Initially developed in 1922 as a low-cost community for workers of the expanding automotive industry, Brightmoor was a bustling blue-collar neighborhood until the mid-twentieth century. Now, the neighborhood is “severely underserved,” says Rachel Meeker, executive director for the Brightmoor Artisans Collective, a non-profit dedicated to helping the community engage in affordable and healthy food practices. “But the community members take a lot of ownership of the neighborhood. They’re very proactive in taking their own initiative to improve the neighborhood.” Though blight and crime are often the theme of discussions about Brightmoor, the neighborhood is one in which neighbors establish pocket parks to prevent illegal dumping, navigate the numerous conflicting interests that manage neighborhood resources and often work multiple jobs to meet the demands of a rising cost of living. Since the middle of the twentieth century, many Brightmoor homes have been abandoned and fallen into disrepair. The problem has become substantial enough that the city now owns a third of Brightmoor properties, and selling or developing these properties has been put on hold until the city finalizes