Dream of Detroit

Grant Type: General Operating

Duration: January 1, 2024 - December 31, 2024

Organization Overview

Dream of Detroit (DREAM) is combining community organizing with strategic housing and economic development to build a thriving community and revitalize their neighborhood on the Westside of Detroit. DREAM believes that if they can mobilize their residents and allies, improve the existing and build the next generation of the neighborhood’s housing stock, and create an economic corridor along Woodrow Wilson Street, they can revitalize the entire upper-east Dexter-Linwood neighborhood. They use a people- and partner-centric strategy that ensures their current neighbors are leaders and beneficiaries of the area’s transformation even as they bring in new growth and opportunities.

Summary

Dream of Detroit takes a community organizing and building approach to creating space for Muslims to live, build, eat, and be in true community together by investing in housing development. They are grounded by the saying of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) that housing is a human right. More expansively, they provide a wide variety of community programming to deepen relationships and organize for economic justice and housing development in Detroit.

DREAM’s work focuses on housing development, economic development, and community organizing. They work on solving the systemic issues that have caused their neighborhoods to deteriorate, such as Detroit’s property tax foreclosure crisis, while also working to bring brick-and-mortar homes and businesses to their neighborhood. DREAM is a strategic partner in the local coalition for property tax justice and is developing a community land trust. They provide community programming that includes workshops on building civic power, coordinating an annual community street fair and book club, and engaging local artists. They also provide organizing training and political education because they believe that it is important for community development to include local Muslim community members.

Year founded: 2013

Location: Detroit, MI

Website: https://dreamofdetroit.org/