The African American Commerce Initiative is a very broad, cogent and creative strategy for organizing and implementing a much-needed response to achieve a greater involvement of African Americans in Detroit’s economic base and to address the need for more self-determination in policy and its implementation. I was impressed by the cogent understanding and analysis of the fundamental issues, the processes at work and some of the underlying data quantifying the magnitude of the problems.”

I very much like the emphasis the African American Commerce Initiative places on building human capital, social capita, community and business opportunities. While building capacity at the individual, family and
community level something the requires many years, in my opinion this is and absolutely essential feature for rebuilding community, neighborhoods and the city. I also like the basic frameworks for thinking about how to encourage home ownership and I agree that there is a big disconnect happening with “investor” or non homestead property tax delinquency.

The African American Commerce Initiative constitutes a sensible strategy for revitalizing Detroit. It articulates a coherent and feasible strategy for catalyzing the necessary investment and entrepreneurial activity required for sustainable economic growth in Detroit. I wholeheartedly endorse it.