In this episode, Donna and Sam sat down with Joseph Middlebrooks, the Economic Growth Manager at Eastside Community Network (ECN) to discuss the upcoming Sustainability Summit, where environmental wellness meets local entrepreneurship and community connection. 

From rooftop solar power and battery storage that supports real energy resilience to new public space improvements tied to the Angela Brown Wilson Gardens - they get into all of the exciting things taking place at ECN. They also discuss why shopping local is not a side note. It is economic sustainability, a circular economy, and a way to help Detroit small businesses turn ideas into stable growth through technical assistance, resources, and partnerships.

Then they shift to the week’s biggest civic conversation: the Renaissance Center redevelopment proposal, the $548 million public ask, and the community benefits ordinance process. Together, they break down how the Neighborhood Advisory Council works, why impact areas matter, what accountability could look like through clawbacks and public reporting, and why affordable housing targets tied to AMI can miss the realities of Detroit incomes.

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WHAT WE’RE READING THIS WEEK IN THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE:

BEDROCK, GM WANT $548M FOR $2.2B RENAISSANCE CENTER REDEVELOPMENT

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