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The city’s new Reparations Task Force met for their first public meeting on Thursday. It was created after Detroit residents voted to create it more than a year ago to address historical discrimination against Detroit’s Black residents.
The 13-member task force and other Detroit residents discussed the overtaxation of local homeowners, slavery and the destruction of the Black Bottom neighborhood. Suggestions for reparations from public participants included free tuition at local universities, free cars from local automakers and support for mental health, in addition to monetary compensation for Detroiters.
Lauren Hood, co-chair of the task force’s Executive Committee, said she hopes to create a paradigm shift in local policies affecting Black communities, rather than a one-time payout as reparations.
Council President Mary Sheffield dropped in at the beginning of the meeting to share that the council approved a $350,000 budget to support the task force. It discussed hosting its meetings at venues across the city to be accessible to more residents.
The task force expects to report its findings and recommendations of housing and economic programs to the City Council by October 2024.
The next meeting will be at 4 p.m. April 28 in District 2. The task force said more information will be posted on Sheffield’s official page.
