DETROIT FICON CONFERENCE EMPHASIZES “COMMUNITY” IN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

BUILDING STRUCTURES THAT RESPECT COMMUNITY KNOWLEDGE AND POWER

For the first time in the Detroit conferences’ existence, there is an acknowledgement amongst Financial Institutions Community Development Conference (FICON) members that Detroit is moving forward with urban redevelopment.  While this is certainly encouraging news, there is a big concern about prioritizing the interests, visions, skills and concerns of Detroit’s existing residents to ensure those residents have not only a voice, but power at the table when Detroit’s future is being discussed. Through an entire day of networking, keynotes and panels, attendees heard from expert practitioners in community development, updates from city and county government, discussions on development concerns and a keynote from Dawn Phillips, Program Co-Director of Just Cause from the Bay Area on “Development without Displacement”. More