Construction is underway on an $80 million development that will bring 211 units of affordable and permanent supportive housing to Detroit’s historic Brewster-Douglass site in Brush Park. According to the city, rents will start at $368 a month for a one-bedroom, and developers expect the residential buildings to be complete in 2027. The project rises on the same ground that once held the nation’s first federally funded public housing for Black residents.
Developers broke ground in November 2025 beside the Brewster Wheeler Recreation Center. What follows is a look at the project, the developers behind it and the site’s history. For the wider picture, see our Detroit projects to watch in 2026.
At a Glance
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Project | 211 units of affordable and permanent supportive housing |
| Cost | About $80 million |
| Location | Historic Brewster-Douglass site in Brush Park, beside the Brewster Wheeler Recreation Center |
| Buildings | Brewster I, II and III (53 units each) plus The Sanctuary at Brewster (52 supportive units) |
| Rents | Income-based, 30 to 80 percent of area median income; one-bedrooms from $368, two-bedrooms from $438 |
| Developers | MHT Housing and Kirsten’s Touch, led by Bishop Charles H. Ellis III |
| Timeline | Groundbreaking November 2025; buildings expected in 2027; rec center in 2026 |
What Is Being Built?
To start, the development includes four buildings, all fully affordable. Brewster I, II and III will each hold 53 apartments, a mix of one- and two-bedroom units, for 159 total. The fourth building, The Sanctuary at Brewster, adds 52 units of permanent supportive housing. That model pairs apartments with on-site services for residents leaving homelessness or needing ongoing support.
Above all, the rents anchor the project. According to the city, they are income-based, serving households that earn 30 to 80 percent of the area median income, with one-bedrooms starting at $368 a month and two-bedrooms at $438. In a Brush Park where new market-rate apartments often rent for several times those figures, the development stands as a counterweight.
The Ground It Stands On
The site carries significant history. The Brewster-Douglass projects opened in the late 1930s as the first federally funded public housing for Black residents in the United States. For decades, the towers housed generations of Detroiters, including Diana Ross and the Supremes, until their demolition in 2014.
Meanwhile, the surrounding comeback has been years in the making. The Brewster Wheeler Recreation Center, where Joe Louis once trained, is undergoing a restoration that the city expects to finish in 2026. Nearby, the broader Douglass site has hosted the AfroFuture festival, making this stretch of Brush Park a case study in building on history rather than erasing it. We covered the rec center’s revival in our Brewster Wheeler feature.
Who Is Behind the Project?
The development team pairs MHT Housing with Kirsten’s Touch, the nonprofit that Bishop Charles H. Ellis III leads, and the city is backing the effort. Developers broke ground in November 2025, and construction is now advancing toward a 2027 completion.
Why It Matters
Brush Park has become a symbol of Detroit’s building boom, and much of that new construction rents at prices beyond the reach of longtime residents. By contrast, adding 211 income-based homes, including 52 supportive units, in the middle of the neighborhood offers a counterbalance.
Still, the open question is access. Developers have not yet released leasing timelines or application details, and RAW Detroit will track them as completion approaches. For more, see our Community coverage.
Brewster-Douglass Development FAQ
What is being built at the Brewster-Douglass site?
An $80 million development will add 211 units of affordable and permanent supportive housing across four buildings: Brewster I, II and III, with 53 units each, and The Sanctuary at Brewster, with 52 supportive units. Construction began in November 2025.
How much will rent be at the new Brewster development?
According to the city, rents are income-based, serving households that earn 30 to 80 percent of the area median income. One-bedroom rents start at $368 a month, and two-bedrooms start at $438.
When will the Brewster-Douglass housing be finished?
Developers expect the four residential buildings to be complete in 2027. Meanwhile, the neighboring Brewster Wheeler Recreation Center restoration should finish in 2026.
What was Brewster-Douglass?
The Brewster-Douglass projects opened in the late 1930s as the first federally funded public housing for Black residents in the United States. Diana Ross and the Supremes grew up there. The high-rises then came down in 2014, leaving the site vacant until now.
Who is developing the project?
MHT Housing and Kirsten’s Touch are developing the project with city support. Bishop Charles H. Ellis III leads Kirsten’s Touch, the nonprofit partner.
Building on Brewster’s Legacy
The original Brewster homes gave working Detroiters a decent place to live. Nearly nine decades later, the new development serves the same purpose. Follow @rawdetroit for updates as the buildings rise and leasing details emerge.
Updated July 14, 2026. Details come from the City of Detroit and Crain’s reporting; rents and timelines are subject to change before leasing opens.