Detroit/MI Tries to Lure Back Young People From Chicago/IL to Detroit/MI

[TexasT]

"FWIW, two groups of my redneck-assed family from East Texas and my college-aged brother from Houston have visited me here in Detroit. They all really enjoyed it. My brother's been back twice since."

You might have just stumbled onto something, maybe we're trying to attract the wrong group?

Haha, I'll start the Texas-to-Detroit pipeline right away. I did run into a highschool classmate that moved out here. So random...

[michimoby]

Metro Detroit has been offering young people its "world class suburbs" for years and keeps doubling down on the same losing bet. Meanwhile, it offers a city that will have limited appeal to all but the hardiest urban homesteader. Then our leadership wonders why people don't "tough it out" in Detroit?

My grandma grew up on the plains of the Dakotas in the 1920s. I guess we have that homesteadin' nature in our blood.

[illwill]

It's no secret that most young college grads will choose Chicago over Detroit almost every time. Most college grads not are concerned about living in a particular city for the purpose of contributing to its regrowth. This is where Snyder has it all wrong. Most college grads want to go to a city that's known for partying and already has all the bells, whistles and toys in place. They are wooed by what Chicago has to offer on the surface compared to what Detroit shows at face value.

But after the hedonistic lifestyle is fulfilled as someone referred to earlier[[lol), many people begin to seek more substance out of life. Either building a family, Going back to school, taking their careers to the next level or maybe returning to their roots. These are the ones Michigan should be recruiting however it's usually too late at this point. The bad part is once you let them get away, they're most likely not to return unless they have family ties orfamily obligations. For Otherwise, they've either moved west to a warmer climate, they've gotten married and settled down in Chicago, they're settled in their careers or they've gotten comfortable living in Chicago or wherever they're at.

I wouldn't worry about trying to get people to leave other cities to come back to Michigan. Someone else’s decision isn't going to sway a person to move back home. Detroit is growing and will continue to grow. It'll continue to get better and we'll eventually have a city with more to do. Give the city a few more years and Detroit will be another viable option for young Michigan college grads to explore.

[illwill]

Another thing I was thinking about recently... with so many small tech companies moving into the city, have we had as many big or small law firms, advertising firms and other professional firms returning to the city? As I recall, one reason so many graduates flee to Chicago and New York is because most of their big firms are located in the Loop and Manhattan. Work and play are in the same city and a train stop away.

If the firms in Bloomfield Hills, Rochester, Beverly Hills, Southfield etc...began to return to Detroit, you'd see some SERIOUS money and college grads immediately follow.

[mwilbert]

Most college grads not are concerned about living in a particular city for the purpose of contributing to its regrowth.

I'm sure this is true, but of course this kind of appeal would be a success even if we don't get "most" college grads to come to Detroit. There is a decent proportion of young people who want to make a contribution to society--look at the number of young grads who go into the Peace Corps or Teach for America or Americorps. And clearly some young folks are interesting in trying out Detroit.

However, what I would suggest is that one thing the organizations I mentioned offer that isn't available in Detroit is an obvious way for people to focus their effort. If you want to come to Detroit and make a difference, you kind of have to figure out how to do that on your own, and for people who may not have had the strongest ties to the city in the first place, that is a hard thing. And of course no one wants to think that what they are doing is futile, so you need there to be relatively frequent indications of progress. That is one reason why delaying the seemingly inevitable bankruptcy is stupid--that is clearly going to be perceived as a low point in the history of the city, and once it is behind us the prospects will seem brighter.

[tetsua]

.... However, a LOT of people I know avoid Chicago because they think that the snow would be terrible. Strange, they never say that about NYC.

I tell people ALL the time that the nickname "Windy City" is about politics, and not weather, and people think I'm crazy.

[brizee]

Maybe there trying to avoid this kind of bullshit?

[wolverine]

I'd tell Rick Snyder while it would be cool to make a difference, I'd rather live every day to the fullest in the city I've dreamed to live in rather than struggle or hope to achieve it one day. Maybe someday the spectacle of the city will wear off when I have a family. But statistically, the number of young folks with children staying in the city is on the rise. It's time for Michigan to stop wishing people would come back, but give people a reason to stay. Provide good jobs, exceptional city services, and mass transportation.

