National Center for Healthy Housing

Detroit, MI

Location Summary

Positive Findings: Compared to the national average, the Detroit area has fewer homes with signs of rats and room heaters without flues, and lacking adequate kitchen facilities. Homes outside the central city are less likely to have signs of rats and mice, room heaters without a flue, and rooms without electrical outlets, compared to the national average. Units in the central city have fewer issues with room heaters without a flue and lacking kitchen equipment. Rental homes are less likely to have signs of mice and room heaters without a flue compared to the national average.  Owner occupied homes have fewer issues with signs of rats and room heaters without a flue.

Areas for Improvement: Compared to the national average, Detroit-area homes have water leaks from inside and outside, broken plaster/paint, sewage disposal breakdown, and heating equipment breakdown. Central city homes are more likely to have rooms without electrical outlets, and window and siding problems, holes in floors, cracks in walls, broken plaster/peeling paint, signs of mice, water leaks from in and outside, water supply stoppage, and sewage disposal breakdown. Areas outside the central city are more likely to have water leaks from inside, water supply stoppage, and heating equipment breakdowns compared to the national average. Rental properties are more likely to have siding problems, open cracks in walls, water leaks from inside, heating equipment breakdown, and sewage disposal breakdowns. Owner-occupied homes are more likely to lack complete plumbing, have broken plaster and/or peeling paint, water leaks from in and outside, water supply stoppage, lack complete plumbing, and heating equipment breakdown.

Community Information: The Detroit MSA includes Lapeer, Livingston, Macomb, Monroe, Oakland, St. Clair, and Wayne counties, Michigan. In 2003, the MSA included 1,706,700 occupied dwelling units, 23.6% of which were located in the central city of Detroit. The housing stock of the MSA has an average age ranking and ranks among the least heavily rental of the cities surveyed. The percentage of post-1940 homes ranked 28th-youngest (14.7%) for the MSA and 23rd-youngest (30.0%) for the central city. The median house age in the Detroit MSA was 1964. The percentage of rental units ranked 4th-least heavily rental (21.6%) for the MSA and 9th-least heavily rental (41.0%) for the central city. Compared to other locations, Detroit had a higher poverty rate. Its poverty rate ranked 26th (12.5%) for the entire MSA and 30th (25.1%) for homes in the central city.