Detroit has a housing problem, specifically one with the supply and quality of affordable units within the city limits. In the search for affordable housing solutions, hemp presents an opportunity not only to reduce carbon emissions associated with a home’s construction but it can be grown and processed locally. Industrial hemp has been around for thousands of years and has made a recent comeback in the home construction space as an alternative for insulative materials. This research paper explores the feasibility of building a local economy to produce hemp for insulative materials in home construction. Hemp is compared to fiberglass through a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). The results highlight that hemp has the ability to be carbon negative, while pointing to significant roadblocks in processing and agronomy to achieving this local economy.