Detroit Future City Proposes Land Conservancy To Turn Vacant Lots Into Parks

Detroit Future City unveiled a proposal to create a land conservancy. This conservancy would transform thousands of empty lots into green areas across the city. The nonprofit think tank aims to operate the new conservancy. It plans to convert properties held by the Land Bank Authority into parks like Circle Forest, a 1.3-acre spot in the Poletown East neighborhood.

The proposal arrives as the city lags behind other major metro areas in park acreage. Six percent of Detroit's land is designated for parks, per the Trust for Public Land.

More than 100,000 vacant lots dot the city, with around 59,000 owned by The Land Bank Authority. The land conservancy would purchase or accept donated properties and maintain them as green areas, or place conservation easements on land to prevent construction.

"There are many tools that can and should exist in a city's toolbox," said Kimberly Faison, Vice President for Thriving, Resilient Neighborhoods at Detroit Future City according to Michigan Public. "We have an abundance of land and we just can't absorb all of that land into redevelopment. But what we can do is balance the use of our open space with redevelopment."

Sarah Hayosh, Director of Land Use and Design, noted that 900 sites in the city measure at least two acres in size.

The group published its report "Saving for the Future: Land Conservation in Detroit" in October 2025.

Properties transferred to a conservancy would not generate tax revenue. But homes near green areas see higher property values, per Hayosh. The parks would also filter air, reduce heat, and manage storm water.

"I moved a year ago, and part of what was the basis for where I chose to move was access to green space, and it is such a delight," said Faison according to Michigan Public. "All neighborhoods should have that."