Monique Owens

Owens started her career as a clerical employee with the Detroit Police Department and later served as a Wayne County Sheriff's deputy[4] for 11 years.[5] The Wayne County Sheriff's Office suspended Owens in 2010.[6]

Owens moved from Clinton Township to Eastpointe sometime between 2007 and 2014.[4][7]

In 2017, a federal judge ruled that the city's methodology of electing of council members at-large rather than by district diluted the vote of the Black population (Eastpointe was 30% Black at the time) and was a violation of the Voting Rights Act.[4] In 2017, Owens was elected to the Eastpointe City Council, the first African-American to serve as councilperson in the city.[4][8]

Owens was the only council member to vote "no" on the city's Pride Month resolution in 2019, saying that Eastpointe has "always accepted everybody".[9] After becoming mayor, she voted against similar resolutions in both 2020 and 2021.[10][11]

As mayor, Owens attended a Feb. 2020 speech by Louis Farrakhan which included anti-LGBT remarks.[12]

In 2019, incumbent mayor Suzanne Pixley did not file to run for re-election.[13] On November 5, 2019, Owens was narrowly[5] elected mayor with 32.5 percent of the vote in a five-way contest. She received 19 more votes than runner-up Mike Klinefelt.[4][14]

In July 2021, Owens applied for a poverty exemption from property taxes on her home in Eastpointe. The Eastpointe Board of Review later granted the mayor a 100 percent exemption from property taxes in 2021.[15]

In October 2021, Eastpointe Community Schools board member Mary Hall-Rayford criticized Owens for her behavior at the Michigan Military Technical & Historical Society Museum.[16] The Macomb Daily reported that Owens brought someone to tour the museum during hours when it was closed to the public and that she entered areas that were restricted to museum employees only. Staff also complained that Owens violated the museum's policy prohibiting beverages near the exhibits and refused to comply when reminded of the rule. MMTHS board member Wendy Richardson said that she filmed Owens' visit using a cell phone due to legal concerns. Owens objected to the recording and alleged that museum staff had violated her rights by filming her.[17]

In 2021, Owens applied for the full-time city manager position in Harper Woods, Michigan. In September, the city extended Owens a conditional job offer, which she accepted on September 30. Owens expressed her intent to remain mayor of Eastpointe while working as city manager of Harper Woods. The following day, the mayor of Harper Woods announced that Owens did not meet the conditions of the contract. As a result, Owens did not receive the job.[18]

The Eastpointe City Council voted 3-1 to censure Owens at its April 5, 2022, meeting.[19]

On April 19, 2022, Owens filed to run for the Democratic Party's nomination for Michigan Senate in the 11th District. She had originally filed on April 15 to run for the Republican nomination in the same district but withdrew her candidacy.[20]

In Eastpointe's 2021 city council general election, Owens endorsed Shenita Lloyd and Michael Jones. Both candidates were defeated by Cardi DeMonaco, an incumbent, and Rob Baker,[21] who had previously served a partial term on the council.[22]

Monique Owens lives in Eastpointe and has two children.

Owens is a Christian. She said in a 2021 city council meeting that she does not celebrate Christmas.[23]

In 2022, Monique Owens authored a children's book titled Mom, What's a Mayor?[24][25]