[michimoby]

I'd tell Rick Snyder while it would be cool to make a difference, I'd rather live every day to the fullest in the city I've dreamed to live in rather than struggle or hope to achieve it one day. Maybe someday the spectacle of the city will wear off when I have a family. But statistically, the number of young folks with children staying in the city is on the rise. It's time for Michigan to stop wishing people would come back, but give people a reason to stay. Provide good jobs, exceptional city services, and mass transportation.

It's a very concrete chicken-or-egg dilemma we're facing here, and you're also addressing a crowd of young people that are segmented into several camps. Using my Michigan MBA graduating class as a benchmark from a few years back, I'd say the split looks like this:

"If you build it, or if it's already built, I will come." -- 90% of young people with mobility
"I will build it, and others will come." -- ~8% of young people with mobility
"I don't care either way; I'm going where the money is." -- ​2%

[Chicago48]

I've been in Chicago since '89 and I believe half of Detroit/Michigan is over here. Every week I meet someone from Detroit; people wear their "Detroit" garb proudly, i.e. the Tigers, etc.
But I don't meet anyone who would move back to Detroit. Their families, like mine are in Detroit, and I wouldn't know where to live or how to live after living over here. This is such a convenient city in so many ways.

If Detroit had half the universities that Chicago [[or NYC) had, it might have a fighting chance. But it only has WSU [[and U of D), and the Gov and Mayor need to figure out how to build about 5 more "world class" universities. Colleges and universities in Chicago make a BIG difference, believe me.

[corktownyuppie]

It's a very concrete chicken-or-egg dilemma we're facing here, and you're also addressing a crowd of young people that are segmented into several camps. Using my Michigan MBA graduating class as a benchmark from a few years back, I'd say the split looks like this:

"If you build it, or if it's already built, I will come." -- 90% of young people with mobility
"I will build it, and others will come." -- ~8% of young people with mobility
"I don't care either way; I'm going where the money is." -- ​2%

I agree with this.

There's a certain percentage of the population that want to join something. There's a much smaller percentage of the population that wants to build something.

We're all Joiners and Builders in different aspects. Though most people are 99% Joiners and 1% Builders, if that.

When I picked a career, I wanted something entrepreneurial, but I didn't want to start something from scratch. 50% Builder/50% Joiner. When I picked a kickball team to play on, I didn't want to build it, I just wanted to "show up". 1% Builder/99% Joiner. When I was in a jazz band, I wanted creative control, so I started my own. 100% Builder.

Neither is good nor bad. Detroit is not going to attract most of the "Joiner" crowd for quite a long time. But for those who are interested in "Building", we need to make sure we get our fair share of those instead of leaving them on the table.

And, in the long run, 10-20 years down the line, ask anyone who's been a builder...in the long run, the Builders are the most rewarded.

[michimoby]

If Detroit had half the universities that Chicago [[or NYC) had, it might have a fighting chance. But it only has WSU [[and U of D), and the Gov and Mayor need to figure out how to build about 5 more "world class" universities. Colleges and universities in Chicago make a BIG difference, believe me.

The distance between the Loop and Northwestern is similar to that of Detroit and Ann Arbor, timewise. Put a train in between 'em, and we may be in business.

[Honky Tonk]

"Put a train in between 'em, and we may be in business."

There already is a train, just get it to run reliably.

[313WX]

I'd tell Rick Snyder while it would be cool to make a difference, I'd rather live every day to the fullest in the city I've dreamed to live in rather than struggle or hope to achieve it one day. Maybe someday the spectacle of the city will wear off when I have a family. But statistically, the number of young folks with children staying in the city is on the rise. It's time for Michigan to stop wishing people would come back, but give people a reason to stay. Provide good jobs, exceptional city services, and mass transportation.

I more or less agree.

There seems to be this toxic collectivist mindset throughout the state of Michigan, especially in "SE Michigan" [[not so much the city proper) that if you don't think Michigan's the best thing since sliced bread you deserved to be stoned to oblivion.

