Esther Haugabook. Photo: Samuel Robinson
Esther Haugabook, a housing advocate who finished third in the Detroit’s municipal primary, launched a write-in campaign on Tuesday for the District 5 city council seat.
Haugabook, 61, says she’s running to give residents another choice, citing “a growing frustration and growing concern from both residents and the business community about the lack of meaningful options on this year’s ballot.”
“After the primary, I had a difficult time making a decision who to support,” Haugabook said in an interview Tuesday. “As I spent time I couldn’t consciously ask people to vote for someone who I didn’t feel comfortable supporting. Quite a few people reached out to me to consider running as a write-in. It’s an uphill battle but the more I thought about it the residents of Detroit needed to have a real choice to represent them.”
She finished the primary election with 17.5% of the vote, finishing behind Board of Police Commissioner Willie Burton (19.42%) and UAW retiree Renata Miller (23.17%).
In a press release announcing her campaign, Haugabook touted more than 30 years of experience in community planning and development.
“My work has included guiding multimillion-dollar federal HUD investments, financing affordable housing through MSHDA, and serving on the Virginia Park Citizens District Council for three elected terms,” she said in a statement. “I’ve worked hand in hand with Detroiters to preserve historic homes, expand access to affordable housing, and attract new business investment in our neighborhoods.”
Miller, 57, has been endorsed by Detroit council members Mary Waters and Scott Benson, the UAW, The Black Slate and the Michigan Regional Council of Carpenters and Millwrights.
Miller said in a statement Tuesday after Haugabook announced her write-in effort that her labor-backed campaign is growing stronger.
“I understand how hard it can be to lose an election. Even so, the voters spoke loud and clear in the primary and selected Renata Miller for the Detroit City Council District 5 race as their #1 choice,” Miller told Michigan Chronicle in a text message. “The support for our campaign continues to grow and we are working hard every day to reach even more voters as they begin voting absentee in the next week or so.”
In an interview with Michigan Chronicle earlier this month, Benson said he is standing by his endorsement of Miller despite criticisms against her stemming from a legal battle with an Indian Village homeowners association.
Miller’s 21-year-old domestic violence charge and past social media posts about the LGBTQ+ community were the subject of a Detroit News report published last month. The report also scrutinized Burton’s eviction from Lafayette Towers and his arrest during a Board of Police Commissioners meeting in July 2019.
Burton, 46, has been criticized for missing meetings as a police commissioner.
Burton has worked for Wayne County Commissioner Martha Scott as her director of community relations and served as the Detroit field director for Bernie Sanders’ 2016 presidential campaign.
District 5 is one of the most active council districts, as the majority of the new development in the city happens there. The district contains most of downtown and Midtown, crossing both the east and west sides of the city.
The district covers Belle Isle to Dexter-Linwood, spanning across West Village, Indian Village, downtown, Brush Park, Boston Edison, New Center and the North End.
The district is home to important landmarks, including the Renaissance Center, Eastern Market, Ford Field, Henry Ford Hospital, the DMC, the DIA and Charles H. Wright Museum and the Dequindre Cut. Wayne State will move from District 6 to District 5 as a result of redistricting changes.
Council president Mary Sheffield became the youngest council member in the city’s history when she was elected in 2014 at 26. She was selected council president by fellow council members in 2022 after winning a third term in District 5. The council president said she’s spoken to several candidates who intend to run for her seat, but wouldn’t be endorsing a candidate.
About Post Author
