How can we balance the competing interests of a city in which many residents have little practical access to opportunity within the context of substantial, yet uneven economic investment? Detroit is a city whose history is rich with contrast in both invention and oppression. While the national narrative speaks kindly to our recent efforts, the benefits are as elusive as ever for those outside downtown and midtown. The obstacles are significant, but the goal is achievable with community planning and public/private investments that build bridges for the marginalized to free themselves from poverty.