Nothing's wrong with being proud of where you're from. However, instead of chastising those who leave and guilt them into coming back to a place they dislike for whatever reason, why not try addressing and fixing the things that convinced them to leave in the first place.

[michimoby]

I more or less agree.

There seems to be this toxic collectivist mindset throughout the state of Michigan, especially in the Detroit area [[not so much the city proper) that if you don't think Michigan's the best thing since sliced bread you deserved to be stoned to oblivion.

Instead of chastising those who leave and guilt them into coming back to a place they dislike for whatever reason, why not try addressing and fixing the things that convinced them to leave in the first place.

...I agree. OR, on the alternative, put young people in positions of leadership to serve as change agents to help fix these things. Put someone in their early thirties that spent a few years in strategy consulting and transit development on the RTA board, for example. Signals like that are a HUGE catalyst for those that want to be part of the solution.

[illwill]

Historically, I think the main reason small entrepreneurs and creative-types have left the city is because the city government is holding their dreams back. For a long time Detroit was just not a business friendly city. The ONLY reason Chicago has become so popular in the last 20 years is because of people from Michigan and other boarder cities came in and made their mark. Chicagoans are some of the most illiterate folks in the country. Yes, I said it. They lack the mind-set and the hustle factor that Michiganders have. They get by on strong arming and their "uncle Sal's" connections. Chicago is virtually owned by Michigan these days. When you say you're from Michigan, people automatically respect you and they expect great things to come from you. Because we're known for thinking outside the box and hard work.

A majority of the most successful business people and artist in Chicago are from Michigan. The chefs, furniture makers, technology giants and the list goes on!

The Mayor and the city have forgotten the indigenous Chicagoans and now caters mostly to out of state transplants. This is their "bread & butter." They're goal is to keep the transplants happy at any and all expense. The indigenous Chicagoan is getting out-bid almost every time by people coming in from Michigan because we look at Chicago as cheap fertile ground and an easy take over.

And it's happening.

[Bham1982]

Chicago is an appealing destination if you're young, single, and live in the Rust Belt.

Outside the Rust Belt, Chicago is considered a bigger version of Detroit. A few yuppie neighborhoods won't cover up the fact that the city is in deep decline.

Second worst population loss in the nation after Detroit, second worst recession job loss in the nation after Detroit, anemic income growth, highest murder totals in the U.S., highest foreclosure rate in the U.S.

So I'm not surprised that people on DYes always bring up Chicago, because, in most ways, it does look much more appealing than Detroit. But, compared to basically anywhere outside the Midwest, it's very unappealing.

If you want to see the real Chicago, check out the South and West Sides. They almost give Detroit a run for its money when it comes to hard-core urban blight. Downtown and the yuppie neighborhoods [[Lincoln Park/Lakeview) are nice though.

[MidTownMs]

I've been in Chicago since '89 and I believe half of Detroit/Michigan is over here. Every week I meet someone from Detroit; people wear their "Detroit" garb proudly, i.e. the Tigers, etc.
But I don't meet anyone who would move back to Detroit. Their families, like mine are in Detroit, and I wouldn't know where to live or how to live after living over here. This is such a convenient city in so many ways.

If Detroit had half the universities that Chicago [[r NYC) had, it might have a fighting chance. But it only has WSU [[and U of D), and the Gov and Mayor need to figure out how to build about 5 more "world class" universities. Colleges and universities in Chicago make a BIG difference, believe me.

You're right about the Universities in Chicago. I have four friends who were at U-M the same time I was in the early 90's. We were all from Detroit. As soon as they got their PhD's they moved to Chicago. They are all professors at the Univ. of Chicago. They all could have moved back to Detroit and gotten jobs at Wayne State, Marygrove, or U-D but they were not interested in going back to Detroit. After 15 years they are still in Chicago and loving it. Do I think they could be lured back to Detroit. What would Detroit use for bait???

[Bham1982]

. Colleges and universities in Chicago make a BIG difference, believe me.

