Detroit's new anti-poverty chief targets youth outcomes
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Photo illustration: Axios Visuals; Photo: Courtesy of City of Detroit via Flickr
Detroit's new anti-poverty chief, Luke Shaefer, plans to build on the city's momentum by making targeted changes to systems that work against low-income families.
Why it matters: Poverty can be largely shaped by national forces, but Mayor Mary Sheffield's administration sees a path for local progress with a central goal of reducing child poverty.
State of play: Shaefer's Cabinet-level title is a first for the city: chief executive of health, human services and poverty solutions.
- He'll be working alongside other departments, philanthropy, businesses and the state — as well as Benita Miller, longtime child welfare expert and head of the new Department of Human, Homeless and Family Services under his purview.
- "It's going to take everybody," Shaefer tells Axios. "There's so much momentum to build on …"
By the numbers: Over half of Detroit's children (51.1%) lived in poverty in 2024, according to U.S. Census Bureau estimates. The city's overall poverty rate was 34.5%, the highest percentage since 2017.
- But the city has seen measurable economic progress, like incomes rising 3% between 2023-24.
What they're saying: Shaefer says his first goal will be to build a more streamlined network of social services, so residents looking for help from one program can be connected to others — such as housing and behavioral health services.
Between the lines: Tackling overarching systems like public and social infrastructure feels overwhelming, Shaefer acknowledges. But "it can also be really empowering" to identify where systems don't work well and make small or large changes that can have broader impacts.
- For example, improving transit could impact access to health care, education and jobs.
- As for creating new programs, Shaefer says he wants to do more community listening before moving forward.
Context: A leading poverty expert, Shaefer is leaving his role as director of the U of M research initiative Poverty Solutions, with an official city start date of Feb. 2.
- He co-founded the prenatal and infant cash program Rx Kids and served as a special poverty policy counselor for the state.
Flashback: Shaefer's own experience with poverty during his youth inspired this lifelong passion.
- He described living "in this middle ground" facing deep difficulties, but also having family and friends' support.
- "And it was really from that moment on that I thought I wanted to be a part of trying to bridge divides between those who don't have enough and the rest of society, and also understanding there's a lot more fluidity there, some of the time, than people know."