16-04-2025
Expectant mothers in Dearborn to get $4,500, mayor announces in State of the City
Expectant mothers in Dearborn will receive up to $4,500, Mayor Abdullah Hammoud announced April 15 at his State of the City address.
Saying that Dearborn is good at producing babies, Hammoud explained that "every single Dearborn mother welcoming a baby will receive $4,500 over six months" through a Michigan program called Rx Kids funded with help from county, state and private foundations.
"When most people think of Dearborn, they think of the Rouge Factory and auto production," Hammoud told hundreds of residents gathered inside the Ford Community & Performing Arts Center to hear his address. "But do you know what else Dearborn is really good at producing? Babies. That's right: Dearborn produces over 1,700 babies a year. Our birth rate is consistently 60% higher than the state average."
Dearborn, which has about 110,000 residents, has the highest percentage of residents under the age of 18 among cities with at least 100,000 residents in the Midwest and East Coast, 2020 census data analyzed by a playground company shows.
"The first year of life is most crucial for a child's development and long-term health," Hammoud said. "Research has shown that the arrival of a newborn often triggers a sudden financial strain for families, regardless of their income level. With all these factors considered, my administration is proud to announce that Rx Kids is coming to Dearborn."
Hammoud's announcement comes at a time of growing discussion in recent years over decreased fertility rates in the U.S. Some other Wayne County cities will also be part of the Rx Kids program, a Wayne County official said last week.
Hammoud's announcement was one of several touting Dearborn's accomplishments since he became mayor in January 2022, after being elected in November 2021. Hammoud, 35, is up for reelection this year, facing a challenge from Nagi Almudhegi, a 50-year-old IT manager who attended Hammoud's speech. Another potential candidate, Hassan Aoun, was declared ineligible by Dearborn City Clerk George Darany because of his past felony convictions. Wayne County Chief Judge Patricia Fresard ruled last week against Aoun in a lawsuit he filed, dismissing his attempts to get on the ballot.
Dressed in a gray suit and brown shoes, Hammoud spoke in measured tones from a prepared speech that laid out some ambitious plans. Over the past couple of years, Hammoud has become known nationally as an outspoken supporter of Palestinians, garnering national media attention during the presidential election campaign. Hammoud, a Democrat, declined to support Kamala Harris or Donald Trump in protest over their support of Israel's attacks; Trump won in Dearborn. But there was no mention of foreign policy during his Tuesday speech, which focused on the challenges and ambitions of Dearborn. In contrast to the heated tone of his remarks over the past year at rallies for Gaza and Lebanon, Hammoud spoke calmly, cracking jokes at times, with the crowd often applauding.
As he spoke, a large screen behind flashed some of his key points and contained renderings of his proposals.
One of his proposed projects is called the "Dearborn Industrial Greenbelt," which will remake an area along Industrial Street in the south end of Dearborn, a heavily polluted area that sits in the shadow of the Ford Rouge plant and other factories that he said have made Dearborn "the epicenter for childhood asthma." Hammoud reiterated his strong commitment to public health, saying the city has won "up to $4 million in legal settlements requiring corporations to mitigate air pollution from their operations by June 30." Hammoud brought back the city's health department in 2022 shortly after becoming mayor.
"We're reimagining one of the most heavily impacted corridors in our city, Dearborn's southend, through a bold and long-term project we call the Dearborn Industrial Greenbelt," he said. "The goal? To create a green, living 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 they have already acquired key properties in the area and more than 200,000 square feet for the project, working with "some of the nation's top thinkers, architects, and urban planners at the University of Michigan to make it happen."
State of Wayne County: Warren Evans announces program to curb childhood poverty for cities in Wayne County
Hammoud added: "In Dearborn, we know that environmental justice isn't just a slogan; it's something we have to design for, zone for, and push for. The way we see it, everything in Dearborn has a tie back to public health."
The mayor also announced a plan to transform Esper library into "a community space where students can experiment with robotics, music, arts and engineering, a place where young minds can tinker with circuits, explore 3D printing and engage in hands-on science projects." Hammoud said he saw a similar project in Northville and wanted to replicate the idea in Dearborn, so residents can explore what other cities have.
Some of Hammoud's other announcements or accomplishments he touted included:
Having three "structurally balanced budgets proposed for the first time in over two decades." Hammoud recently sent his proposed $151 million budget to city council, 70% of which includes funds for the police and fire departments.
The lowest tax rate in Dearborn since 2010, with plans for lower taxes. "It's expected that by 2035, we'll be able to offer Dearborn families an additional 10% millage rate reduction, a rate that has not been seen since 2009."
Flooding problems, which were an issue in 2021 that helped Hammoud win in the August 2021 primary, are down in Dearborn. "A few weeks ago, southeast Michigan got nearly 3 inches of rain," Hammoud said. "You may have noticed that while neighboring cities battled flash floods on their roads and in their basements, Dearborn was not under water."
Crime is down and they're continuing to make public safety a priority. He also said they're cracking down on aggressive and reckless driving in the city, employing data-based programs. "We pursued an evidence-based pilot for speed humps, installing three sets near Hemlock, Levagood and Lapeer parks," Hammoud said. "We installed speed monitors to track their impact and found speeding reduced by over 20% in those areas, and since then, we have seen 98% speed compliance by drivers in these zones." The city will now use a $1.5 million grant to install 300 speed humps, 100 illuminated stop signs, 60 speed radar display signs, 40 illuminated one-way intersection signs, at least 20 raised pedestrian cross walks, 12 school zone crossing signs and five flashing beacons, he said.
Some Republicans in Dearborn have criticized Hammoud over his support of LGBTQ+ communities; those issues were not brought up during his address.
Speaking before Hammoud was Dearborn City Council President Michael Sareini, who spoke about Dearborn creating three new parks, keeping water out of basements during heavy rains, and public safety. The national anthem was sung by Maria Saad. Before the State of the City address, there was a reception featuring food from various vendors and groups.
Reporter Nushrat Rahman contributed to this report.
Contact Niraj Warikoo:nwarikoo@ or X @nwarikoo
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Dearborn State of the City: Expectant moms to get $4,500, mayor says
