H
omeowners in Detroit received a boost in March when a University of Michigan report revealed that owner-occupied houses gained $700 million in value last year, on top of the $4 billion increase over the past decade. However, this positive news doesn't extend to renters, who face numerous challenges. Roughly half of all households in Detroit rent, and 60% of families with young children are renters.

    The city's rental housing market is described as "troubled" or even "calamitous." Affordability, lead abatement, and other issues persist. The majority of Detroit's single-family houses were built in the early 20th century, when the auto industry was thriving. Many of these homes fell into disrepair as the city declined, and tens of thousands were demolished over the past 50 years.

    Today, Detroit has one of the oldest housing stocks in the nation, with a median build year of 1947. Over half of all rental units are single-family houses that require major repairs. The average cost of lead abatement is around $35,000 per house, far beyond what most landlords can afford without raising rents.

    Rents in Detroit have outpaced income, leaving many renters struggling to pay their bills. Some 56% of renters earn less than $35,000 a year, and over half of all renters are cost-burdened, paying more than 30% of their household income on rent. The median rental rate for a three-bedroom home is just short of $1,200 a month.

    Experts say that addressing the issue will require acknowledging the problem and finding solutions that benefit the city's poorest residents. While some attempts have been made to design affordable repair programs and streamline regulations, more needs to be done to make rental housing safer and more affordable in Detroit.