Committee forwards NEZ application for 17th Street home to formal session with recommendation to approve

The Detroit City Council Budget, Finance and Audit Committee voted, by unanimous consent, to forward a neighborhood enterprise zone (NEZ) certificate application for a new single‑family house at 4475 17th Street to the council’s formal session with a recommendation to approve.

Chris Gulak of the City Planning Commission told the committee the petitioners, Folding Shed LLC, seek to build a two‑story, approximately 2,272‑square‑foot house with four bedrooms and three‑and‑a‑half baths. Gulak said the estimated project cost is about $750,000 and staff recommended approval. "The NAZ would help reduce the amount of their property taxes for 15 years," he said.

Petitioner Brooke Dexter said the price reflects the contractor’s proposed fees and the couple’s preference for more sustainable materials. "We are still planning to use more sustainable wood fiber insulation, which does drive the cost up a little bit," Dexter said, adding the builders plan to work with a local contractor, JJ’s Houses, and to complete construction to meet Land Bank deadlines.

Committee members questioned cost, local hiring and timelines. Member Mary Waters asked whether the materials or construction techniques were driving the cost; Dexter responded that builder fees and sustainable materials were factors. Gulak said a small cluster of recent single‑family NEZ projects in the area made the site more attractive for infill.

Vice Chair Leticia Johnson moved to send the item to formal with a recommendation to approve; there were no objections. The motion instructs staff to place the NEZ certificate application on the council’s formal agenda for final action.

Next steps: the application will appear at the council’s formal session for final consideration. The petitioners said they plan to break ground this summer and must complete work to comply with Land Bank requirements by September 2027.