I doubt they make much of a difference. Are you saying that 20-somethings in the Midwest often live in Chicago because they went to school there?

The only truly elite university in Chicago is the University of Chicago, and it's pretty small [[undergrad). The other institutions aren't really nationally or globally renowned. There's Northwestern in the suburbs, which is excellent, and that's it in terms of global renown.

In contrast, the University of Michigan has more than twice the undergrad enrollment of those two institutions combined, yet it doesn't seem to create some giant critical mass of local 20-somethings.

I think other factors are at play. If you look at the most desirable cities for elite school grads [[NYC by a longshot, SF-Silicon Valley, maybe DC, maybe LA), I think you find that most of those grads didn't attend immediately local schools.

If you look at the next tier [[the big cities that draw bigtime from local geography), say Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Atlanta, I think you would also see more regional focus for incoming 20-somethings [[so Chicago would get lots of Big 10, Atlanta would get lots of SEC, etc.)

[Honky Tonk]

"Michigan tries to lure best, brightest back"

The title of the article says it all, MI [[& Detroit), has to "lure" people back. Let's say all the rocket scientists that moved out, jumped on planes, and flew back to the area to live. What are you going to do with them? Start showing resume`s to companies and "lure" them here too? How long will that take? All "urban liveable area" talk aside, people need to have jobs and make money to grow roots. There are only "X" number of those kind of jobs here, you can "lure" people to. When the movie credit thing was in full swing, there were articles about creative people moving into the area, because there was something for them to do here. As much fun as it is to get bombed on the MSU Homecoming train, there has to be something of substance @ the last stop.

[Hypestyles]

...so does an EFM for detroit help or hinder the recruitment prospects, especially for the short term? hmm..

[illwill]

...so does an EFM for detroit help or hinder the recruitment prospects, especially for the short term? hmm..

For those who understand the history of Detroit, and are able to accept the city for what it is, I'd say it's the same old story. We don't expect much to ever happen by wayof the local government and we just accept the city for what it is.

For those who know very little about Detroit's history, It'll probably make a big business investor think twice. I don't see to many big money businessman sinking their personal finances into the city other than Gilbert, Illich and the ones who already have a stake here.

However, I think many are observing from a far.

[Honky Tonk]

...so does an EFM for detroit help or hinder the recruitment prospects, especially for the short term? hmm..

If your's isn't a rhetorical question, I believe the prospect of either an EFM or bankruptcy hinders all prospects, workers and employers. Will the Area be "Ok" after 2 years, 5 years, 10 years? How long will it take? What kind of basic services will my family/business be receiving in the interim? How will this affect the whole MI area? If I were to be thinking about locating or relocating here, I would have to do some serious soul searching before I made the move.

[iheartthed]

I've been in Chicago since '89 and I believe half of Detroit/Michigan is over here. Every week I meet someone from Detroit; people wear their "Detroit" garb proudly, i.e. the Tigers, etc.
But I don't meet anyone who would move back to Detroit. Their families, like mine are in Detroit, and I wouldn't know where to live or how to live after living over here. This is such a convenient city in so many ways.

I don't meet many people who would move back to Detroit either here in NYC, even when they do get the big city experience out of their system. I've lived in the biggest city for over 6 years now and though I've mostly gotten it out of my system, there are some things about the big city, like transit, that I'm not ready to give up.

[iheartthed]

Historically, I think the main reason small entrepreneurs and creative-types have left the city is because the city government is holding their dreams back. For a long time Detroit was just not a business friendly city. The ONLY reason Chicago has become so popular in the last 20 years is because of people from Michigan and other boarder cities came in and made their mark. Chicagoans are some of the most illiterate folks in the country. Yes, I said it. They lack the mind-set and the hustle factor that Michiganders have.

I've noticed this in NYC too. Native NYers are a lot less sophisticated than I would have imagined. The people who thrive in places like NYC are generally people who aren't from NYC, and if it weren't for those outsiders then NYC... would be Detroit. That's why I have long said on this forum that the problem with Detroit isn't Detroiters, but instead the problem is that Detroit doesn't attract outsiders.