State Joins Blight Fight

**dmike76** · August-26-13, 02:48 PM

One would think they could knock down a lot of blighted homes with $52 million bucks.

http://www.detroitnews.com/article/2...text|FRONTPAGE

**Detroitnerd** · August-26-13, 03:49 PM

Originally Posted by dmike76

One would think they could knock down a lot of blighted homes with $52 million bucks.

http://www.detroitnews.com/article/2...text|FRONTPAGE

Isn't that the money that was supposed to go to underwater homeowners? Now it's going to Adamo & Co.?

**Danny** · August-26-13, 05:16 PM

This better work. Detroiters are sick and tired of looking at abandon buildings in the ghettohoods. A hiding plance for DEAD [[c)KRAK HEADS, rapists, drug dealers, squatters and other crazy folks. The last blight busting in Detroit's ghettohoods took place since mid 1960s to late 1970s most of the homes in the lower east and west side were demolish immediately after the home either burned down or not for sale.

**mjb3** · August-26-13, 05:37 PM

Archer administration tore down close to 20,000 structures during two terms. At appr $30K per demolition, this $52m will only cover about 1500, 2% of total 80,000 abandoned structures. That math is a bitch. If only they had started tearing down houses in the early 70's, 500 houses per yr.

**aj3647** · August-26-13, 06:04 PM

Originally Posted by mjb3

Archer administration tore down close to 20,000 structures during two terms. At appr $30K per demolition

What's your source for this "30K per demolition" number?

And didn't a lot of those demolition contracts go to Bobby Ferguson? With the state administering the funds instead of the city, you can subtract the usual hefty Detroit corruption markup from the cost.

**Wesley Mouch** · August-26-13, 06:31 PM

Originally Posted by Danny

This better work. Detroiters are sick and tired of looking at abandon buildings in the ghettohoods. A hiding plance for DEAD [[c)KRAK HEADS, rapists, drug dealers, squatters and other crazy folks. The last blight busting in Detroit's ghettohoods took place since mid 1960s to late 1970s most of the homes in the lower east and west side were demolish immediately after the home either burned down or not for sale.

Detroiters should try being 'sick and tired' of the fools they elect. There's no problem in Detroit that couldn't be solved if we stop doing the same stupid things over and over. But we resist change. We resist help.

**mwilbert** · August-26-13, 07:11 PM

Originally Posted by aj3647

What's your source for this "30K per demolition" number?

And didn't a lot of those demolition contracts go to Bobby Ferguson? With the state administering the funds instead of the city, you can subtract the usual hefty Detroit corruption markup from the cost.

A recent article in the Free Press said that the average Detroit demolition was about $10,000.

**DetroitPlanner** · August-26-13, 07:17 PM

Originally Posted by mwilbert

A recent article in the Free Press said that the average Detroit demolition was about $10,000.

That is more accurate with bigger homes costing more like $15k. Most big homes are still in good shape in relative terms.

**Detroitnerd** · August-26-13, 07:46 PM

It's more expensive to tear down a house that's in good shape? I'm getting dizzy ...

**mjb3** · August-26-13, 08:30 PM

The $30K may have been the rule for houses w bsmt that had to be removed and hauled away. Until recently. I believe they now can shovel debris into basement and mound over. This might make the $10-15K more realistic. In that case, the $52m will cover 3500 houses. Still a long way to get the city looking ruin-free...

**begingri** · August-26-13, 08:53 PM

http://www.freep.com/article/2013082...lition-Detroit

About 4,000 homes coming down. $52 million / 4,000 = $13,000 per home.

**Hypestyles** · August-26-13, 09:18 PM

I don't suppose there's money to hired local Detroit folks who are unemployed to help out in this? Unskilled, semi-skilled folks, ex-offenders, etc.

**Novine** · August-26-13, 09:38 PM

$50 million would go a long way to build up a viable neighborhood. Or keep people in their homes. Instead, Michigan and Detroit take the approach of building the city through demolition.

**sumas** · August-26-13, 09:53 PM

Originally Posted by Hypestyles

I don't suppose there's money to hired local Detroit folks who are unemployed to help out in this? Unskilled, semi-skilled folks, ex-offenders, etc.

There are so many orgs trying to do just that.

Sometimes I amaze my self, we have a rather large townhouse community that wraps around the corner at the end of our block. It was auctioned to out of staters, back taxes. It is now derelict. People were prowling around. It is a serious eye sore.

