Detroit City Council president pushes for Hudson's benefits

What they're saying: Rejecting the tax break could send the wrong message to companies and nonprofits considering an investment in Detroit, Council Member Coleman Young II told reporters last week.

• "There is some concern that in a recession, that potentially could be a bad signal to send, especially when you have Stellantis laying people off already."

Context: Detroit's high construction costs make incentives a necessity, developers often contend.

• Residents have questioned whether Gilbert, a billionaire, actually needs the tax break to complete the $1.4 billion project.

State of play: Council President Mary Sheffield wants to make sure all residents benefit from downtown development, she wrote in a statement last week. On top of Bedrock's existing community benefits agreement, she has five commitments for the company to make "in writing" before council considers approving the tax break:

• Make 30% of all Bedrock residential units designated "affordable," up from 20%.
• Keep 20% of ground-floor retail for small local businesses and "community programming."
• $1 million for small business development.

• $5 million for Sheffield's Neighborhood Improvement Fund.
• And an "annual transparency report" by the Civil Rights, Inclusion and Opportunity Department to make sure Bedrock meets its obligations.

The other side: Nicole Small, a community leader who ran unsuccessfully for council last year, tells Axios that Sheffield's list of benefits is inadequate, especially considering the city's past problems with corporate accountability.

What's next: Mayor Mike Duggan told the Detroit News he's encouraging both council members and Bedrock to reach an agreement on a new community benefits package.

• "We have to get this project done," the mayor said. "The last thing we need is for Bedrock to scale down a development, but we also have to show what the benefit is to the community. I think we'll do that and I think it will be fine."