CDAD leads our members and partners in education and engagement activities around the annual City of Detroit budget process. Every Spring, we conduct a budget campaign encouraging and supporting CDAD members and partners to attend budget hearings, give public comment, and engage City officials by phone and email. We have, in consultation with our members and partners, advocated for specific budgetary asks. Our budget campaigns have been successful. This past year, City Council adopted several asks pertaining to right to counsel, compensating over-assessed Detroiters, Detroit’s housing trust fund, and conducting a citywide, comprehensive master plan update.
Year round we monitor and advocate regarding the General Fund, Proposal N (demolition), federal funds including American Rescue Plan Act funds, and other funding sources and expenditures. Our advocacy resulted in improvements to the City’s Office of the Budget online resources; ARPA reporting; and the Detroit Demolition Department communications to Detroiters.