Ford agrees to $10M in community benefits as it seeks $104M from Detroit

Ford has cleared another hurdle in its quest to obtain $238 million in tax incentives to help facilitate its $740 million plan to build a Corktown campus.

Last night, a Neighborhood Advisory Council unanimously approved Ford's response to a series of requests it made of the automaker in exchange for its tapping into $104 million in city tax abatements over 35 years.

According to the Detroit News, Ford agreed to the bulk of requests presented by the group last week, and the community benefits it has now committed to include:

• Investing $2.5 million to the city Affordable Housing Leveraging Fund to preserve and/or create some 200 new units in the project’s impact area
• Providing $2.5 million to the Strategic Neighborhood Core City Fund for neighborhood park improvements, streetscape and mobility upgrades, financial support to help eligible seniors secure emergency home repair grants, and boosting a façade improvement program targeting impact area businesses
• Committing $5 million for workforce training, education and development, including $1 million to support other training programs for skilled trades jobs through Detroit at Work and $2 million in funds to be invested in workforce development programs as well as scholarships and initiatives for youths in the impact zone
• Launching a local hiring hall for Detroit residents with priority given to residents who live near the campus to seek jobs.
• Providing a way to include small local businesses in its development and make all retail and services at company buildings available to the public

The draft community benefits agreement now heads to Detroit City Council for approval. Ford has said it wants approval for the city breaks by mid-October so it can begin winterizing the train station.

Stay on top of Detroit news and views. Sign up for our weekly issue newsletter delivered each Wednesday.