Saunteel Jenkins

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Democrat

Saunteel Jenkins

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Overview

Current roleFormer Council Member

PartyDemocratic

Political ideologyProgressive Democrat

Age55 years old (Nov 18, 1970)

GenderFemale

LocationMichigan

BackgroundSocial worker

EducationCass Technical High School

Notable personal detailsSaunteel A. Jenkins is an American social worker, nonprofit executive, and former Detroit City Council member who served on the council from 2010 to 2014 and as council president from 2013 to 2014. She led The Heat and Warmth Fund (THAW) as CEO from 2014 until stepping down in January 2025 and ran in the 2025 Detroit mayoral election. She is a graduate of Cass Technical High School and Wayne State University’s School of Social Work, where she earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in social work.

SourcesShow

en.wikipedia.org saunteeljenkins.com fox2detroit.com axios.com dailydetroit.com bridgedetroit.com detroiteconomicjustice.org apnews.com deadlinedetroit.com keywiki.org wikidata.org planetdetroit.org detroitmi.gov linktr.ee wxyz.com detroittransit.org kresge.org wjr.com cbsnews.com jenkinsfordetroit.com x.com legislation.ballotpedia.org legal.x.com transparency.x.com democrats-judiciary.house.gov cassidy.senate.gov finance.senate.gov ballotready.org norcross.house.gov cammack.house.gov mcguire.house.gov democrats-homeland.house.gov castor.house.gov democrats-armedservices.house.gov chaplain.house.gov hsgac.senate.gov sbc.senate.gov agriculture.senate.gov govinfo.gov ossoff.senate.gov votesmart.org slotkin.senate.gov organizations.ballotready.org cdn.ballotpedia.org

Positions

LiberalConservative

Economy & Taxes

Supports using tax policy and incentives to fund neighborhood investment and economic opportunity, and is open to exploring new local revenue sources (including a possible local sales tax) while seeking property tax relief for homeowners. Advocates requiring community benefits and hiring commitments from developers when public funds or tax incentives are used.

Healthcare

Saunteel Jenkins emphasizes protecting and strengthening public health services for vulnerable Detroiters, including addiction and mental-health programs, and draws on her background in social work and running health- and utility-assistance nonprofit programs to support city-level health and social service interventions. Her campaign materials and interviews focus on ensuring access to services and funding for community-based health supports rather than proposing large-scale federal-level privatization or repeal measures.

Climate & Energy

Supports expanding and decarbonizing city transit, backing zero-emission buses and using renewable energy for transit infrastructure while pursuing public, private, and federal partnerships to fund service expansion; has led an energy-assistance nonprofit and emphasizes climate resilience in transit and public-health planning.

Public Safety & Guns

Supports community-based violence intervention, youth opportunities, and building trust between residents and police while treating gun violence as a symptom of systemic failures; favors prevention programs and investment in neighborhoods rather than defunding police.

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