Why can't Detroit annex neighbouring cities to regain its population?

[crawford]

While there is zero chance of annexation ever occuring [[deannexation would be much more likely), let's assume your scenario could be implemented.

Any city annexed into the City of Detroit would, within 5-7 years, resemble adjacent neighborhoods in the City. Annexation would just accelerate the already creeping decline into the surrounding neighborhoods.

[Bearinabox]

While there is zero chance of annexation ever occuring [[deannexation would be much more likely), let's assume your scenario could be implemented.

Any city annexed into the City of Detroit would, within 5-7 years, resemble adjacent neighborhoods in the City. Annexation would just accelerate the already creeping decline into the surrounding neighborhoods.

This might be the case if Detroit only annexed a few miles out in every direction, but an annexation on the scale of the Toronto annexation davewindsor mentioned would essentially result in a metropolitan government. Most of the annexed areas would not be "adjacent" [[or even close) to current city neighborhoods, and the political structure of the city would be fundamentally different.

I agree that there is no chance of such an annexation happening, however.