Use the Detroit Development Tracker to monitor and understand real estate development in the city
Explore developments on the map, search for specific projects or keywords and submit information to keep the tracker updated.
The Detroit Development Tracker is published by Outlier Media, a nonprofit news organization in Detroit — and we need your help.
The tool is maintained and vetted by journalists but relies on Detroiters like you to keep an eye on projects across the city — tell us what you’re seeing or what you’d like to find out. If you know something about a development that isn’t in the tracker, just submit a quick tip.
Our goal is to empower Detroiters to better understand the forces shaping their own neighborhoods. As development activity skyrockets in the city, we believe residents deserve more information about what is being built, and who is building it.
The Detroit Development Tracker takes this information out of the domain of developers, funders and city bureaucracy, making it more accessible — and actionable — for those most impacted by it.
How can you get involved?
If you are a Detroit resident who wants to know more about development; a developer who is interested in democratizing the development landscape and building relationships with the people their projects serve; a member of a neighborhood group or other organization that serves Detroiters; or just have an idea for how the tracker could serve our city better, we want to hear from you: kate@outliermedia.org.
Creators, collaborators and funders
The Detroit Development Tracker is maintained by Outlier Media Product Director Kate Abbey-Lambertz, freelance developer Patrick Sier and Outlier journalists. It was originally built for Detour Detroit, which merged with Outlier in 2022, with developer Jimmy McBroom. (Disclosure: Jimmy is a data engineer with the City of Detroit, where his team manages the Open Data Portal. He works on the tracker in his personal capacity; the City of Detroit has no role in its operation or maintenance.) The project stemmed from a prototype Jimmy built with researcher Ivy Tran and web developer Jessica McInchak.
Lindsay Farris designed the website. Rasha Almulaiki, Rukiya Colvin and Paul Warner contributed research assistance. Lauren Ann Davies, Nina Ignaczak, Noah Kincade, Aaron Mondry and Ashley Woods Branch, Randy Picht, Kat Duncan, Martina Guzmán, Graig Donnelly and others provided instrumental support.
Funders:
- Reynolds Journalism Institute at the Missouri School of Journalism
- Detroit Equity Action Lab – Race and Justice Reporting Initiative, a program of The Damon J. Keith Center for Civil Rights
- Analysis + Advocacy + Action research initiative pilot intervention
Contact us
Have questions or want to contribute? Get in touch: kate@outliermedia.org.