Develop Detroit

What Develop Detroit does

Develop Detroit is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit real estate development company headquartered at 1452 Randolph, Suite 300 in Detroit, Michigan. Founded in 2015 by Housing Partnership Network (HPN) — modeled on the Gulf Coast Housing Partnership — the organization became fully independent from HPN in June 2022. It provides full-service development across site selection, land assembly, entitlements, project design, financial feasibility, project financing, construction management, and asset management, with a mission of producing equitable, affordable, and mixed-income housing in Detroit neighborhoods experiencing displacement pressure.

Its product portfolio centers on multifamily rental, single-family for-sale (via the Revolution Homes sub-brand), and mixed-use developments. Named projects include The Hive on Gratiot (mixed-use apartments, live/work, retail), The Freelon at Sugar Hill (68 loft-style apartments with 14 veteran units), University Meadows Village (53-unit senior housing with Presbyterian Villages of Michigan), Marwood + Marston (71 mixed-income transit-oriented units), and Detroit Food Commons (30,000 sq ft community food/retail hub with the Detroit People's Food Co-op). Since inception, Develop Detroit has acquired and built over 400 affordable housing units, with 800+ additional units currently under development.

The business model relies on stacking complex federal tax credit instruments — Low Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC), Historic Tax Credits, and New Markets Tax Credits — combined with grants from major foundations (Ford, Kresge, W.K. Kellogg, McGregor) and debt from CDFIs and banks (Bank of America, PNC, Capital Impact Partners, IFF, Invest Detroit). Revenue is generated through developer fees, asset management, and project-based income streams rather than conventional product sales; specific revenue figures are not publicly disclosed. The customer base is distributed across low-income Detroit residents, seniors, veterans, and disinvested neighborhoods — implying low customer concentration risk but high dependence on capital provider relationships.

Name

Develop Detroit

Legal name

Develop Detroit

Website

https://developdetroit.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Develop Detroit is a Detroit-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit real estate developer that builds and preserves affordable, mixed-income, and mixed-use housing for low-income residents, seniors, veterans, and disinvested neighborhoods, financed through LIHTC, Historic, and New Markets Tax Credits and foundation grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Affordable Housing Development

NAICS

Residential Building Construction (23611), Land Subdivision (23721)

SIC

Land Subdividers & Developers (No Cemeteries) (6552)

akta.pro primary industry

Residential Affordable Housing Development & Construction (IMAFABAI)

Keywords

• Affordable housing development
• Mixed-income housing
• Multifamily real estate
• Community development
• Real estate development services

Headquarters

HQ city

Detroit

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Affordable Housing Development: Develops affordable and mixed-income housing units for sale and rental. Revenue generated through LIHTC (Low Income Housing Tax Credits), Historic Tax Credits, and New Markets Tax Credits. Projects include multifamily rental housing, single-family for-sale units, and mixed-use developments.
2. Strategic Commercial Development: Undertakes strategic economic and commercial developments that help stabilize and transform disinvested neighborhoods. Includes retail and commercial property development at scale appropriate to locations.
3. Foundation and Corporate Grants: Funding from foundations including Ford Foundation, Kresge Foundation, W.K. Kellogg Foundation, McGregor Fund, and corporate partners for mission-driven development projects.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Develop Detroit is a non-profit real estate developer that acquires, builds, and operates affordable and mixed-income housing across Detroit. Its portfolio includes multifamily rental housing, single-family for-sale homes, and mixed-use developments, financed through LIHTC, Historic Tax Credits, and New Markets Tax Credits. The company also undertakes strategic commercial developments that stabilize disinvested neighborhoods.

Product overview

Develop Detroit is a non-profit real estate development company offering affordable and mixed-income housing development services. The company's product portfolio includes housing development services (multifamily rental housing, single-family for-sale, mixed-use developments, retail and commercial property), housing preservation programs, and service-enriched housing for seniors, veterans, and the homeless. Named offerings include Revolution Homes (single-family homebuilding initiative), The Hive on Gratiot, The Freelon at Sugar Hill, University Meadows Village, Detroit Food Commons, and Marwood + Marston.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Revolution Homes: A single-family homebuilding initiative from Develop Detroit designed to create sustainable, economically diverse communities.

