This forum is part of Project Hometown, a Chicago Fed initiative created to engage communities in the Federal Reserve’s Seventh District – including all of Iowa and most of Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Indiana – as they confront the challenges and economic barriers caused by racism and the Covid-19 pandemic. By bringing together diverse perspectives, Project Hometown examines how our hometowns can recover from the pandemic, overcome longstanding inequities, grow stronger, and provide all people with the opportunity to thrive.

Like many large cities, Detroit has experienced reduced economic activity during the Covid-19 pandemic. The pandemic has also changed how and where people work, thus lowering tax collection. Despite the challenges ahead, there is some good fiscal news for Detroit. Under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, Detroit is slated to receive more than $800 million in federal revenues.

In this Project Hometown event, we will explore the revenue and spending challenges facing Detroit and discuss how the federal revenues could be spent to bolster the city.