Detroit City Councilman Fred Durhal III files run for mayor

Why Fred Durhal wants to be Detroit's next mayor

Detroit mayor candidate Fred Durhal on key policies - Axios Detroit

Fred Durhal is from Detroit, Michigan, and grew up in the Russell Woods neighborhood. He is the son of former state Representative Fred Durhal Jr. He and his wife live with their two children in the Nardin Park neighborhood. 

Before taking public office, Fred worked in retail at Kmart, performed customer service roles, worked as a mental health peer counselor for teenagers, and worked in consulting.

Detroit Councilman Fred Durhal launches mayoral bid

City Council District 7 | City of Detroit

Fred is currently a Detroit City Council member representing District 7. He is serving his first term. He previously served two terms in the Michigan House of Representatives, first elected in 2014 and re-elected in 2017. 

2025 Michigan General Election

2025 Michigan Primary Election

Supports tax incentives to promote job creation.

Supports increasing walkability to improve access to groceries and pharmacies, and to create an environment for small businesses.

Plans to expand commercial corridors to create walkable communities with developed spaces and retail near neighborhoods.

As a state representative, spearheaded efforts to secure investment in rehabilitating the former American Motors Corp. headquarters, leading to General Motors leasing the facility and creating almost 400 jobs in District 7.

Supported efforts to rehabilitate the former American Motors Corp. headquarters, creating almost 400 jobs in his district.

- Supports tax incentives to promote job creation.
- Supports increasing walkability to improve access to groceries and pharmacies, and to create an environment for small businesses.
- Plans to expand commercial corridors to create walkable communities with developed spaces and retail near neighborhoods.
- Supported efforts to rehabilitate the former American Motors Corp. headquarters, creating almost 400 jobs in his district.

Economy

Wants to expand commercial corridors in each district to make neighborhoods more dense, affordable, and walkable.

Wants to make neighborhoods more dense, affordable, and walkable.

Supports down-payment assistance programs for first-time homeowners in Detroit.

As a state representative, supported an additional $5 million in the budget to provide shelters for unhoused residents.

Supports funding shelters for unhoused residents.

- Wants to make neighborhoods more dense, affordable, and walkable.
- Supports down-payment assistance programs for first-time homeowners in Detroit.
- Supports funding shelters for unhoused residents.

Housing & Urban Development

Supports providing resources for officers, including pay raises for Detroit Police Department officers.

Believes making streets safer requires addressing mental health, providing resources to officers, and reducing police vacancies.

Believes in addressing underlying issues of crime, such as mental health, rather than relying solely on arrests.

Supports establishing an Office of Violence Prevention in Detroit to address social determinants of health that contribute to gun violence and crime.

As a state representative, Durhal "saved and delivered $8.5 million for the Goodwill Flip the Script program to derail the pipeline to prison for youth."

As a state representative, supported the Goodwill Flip the Script program, which aims to reduce the pipeline to prison for youth.

As a state representative, supported permanent funding for community violence intervention.

Supports permanent funding for community violence intervention.

Supports the Detroit Police Department’s (DPD) Shotspotter Program and License Plate Reader Funding.

Supports the Detroit Police Department’s (DPD) ShotSpotter Program and License Plate Reader Funding.

- Supports providing resources for officers, including pay raises for Detroit Police Department officers.
- Believes making streets safer requires addressing mental health, providing resources to officers, and reducing police vacancies.
- Believes in addressing underlying issues of crime, such as mental health, rather than relying solely on arrests.
- Supports establishing an Office of Violence Prevention in Detroit to address social determinants of health that contribute to gun violence and crime.
- As a state representative, supported the Goodwill Flip the Script program, which aims to reduce the pipeline to prison for youth.
- Supports permanent funding for community violence intervention.
- Supports the Detroit Police Department’s (DPD) ShotSpotter Program and License Plate Reader Funding.

Public Safety

Believes social determinants of health can lead to gun violence.

- Believes social determinants of health can lead to gun violence.

Healthcare

As a state representative, championed a childcare ordinance to expand affordable daycare options for families.

Supports expanding affordable daycare options for families.

As a city council member, Durhal helped create two recreation centers in District 7, including a $20-million center in partnership with the Detroit Pistons.

As a city council member, helped create two recreation centers in District 7, including a $20-million center in partnership with the Detroit Pistons.

As a state representative, delivered resources to rehabilitate and upgrade over 80% of all parks in the district.

As a state representative, secured $6 million to expand the office of disability affairs.

Supported expanding the office of disability affairs.

- Supports expanding affordable daycare options for families.
- As a city council member, helped create two recreation centers in District 7, including a $20-million center in partnership with the Detroit Pistons.
- Supports upgrading local parks.
- Supported expanding the office of disability affairs.