Products and services

• Revolution Homes Single-family homebuilding initiative from Develop Detroit designed to create sustainable, economically diverse communities through high-quality housing developments across Detroit.
• The Hive on Gratiot Mixed-use development featuring apartments, live/work units, workshops, galleries, shops, and food venues located at Gratiot Avenue and Russell Street, connecting Eastern Market, Lafayette Park, and downtown Detroit.
• The Freelon at Sugar Hill Mixed-income, mixed-use building in Midtown with 68 residential loft-style apartments, retail space, and a 160-stall parking garage, including 14 units reserved for veterans.
• University Meadows Village Affordable senior housing in Detroit's Woodbridge neighborhood, a joint development with Presbyterian Villages of Michigan featuring 53 renovated units with green spaces, raised garden beds, and solar roof panels.
• Detroit Food Commons 30,000 sq ft community development project in Detroit's North End featuring a 15,000 sq ft retail store for Detroit People's Food Co-op, an incubator kitchen, a 3,900 sq ft event space, and outdoor vendor booth space.
• Marwood + Marston Affordable transit-oriented development in Detroit's North End featuring 71 units (59 in historic building plus 12 new construction) of studios, one-bedrooms, and two-bedroom rental homes.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 400 affordable housing units acquired and built since 2015
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• NeighborWorkscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational network supporting community development through affordable housing
• Housing Partnership NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational network of high capacity nonprofit housing developers that launched Develop Detroit in 2015
• Detroit (City)majorOthersCity government partner for Detroit neighborhood development
• Preservation of Affordable Housing (POAH)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-developer on The Freelon at Sugar Hill project; nonprofit focused on preserving affordable housing
• Detroit Black Community Food Sovereignty Network (DBCFSN)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProject sponsor for Detroit Food Commons; developer and co-sponsor of community-owned grocery store and incubator kitchen
• Vanguard Community Development CorporationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-developer on Marwood + Marston project in Detroit's historic North End neighborhood
• Presbyterian Villages of Michigan (PVM)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint development partner for University Meadows Village affordable senior housing project
• Whiting TurnermajorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerGeneral contractor for The Freelon at Sugar Hill project
• McIntosh Poris and Perkins+WillmajorTechnology or IntegrationArchitects and building designers for The Freelon at Sugar Hill project
• L.S. Brinker GroupmajorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerGeneral contractor for Detroit Food Commons construction
• Sims Design Group and Baltimore DesignmajorTechnology or IntegrationBuilding design and architects for Detroit Food Commons project

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Vanguard Community Development Corporation: Detroit-based nonprofit affordable housing developer. Direct peer and co-development partner with Develop Detroit on the Marwood + Marston project in Detroit's North End, sharing mission, geography, and resident segments.
• BRIDGE Housing: Major nonprofit affordable and workforce housing developer on the West Coast with a similar full-service model spanning development, asset management, and resident services. Comparable in mission-driven affordable housing strategy and LIHTC-financed pipeline model.
• Preservation of Affordable Housing (POAH): National nonprofit affordable housing developer and preservation operator. Direct peer to Develop Detroit given their existing co-development partnership on The Freelon at Sugar Hill and overlapping focus on mixed-income, mixed-use development in disinvested urban markets.
• Presbyterian Villages of Michigan (PVM): Michigan-based nonprofit senior housing provider. Joint development partner with Develop Detroit on University Meadows Village, comparable in their focus on affordable housing and aging-in-place services for low-income seniors.
• Mercy Housing: One of the largest nonprofit affordable housing developers in the US. Comparable in mission, LIHTC-financed multifamily development pipeline, mixed-use projects, and service-enriched housing for low-income residents including seniors and families.
• The Community Builders: National nonprofit developer of affordable and mixed-income housing. Comparable in their full-service development approach, urban focus, use of LIHTC financing, and emphasis on mixed-use, mixed-income community transformation.

Others

• Capital Impact Partners: National CDFI providing capital and capacity building to community developers. Listed as a major financial partner of Develop Detroit, comparable in mission-driven financing focus but operating as a capital provider rather than a direct developer.
• NeighborWorks: National network of community development nonprofits. A listed core partner of Develop Detroit, supporting affordable housing through training, lending, and advocacy. Comparable as ecosystem partner but not a direct developer peer.

Broad incumbents

• Enterprise Community Partners: National nonprofit operating across affordable housing development, capital deployment, and policy advocacy. Comparable in affordable housing mission and LIHTC strategy, but operates at far greater scale and as a broader ecosystem player including financing, research, and policy.
• Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC): Major national CDFI and community development intermediary. Comparable in Detroit community development focus and affordable housing deployment, but operates as a capital provider and capacity builder rather than a direct developer.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/revolutionhomesdetroit
• Xx.com/develop_detroit
• Facebookfacebook.com/developdetroit
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/developdetroit

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Develop Detroit