Detroit City Council President Mary Sheffield announced Tuesday night that she's running for mayor, positioning herself as a champion for equity and inclusive growth in a city where economic disparities persist.
Her announcement comes less than a month after Mayor Mike Duggan revealed he would not seek a fourth term, leaving the door open for new leadership in 2025.
“For me, it’s such an important time in Detroit, especially with the mayor departing,” Sheffield said in an exclusive interview with Metro Times. “I've had the opportunity to listen over the last 11 years, and I've done so much great work on the council with the help of so many people. Now it’s about having a greater impact, a bigger reach. I want to make sure that we build upon the growth and the progress so that the city’s prosperity touches more residents, businesses, and neighborhoods.”
Sheffield, 37, has served on the City Council for 11 years and has become a leading advocate for affordable housing, tenants rights, neighborhood development, property tax reform, and a clean environment. As council president, she has been a vocal critic of inequitable investment strategies, calling for a shift away from tax incentives for downtown developers and toward policies that directly benefit Detroit’s most vulnerable residents.
In fact, Sheffield says she supports a downtown entertainment tax that would create enough revenue to reduce property taxes for residents.
“We know that the property taxes are way too high in Detroit,” Sheffield says. “I want to create real structural property tax reforms so that there's less of a need for businesses to ask for abatements. We have to make sure this is more equitable.”
Sheffield says the tax plans are serious to her.
“It’s long-term, and it’s something I'm very passionate about, and it’s going to be a priority for me,” she says.
Her announcement marks a historic moment. If elected, Sheffield would become the first woman to serve as Detroit’s mayor.
She’s no stranger to making history.
At 26, Sheffield became the youngest person ever elected to Detroit City Council and later its youngest council president.
Sheffield says her campaign will focus on creating a more equitable Detroit by prioritizing affordable housing, economic development that benefits longtime residents, and policies to keep families in their homes. Nearly half of Detroiters rent their homes, and rising housing costs have forced many to leave the city. Sheffield has pledged to make housing a cornerstone of her administration.
“We need more opportunities for homeownership and not just investing in rental properties,” she says.
Sheffield has also been a leading voice against overassessments of property taxes, which disproportionately impact lower-income residents. Earlier this year, she called for a moratorium on home foreclosures after a study revealed that homes valued under $35,000 were often illegally overassessed, putting many residents at risk of losing their houses.
In addition, Sheffield has opposed city policies that restrict access to public spaces, such as the closure of parks during fireworks celebrations, arguing that such measures disproportionately impact residents in underserved neighborhoods.
Sheffield’s campaign builds on a career dedicated to addressing systemic inequities. During her tenure on the council, she spearheaded efforts to pass Detroit’s first inclusionary housing ordinance, requiring developers who receive public subsidies to reserve a portion of their units for lower-income residents. She also championed a measure to provide free legal representation to lower-income residents facing eviction.
Her campaign’s motto is, “Together we can, together we will.”
“When we are united, there is nothing we can’t achieve,” Sheffield says. “We need a Detroit where everyone has reached their potential.”
Sheffield has not shied away from taking on powerful interests. In 2023, she was the lone vote against $615 million in tax incentives for a massive downtown development project led by billionaires Stephen Ross and the Ilitch family. While she supports economic revitalization, Sheffield has repeatedly called for investments that prioritize Detroiters who have lived through decades of disinvestment.
“I really try to take each project on its face, case by case, to be able to really look at what the return on investment is and to see if the tax abatement is necessary,” Sheffield says. “It’s about making sure that there's a tangible benefit to Detroiters and that businesses in Detroit are involved.”
Sheffield credits her family’s legacy of activism for inspiring her passion for public service. Her father, Horace Sheffield III, is a longtime pastor and activist, while her late mother was an educator and nurse. Her grandfather, Horace Sheffield Jr., played a pivotal role in organizing the historic 1941 Ford River Rouge strike that led to the automaker recognizing the United Auto Workers.
As her campaign gets underway, Sheffield says she'll focus on listening to residents’ concerns through a series of community conversations.
“I'm excited about the potential of what Detroit can be,” Sheffield says. “I believe our best days are ahead of us. I'm extremely inspired by what we've done. [But] there's still so much work that needs to be done.”
Sheffield will likely face many opponents. Among others who have already announced their intentions to run for mayor are City Councilman Fred Durhall III, former Councilwoman Saunteel Jenkins, and ex-businessman Joel Haashiim.
