% required for units at 30% area median income or below; the order takes effect July 1 and $4 million is proposed in the 2026–2027 budget.

Detroit Mayor Mary Sheffield signed an executive order to increase funding for the Affordable Housing Preservation Trust Fund, an initiative she led while on the City Council. The order directs all proceeds from the city’s commercial property sales to the trust fund. Sheffield said 70% of the funds must support units at 30% area median income or below. City officials say the move more than doubles the fund’s expected first-year investment. Key details: - The executive order directs 100% of proceeds from commercial property sales to the Affordable Housing Preservation Trust Fund. - Seventy percent of the fund is required to go toward housing units at 30% area median income or below, up from the previous 40% target. - The city has proposed $4 million for the fund in the 2026–2027 budget, which officials say nearly matches federal affordable housing funding. - LaJoya Gardens in Southwest Detroit previously received a $1.1 million investment from the trust fund; a resident, Nora Rodriguez, said the housing provided a safe space for her newborn. - The executive order takes effect July 1, the start of the new fiscal year. Summary: The order increases and redirects city funding to prioritize housing for extremely low-income residents and is presented as a substantial early investment in the trust fund. The measure is scheduled to take effect July 1, and the city has proposed $4 million in the 2026–2027 budget to support the effort.