Dearborn Mayor Abdullah Hammoud said his administration is balancing the basics of good governance with an expanded vision of what the city can become.
Hammoud touted his accomplishments in his third annual State of the City address Tuesday night. He noted that crime has decreased under his watch, the city has improved public parks and libraries, and the city has had three straight balanced budgets.
But Hammoud said his administration is also taking a more expansive, innovative approach to governing.
“Becoming a destination city isn't just about new buildings or business growth,” he said. “It's about creating real opportunities for everyone to lead healthy, dignified lives.”
One of Hammoud’s primary goals has been to find ways to mitigate Dearborn’s chronic flooding problem. One of the potential solutions: turning old industrial sites into greenspaces that can absorb more rainfall.
A central piece of that strategy is a “bold and long-term project we call the Dearborn Industrial Green Belt,” Hammoud said. “The goal? To create a living green buffer along Industrial Street that slows down traffic, reduces air pollution, and absorbs floodwaters, while making space for nature in one of the city's most industrialized areas.”
Hammoud said his administration is also addressing public health issues with environmentally-focused initiatives. They include a new proposed bulk storage ordinance, which Hammoud said would be the state’s strictest. And he said the city has ramped up enforcement when it comes to industrial polluters.
“To date, we've secured up to $4 million in legal settlements, requiring corporations to mitigate air pollution from their operations by June 30th of this year,” Hammoud said. He noted that some businesses have already opted to comply in advance, and that “as a result, we've seen a domino effect. Other businesses are following suit to avoid the legal process. But that still isn't enough.”
Hammoud said Dearborn also has a high birthrate and outsized population of young people. To support them, he said the city will now become part of what he called the “life-changing” program called RX Kids, which is already running in multiple Michigan cities and provides direct financial support to new mothers and their babies.
“Through the program, every single Dearborn mother welcoming a baby will receive $4,500 over six months,” Hammoud said to applause.
Hammoud, a Democrat, was elected as Dearborn’s first Arab American mayor in 2021. Prior to that, he served as a state representative in the Michigan House.
