TheReview_Sept-Oct 2022 Release

“ The program’s inaugural communities of Dearborn, Flint, and Marquette emerged from this analysis as three cities that represent

DEARBORN

Michigan’s remarkable diversity of landscapes, residents, and lived experiences. ”

officials and residents alike—to identify what their greatest sustainability challenges are and how to address them in ways that make the most sense for their budgets and their futures. MiNextCities is also guided by the belief that smart cities are equitable cities. Access to smart city technologies can often be restricted to the most affluent and privileged, and communities facing the greatest climate and energy risks are frequently the last to fully realize these technologies’ benefits—sometimes after significant damage has already occurred. From the community engagement stage to the deployment phase, MiNextCities works to equitably distribute access to, and benefits from, the technology solutions among residents and regions, particularly those chronically underserved and most at-risk. The third guiding principle of MiNextCities is that with the right tools, all Michigan cities—not just major population centers or resource-rich areas—can integrate smart energy and mobility solutions into their sustainability initiatives. The challenge is in demonstrating exactly how communities of varying sizes, regions, and demographics can use their resources to design, access, and deploy next-generation technologies that meet their climate and sustainability planning goals. With these three principles in mind, the MiNextCities program team is working to develop, design, and drive input for an ultimate smart cities roadmap: a consistent process small to midsize Michigan cities can use to craft successful solutions that meet each municipality’s sustainability goals.

FLINT

MARQUETTE

Inaugural Communities The work begins in Dearborn, Flint, and Marquette.

Why these three cities? To develop a comprehensive smart cities roadmap, it is essential that the program’s proving grounds adequately represent the diversity of our state. The program team considered static, location-based variables such as geographic region and utility service areas along with current population- based indicators like racial and ethnic demographics.

SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2022

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THE REVIEW