By Dave Gatton
November 6, 2006

The U.S. Conference of Mayors President Dearborn Mayor Michael A. Guido has received the prestigious Investing in Communities Award for his leadership in attracting development and private sector investment to Dearborn. The award is presented annually by the Mortgage Bankers Association of America (MBA) at its annual meeting, held this year in Chicago October 24.

Through Guido’s leadership, the city has made strategic investments that have led to over $100 million in new downtown projects since 1999. These investments have stimulated another $200 million in lofts, commercial and entertainment venues that are now on the construction drawing boards.

In presenting the award to Guido, MBA Chairman John M. Robbins, CMB said, “MBA is proud to honor Mayor Guido with the Investing in Communities Award for his outstanding efforts and service to the Dearborn community and to the nation. He has done a terrific job as mayor and as president of The U.S. Conference of Mayors.”

In his remarks to the 3,000 delegates Guido said, “Dearborn is a very special place, and it’s my privilege to help lead the way in working with the private sector to bring our city the kind of high-quality development that expands our tax base, increases property values, adds new jobs and enhances our quality of life. I’d like to thank the Mortgage Bankers Association for this tribute, and thank its members for the important financing work they do to make projects like these possible.”

Guido cited the important role of public-private partnerships in the development of creative, high quality projects. He described how the city purchased the old Montgomery Ward site that, with the its surrounding five acres, comprised one-quarter of the city’s eastern downtown. Unsatisfied with the proposed use of the site as a warehouse, the city acquired the property and is promoting mixed use development for the area. “Now we’re working with private developers to bring better and more dynamic uses to this critical site,” the mayor said. “We want to create win-win situations that not only benefit their (the private sector’s) bottom line—but also represents what’s best for our community as a whole and attracts the additional investment the district needs and deserves.”

The mayor also thanked the MBA for its long standing partnership with the Conference’s Council for the New American City, chaired by Detroit Mayor Kwame M. Kilpatrick. The Council publishes the Conference’s groundbreaking Metro Economy series. “Strong, vibrant, and competitive metros are key to the nation’s future and secured prosperity,” Guido told the group. “Through our continued collaboration, our metros will continue to grow and prosper,” he said.

Guido described how the Conference and the MBA had worked together in the creation of the Council’s national financial education program, the DollarWi$e Campaign, lifting of FHA mortgage ceilings, development of post 911 federal insurance programs, and staving off efforts to eliminate the Community Development Block Grant program. He pledged to work with MBA in passing legislation to modernize FHA to make it more efficient, flexible and competitive for low and moderate income homebuyers.

In concluding his remarks to the delegates, Guido said, “We have come a long way from the 1970s and 80s when cities were viewed as the problem. We are now the opportunity.”