City Council At Large | City of Detroit

Mary Waters is originally from Alabama. She has an accounting certification from the Detroit Business Institute and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Michigan.

Mary previously worked as an instructor for the Wayne County Community College District, as an ombudsman for the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office, and in corporate communications for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan. 

Mary D. Waters - Wikipedia

Detroit City Council member starts congressional bid with 'world ...

Mary is currently an at-large member of the Detroit City Council. She was elected in 2021 and is serving her first term. She previously served in the Michigan House of Representatives from 2001 to 2006. She ran for state senator in 2010 and for US representative in 2012 and 2024, but did not win. She was also disqualified from a 2018 special congressional election.

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As a city council member, chairs the Skilled Trades Task Force to promote job opportunities for city residents.

Wants to "ensure city residents have job opportunities."

As a city council member, established the Jumpstart Program to help Detroiters get an education and jobs.

- Wants to "ensure city residents have job opportunities."
- As a city council member, established the Jumpstart Program to help Detroiters get an education and jobs.

Economy

Wants to address income-based housing by establishing a local Area Median Income (AMI) to determine housing affordability.

Wants to address income-based housing by creating a local measure to determine housing affordability.

Wants land bank homes to go to "Detroiters in need, including individuals who are experiencing homelessness."

As a city councilor, helped create a downpayment assistance program and an independent call center for housing inquiries using funds from the American Rescue Plan.

As a city council member, helped establish the Ca’Maya Davis Family Resource Center to assist residents facing housing emergencies.

As a city council member, created the Tenant's Rights Commission to assist renters in Detroit.

- Wants to address income-based housing by creating a local measure to determine housing affordability.
- Wants land bank homes to go to "Detroiters in need, including individuals who are experiencing homelessness."
- As a city councilor, helped create a downpayment assistance program and an independent call center for housing inquiries using funds from the American Rescue Plan.
- As a city council member, helped establish the Ca’Maya Davis Family Resource Center to assist residents facing housing emergencies.
- As a city council member, created the Tenant's Rights Commission to assist renters in Detroit.

Housing & Urban Development

As of June 3, 2025, Mary Waters’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Public Safety

Healthcare

As a city council member, started the Property Tax Taskforce to help residents complete the Homeowners Property Tax Exemption Application (H.O.P.E.) and access resources to prevent tax foreclosure.

As a city council member, started the Property Tax Taskforce to help residents access resources to keep their homes.

Supports funding veterans affairs programs.

- As a city council member, started the Property Tax Taskforce to help residents access resources to keep their homes.
- Supports funding veterans affairs programs.

Public Services

Energy & the Environment

Transportation & Infrastructure

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Mary Waters

Wants to ensure city residents have job opportunities.

- Wants to ensure city residents have job opportunities.
- As a city council member, established the Jumpstart Program to help Detroiters get an education and jobs.

Supports initiatives to provide breast cancer screening information.

Mary Waters is originally from Alabama, where she began her early life in the cotton fields of that state. She attended Detroit Northern High School in Detroit, Michigan. She holds an accounting certification from the Detroit Business Institute and a bachelor of arts from the University of Michigan. In her personal life, she is a breast cancer survivor and a remarkable testament to the fact that early detection saves lives.

Mary Waters is an At-Large City Council Member at the Detroit City Council. She previously worked as an Instructor for the Wayne County Community College District, Ombudsman for the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office, and supported corporate communications for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan. On November 7, 2000, Waters was elected to the Michigan House of Representatives where she represented the 4th district from January 10, 2001, to 2006. From 2003 to 2006, she served as the Minority Floor Leader in the Michigan House, becoming the first African-American woman to serve as Democratic floor leader in the chamber.

Mary D. Waters is currently an at-large member of the Detroit City Council. She was elected to this nonpartisan seat in 2021, finishing second behind Council Member Coleman Young II, and is serving her first term. Previously, on November 7, 2000, Waters was elected to the Michigan House of Representatives where she represented the 4th district from January 10, 2001, to 2006. During her tenure in the state House, she served as the Minority Floor Leader from 2003 to 2006, being the first African-American woman to serve as Democratic floor leader in the chamber, and left office in 2006 due to term limits. Waters also unsuccessfully ran for Congress in 2012 and was disqualified from a 2018 special election for a partial term.

As a city council member, chairs the council's Skilled Trades Task Force to ensure city residents have job opportunities.

Wants land bank homes to go to Detroiters in need, including individuals who are experiencing homelessness.

Said her goal for 2024 is to "ensure all Detroiters have a place to live."

Wants to "ensure all Detroiters have a place to live."

As a city council member, helped create a downpayment assistance program and an independent call center for housing questions using funds from the American Rescue Plan.

- Wants to address income-based housing by creating a local measure to determine housing affordability.
- Wants land bank homes to go to Detroiters in need, including individuals who are experiencing homelessness.
- Wants to "ensure all Detroiters have a place to live."
- As a city council member, helped create a downpayment assistance program and an independent call center for housing questions using funds from the American Rescue Plan.

As a council member, started the Property Tax Taskforce to help residents complete the Homeowners Property Tax Exemption Application (H.O.P.E.) and access resources to prevent tax foreclosure.

Mary Waters is originally from the cotton fields of Alabama, and her love affair with Detroit began after she moved there and attended Detroit Northern High School. She has an accounting certification from the Detroit Business Institute and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Michigan. In her personal life, she is a breast cancer survivor and joined Sisters Network, Inc., the only National African American breast cancer survivorship organization in the United States.

Mary Waters is an At-Large Member of the Detroit City Council. She works for the City of Detroit, representing voters across the city. She previously worked as an instructor for the Wayne County Community College District, teaching residents across Detroit; as an ombudsman for the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office; and in corporate communications for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan. From January 2001 to 2006, she represented the 4th district in the Michigan House of Representatives and served as Minority Floor Leader from 2003 to 2006. In her first year on the council, she encouraged residents to complete the Homeowners Property Tax Exemption Application and started the Property Tax Taskforce to help families stay in their homes. As chair of the Minority Business Task Force, she has pushed city departments to use local small businesses for city contracts.

Mary Waters is currently an At-Large Member of the Detroit City Council, elected in 2021 to a nonpartisan at-large seat and serving her first term. She previously served in the Michigan House of Representatives where she represented the 4th district from January 10, 2001, to 2006. From 2003 to 2006, Waters served as the Minority Floor Leader for the state House, becoming the first African-American woman to serve as Democratic floor leader in the chamber. She left office in 2006 due to term limits. In 2010, Waters ran unsuccessfully for District 1 State Senator in the Democratic Primary. She unsuccessfully ran for Congress in 2012 and was disqualified from a 2018 special election for a partial term. On February 8, 2024, Waters announced that she would be running for United States Congress in Michigan's 13th Congressional District.

- City council members in Michigan help make city-level laws, approve budgets, and oversee city services to serve the community’s needs. 
- Council members attend regular meetings, listen to public concerns, and vote on city issues like zoning, public safety, and spending. They also appoint and direct officials, like the city manager.
- City council members may be elected in partisan elections or nonpartisan elections, depending on the city. They may represent either the whole city or residents of a specific district. 
- Terms for city council members often last two or four years, depending on the city.