Neighbors call me about this, go investigate! I am a gutless wonder but I did go down. No business cards, nothing, they claimed they were looking to invest in it. Now I think my neighbors have less guts then me. This is the third call I got this month to investigate odd stuff. Two calls from guys. I love my neighborhood but sending an old lady to do detective work is a bit stale. I guess I am expendable

**illwill** · August-26-13, 09:56 PM

The state should train convicts to do the job, then knock 'em down for pennies on the dollar. $52mil for a drop in the bucket among 80k vacant homes, is such a HUGE waste. Our corrupt politicians need to get more creative instead of throwing money around.

**illwill** · August-26-13, 09:57 PM

We thought alike.

**sumas** · August-26-13, 10:11 PM

I participate as a volunteer For Detroit Eviction Defense. They meet at St John St luke on Thursdays at 6 pm. They address these issues and are quite militant about getting funds to keep people in their homes. They are quite effective, legal folk and very organized and vocal. Amazing group really!

**wolverine** · August-26-13, 11:28 PM

Originally Posted by Hypestyles

I don't suppose there's money to hired local Detroit folks who are unemployed to help out in this? Unskilled, semi-skilled folks, ex-offenders, etc.

In some cities that's a requirement. If you want to build or demolish this building with public money, the teams involved must hire a certain number of residents from that neighborhood for the job. Can't do it, can't bid.

**royce** · August-27-13, 02:07 AM

Originally Posted by Novine

$50 million would go a long way to build up a viable neighborhood. Or keep people in their homes. Instead, Michigan and Detroit take the approach of building the city through demolition.

Novine, you expressed this same sentiment in the Brightmoor thread. Helping people stay in their homes is altruistic. However, how does the state get back the money that it gives to homeowners in trouble? I'm curious as to how this works.

**sumas** · August-27-13, 07:26 AM

The money actually comes from the feds. If qualified they have to live in their homes another five years and the debt gets forgiven. If they move the debt comes due. Because of infighting with the state, Wayne County and the city, it is rare people qualify.

**renf** · August-27-13, 08:11 AM

It would be desirable to see some solid data about the cost of demolishing a home. There are environmental regulations that add to the cost. I thought that $8,000 was a good approximation of the average cost of demolition. I dont know if that includes the cost of determining who owns the house and whether it may be demolished. At 8K per abandoned home, $52 million will lead to the demolishment of 6500 homes.

**313WX** · August-27-13, 08:37 AM

So apparently only 4,000 buildings will be demolished.

http://www.freep.com/article/2013082...lition-Detroit

**Novine** · August-27-13, 09:10 AM

Maybe someone from the Feds will actually bother to see how this $52 million in demolition activities results in improved property values. Seems like it would be an easy think to track in Detroit as there will still be tens of thousands of vacant homes after they're done to do a comparison. I'll wager that the effect will be negligible or even negative.

**illwill** · August-27-13, 09:29 AM

Although Downtown is doing well, it bothers me that that city has lost so about 90% of its architectural continuity. This is one of the reasons cities such as Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Ann Arbor and even St. Louis among many others are considered more desirable than Detroit. As time goes on, other cities will become unique and more in demand because of their historic housing stock. As much as people want to move to the city of Detroit, the neighborhoods have been decimated. I personally LOVE architecture and I want to live in a city that has a unique stock of housing. Detroit has so few neighborhoods left and I think most of the unique neighborhoods are already filled to capacity. Yes, there are tens of thousands of homes available but they're either plain-jane post WW2 style-homes or they sit on a block standing alone, maybe with a hand full of other homes that "might" be salvaged at some point. No architectural continuity. It makes it hard for people seeking unique neighborhoods in the city.

One other thing...as I was driving down W. Grand River going to the Lions game, we saw another huge unique building being demolished. The White shiny brick building on the West side of the street. The city is STILL tearing these beautiful structures down.

But I understand it's life or death in most case due to the dangers that lurk. But it's just so sad.

**mwilbert** · August-27-13, 09:42 AM

Originally Posted by illwill

Detroit has so few neighborhoods left and I think most of the unique neighborhoods are already filled to capacity

I agree that it is always sad to see an interesting building taken down or a nice neighborhood gradually lost house-by-house, but Detroit still has many unique neighborhoods, and I can assure you that they aren't full.