Public Services

As of June 2, 2025, Fred Durhal’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Energy & the Environment

Supports working with county-level governments to push regional transit plans forward.

Supports increasing the efficiency of the Detroit Department of Transportation (DDOT) by improving bus schedules, enhancing the rider experience, adding more buses, and increasing driver pay.

Supports increasing the efficiency of the Detroit Department of Transportation (DDOT) by improving bus schedules, upgrading the rider experience, adding more buses, and increasing driver pay.

Supports bringing high-speed rail to the region, with potential connections to the University of Michigan, airport, Pontiac, and Flint.

Supports expanding the M1 Rail beyond its current three-mile route.

Supports expanding the M1 Rail beyond its current route.

As a state representative, supported free bus rides for expectant mothers and mothers with newborns.

As a state representative, helped secure federal funding to replace lead service lines in District 7.

Helped secure federal funding to replace lead service lines in his district

- Supports working with county-level governments to push regional transit plans forward.
- Supports increasing the efficiency of the Detroit Department of Transportation (DDOT) by improving bus schedules, upgrading the rider experience, adding more buses, and increasing driver pay.
- Supports bringing high-speed rail to the region, with potential connections to the University of Michigan, airport, Pontiac, and Flint.
- Supports expanding the M1 Rail beyond its current route.
- As a state representative, supported free bus rides for expectant mothers and mothers with newborns.
- Helped secure federal funding to replace lead service lines in his district

Transportation & Infrastructure

Wants to enhance the futures of young Detroiters through partnerships with the Detroit Public Schools Community District to provide programming and better infrastructure.

Supports partnerships with the Detroit Public Schools Community District to provide programming and better infrastructure.

Supports the Detroit Promise program, which provides a tuition-free pathway for college and university students.

- Supports partnerships with the Detroit Public Schools Community District to provide programming and better infrastructure.
- Supports the Detroit Promise program, which provides a tuition-free pathway for college and university students.

Education

Ethics & Conduct

Facebook

Twitter

Instagram

Fred Durhal

Supports expanding the Downtown Development Authority to fund corridor growth.

Supports the creation of an Office of Violence Prevention in Detroit.

Believes "you are only as safe as you feel" and that people "shouldn't fear having to go to the pharmacy to pick up your prescription at night."

As of June 4, 2025, Fred Durhal’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Fred is from Detroit, Michigan. He grew up in the Russell Woods neighborhood on the city’s west side and now represents District 7 on Detroit’s west side as a member of the City Council. He is the oldest of six children and the son of former state Representative Fred Durhal Jr. He and his wife live with their two children in the Nardin Park neighborhood. As a self-described son of Detroit, he said he consulted his wife before launching his campaign to ensure the timing was right as a new father and has expressed a desire to bring a more familial feel back to city government.

Fred Durhal is a Detroit City Council member. He works on the council, where he is serving his first term representing District Seven. He chairs the budget, finance and audit standing committee and serves as vice chair of the planning and economic development committee. He also chairs the disability task force and supported a $6.6 million federal program to provide home improvements for residents with disabilities.

From 2015 to 2019, Fred served in the Michigan House of Representatives representing the 5th House District. He was elected to the House in 2015 and was appointed Assistant House Democratic Leader. During his first term, he served on the House Appropriations Committee as Minority Vice-Chair of the subcommittee on General Government. After his re-election in 2017, he became the ranking Democrat on the full Appropriations Committee, overseeing the state’s $54 billion budget.

Early in his career, he worked in retail at Kmart, performed customer service roles, worked as a mental health peer counselor for teenagers, and worked in consulting.

Fred Durhal is currently a Detroit City Council member representing District Seven. He is serving his first term. He chairs the City Council’s budget, finance, and audit standing committee and serves as vice chair of the planning and economic development committee. He previously served two terms in the Michigan House of Representatives, first elected in 2014 and re-elected in 2017. In his second term, he was appointed Minority Vice-Chair of the House Appropriations Committee.

Buket Urgen

Danetta Simpson

James Craig

Joel Haashiim

John Barlow

Mary Sheffield

Saunteel Jenkins

Solomon Kinloch

Todd Perkins

- A mayor’s job can be different in each city, but they usually make sure city laws are followed, help create and manage the city’s budget, appoint people to boards and committees, and oversee city services like police, fire departments, parks, and public transportation.
- The mayor works with the city council and sometimes helps make decisions by voting.
- They may be elected in partisan elections or nonpartisan elections, depending on the city. 
- They are elected to a two- or four-year term, depending on the city.

The highest elected official at the city level.