Quote Originally Posted by animatedmartian View Post
But you're basically arguing the same thing with "preserve and pray". Where is the money for the upkeep of all this property going to come from if we're just going to hold on to it until demand catches up? What if another recession occurs, what then? With that logic, Detroit would have 20 times the vacant buildings it does now because essentially no one would have demolished anything from 1960. Like the city government would just hold all that property until 2 million people wanted to live in the city again. That seems less realistic than having miles of vacant lots instead.
In my other post I have the programs mixed up,the one where the money was sent back was from the crack years,the currant one or the hardest hit,where the $500 million comes in was to help the neighborhoods hardest hit in the mortgage meltdown.

Yes the monies from that program can be used for the boarding and securing of vacant properties.So where the money comes from is not the question more so how is it being spent.

One can sit there forever waiting for the throngs to reappear but without giving them a reason you will be waiting for a long time,take away the moving from the suburbs to the city as that does not count.

Relocate to Detroit where you can choose your choice of a vacant lot,pretty much available in anywhere U.S.A..

Relocate to Detroit and receive your city owned fixer upper and $25.000 towards rehab costs and a 60% property tax reduction for ten years.

Yes they are doing that locally,but in many cities there are many who are priced out of home ownership forever,use that to give somebody incentive or a reason to move.The only thing I see is New York offering 10 year tax free for business to relocate.

How does the city lose? You have $500 million to offset so no cash out of pocket,you now have re-established neighborhoods,you have increased the taxpayer base for goods and services etc.The money and the opportunity are there right now.

It is not rocket science,a lemon will always be a lemon until it is cut to make lemon aid.Or it can be the race to be the city of vacant land waiting for the glass slipper.