When Governor Jennifer M. Granholm initiated a focus on revitalizing Michigan’s urban centers in 2006, state and local partnerships united to create the Cities of Promise initiative. Soon, eight cities with the highest poverty levels were targeted to receive coordinated, collaborative assistance from state agencies. Most of these agencies were already providing assistance to Michigan’s cities, but the power of Cities of Promise is that representatives of all the partners regularly sit at the same table, coordinating their revitalization efforts. The Cities of Promise initiative provides a wide range of diverse assistance and support to these selected cities. It makes the best use of the state’s unique resources and strategically engages these resources by focusing the most attention exactly where it is needed at the local level. What follows are a few examples of statewide programs and initiatives that, in addition to continuing work across Michigan, are focusing together on the Cities of Promise.

The Safe Routes to Schools initiative, with assistance from AmeriCorps staff assigned to each of the cities, helps local elementary schools develop the necessary steps to create effective action plans. Safe Routes to School is an international movement with the goal of identifying the benefits and obstacles of walking and biking to school. Students, parents, and community stakeholders work together to develop an action plan to overcome barriers.

The Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA) offers a 30-year fixed-rate conventional loan below market interest rate to college graduates with an associate’s, bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree. Through the Graduate Purchase Assistance (GPA) program, individuals must have graduated from an accredited institution within three years prior to the loan application date and meet MSHDA’s sale price and income limit eligibility guidelines. These loans are only available to graduates purchasing homes in one of the eight Cities of Promise.