The fabric of Southwest Detroit is being woven with new strands as the ribbon was cut on La Joya Gardens, the fresh mixed-use space offering both affordable housing options and retail spaces aimed at empowering the local community. The project, a collaboration between the City of Detroit, Southwest Detroit Business Association (SDBA), and Cinnaire Solutions, represents a nearly $25 million investment in an area marked by vacant lots and the need for revitalization. According to a press release from the City of Detroit, Mayor Mike Duggan praised the endeavor, saying, "This is how we are making sure that as our neighborhoods come back, longtime residents know they can afford to stay and enjoy this revitalization."

Featuring 53 residential units, 42 of which are marked as affordable, La Joya Gardens is carving out a new paradigm for the locals. Prices start just above $500 for one-bedroom units, and the development offers a variety of two-bedroom apartments. It also offers over 6,000 square feet of retail space destined to be occupied by local businesses attending to community needs.

Aesthetically, La Joya Gardens—Spanish for "jewel"—complements its residential and commercial offerings with a landscaped retail plaza and community space, including the welcoming gates of Cafe Clark, helmed by locally-rooted residents Meli and Eduardo Salas, bringing traditional coffee menus and a flair of local cuisine from other native businesses. The project is part of the Strategic Neighborhood Fund (SNF), a public-private initiative that channels investments into projects rooted in community-driven ideas and needs; the SNF provided critical funding and conducted community engagement efforts that decisively shaped the project, featuring inputs from over 200 residents in conceptualizing La Joya Gardens, as revealed in the press release.

Critical financial backing for La Joya Gardens came from a medley of sources, including a $12.4 million Low-Income Housing Tax Credit investment from Cinnaire, donations from MSHDA, the City of Detroit, Invest Detroit, as well as an Affordable Housing Program Award from the Federal Home Loan Bank of Indianapolis, and the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation, highlighting the collaborative effort behind this transformative movement. "Support for La Joya Gardens is a perfect example of our priorities at MSHDA," MSHDA CEO Amy Hovey expressed in a statement obtained by the City of Detroit, reinforcing the organization's dedication to fostering affordable housing options. Since its inception, the SNF has poured over $262 million into local neighborhoods, leading to many community upgrades encompassing new housing units, parks, and commercial spaces.