Considering moving to Detroit : Advice Needed

**Maria** · January-25-12, 01:21 PM

Originally Posted by DetroitScooter

Please come visit first, Maria. It would be much easier to experience the reality of Detroit from "ground level" than having helpful folks try to describe it to you. Together we can make it very inexpensive a trip for you. Think about it.

I think that your plan might be doable, but to make an informed decision, you need to see this place [[or the close-in suburbs, which may be an even better option for you). Good luck!

I certainly at the very least would like to visit Detroit. What would you recommend I see?

**Gannon** · January-25-12, 02:00 PM

Nothin' keepin' squatters from voluntarily donating in lieu of actual tax bills.

Do it and keep records, and that is your defense if they ever catch up with you!

As I said though, you can buy a lot in the middle of a bunch of lots...there are MANY, many blocks of urban prairie in this town...and grow all around you. As you prosper, simply buy the other lots that you've already groomed and used.

If the city had reasonable record-keeping and could prove who owned what, which they do not and often cannot, then we couldn't exercise this wild-west freedom. I consider it annexing or staking a claim...and then growing into land ownership while you grow upon it. I know this is radical thinking, but the city will never get around to aiding the urban agriculture movement, nor the feds.

Cheers

**bailey** · January-25-12, 02:08 PM

I guess cockpunching never gets old?

**stromberg2** · January-25-12, 03:13 PM

John, Which shed is set up with the local stuff?

Stromberg2

**DetroitScooter** · January-25-12, 03:19 PM

Originally Posted by Maria

I certainly at the very least would like to visit Detroit. What would you recommend I see?

At a minimum, Eastern Market, the Royal Oak Farmer's Market, the Rust Belt Market in Ferndale and a stem to stern drive through all of Detroit. Of course, the DIA, the CBD architecture, the riverfront and a tour of the urban gardens scattered here and there would allow you to have a little taste of Detroit. I'm sure that we could throw together a meet-up at 1515 to welcome you properly and maybe provide some faces to these names and to get you connected with growers that we know. A long weekend should do it for a start, but a week would be better. You'll want lots of time [[starting at 5AM) at Eastern Market for sure.

**grumpyoldlady** · January-25-12, 04:27 PM

Plain and simple....DON'T DO IT!!!!! You sound way too naive about the ways of a big city, and Detroit is an example of the worst and most dangerous.

**RickBeall** · January-25-12, 06:12 PM

Okay, time to scare her away.

Remember the guy from Findland? We scared him so bad he changed his mind about moving to the United States.

Pssst. Detroit is so cool we want to keep it to ourselves.

**kryptonite** · January-25-12, 07:14 PM

Well, last summer an Australian man was murdered in Detroit by a tenant's father. He was doing a great thing by renovating an older apartment building and trying to manage the place well and treat his tenants well. Now he's dead.

Detroit can be a tightrope walk for us natives, let alone someone who has never spent any real time here.

SteveJ · January-25-12, 07:23 PM

Originally Posted by kryptonite

Well, last summer an Australian man was murdered in Detroit by a tenant's father. He was doing a great thing by renovating an older apartment building and trying to manage the place well and treat his tenants well. Now he's dead.

Detroit can be a tightrope walk for us natives, let alone someone who has never spent any real time here.

I always thought it was a disservice for out of towners asking questions and people sugar coating Detroit.

**old guy** · January-25-12, 07:31 PM

It amazes me to think about the number of people that might be thinking about moving to Detroit or even just visiting the city and happen across one of these threads. I know it's a tough town but..... why not just post signs at the city limits that say Danger, Go Away.

**antongast** · January-25-12, 08:27 PM

Originally Posted by old guy

It amazes me to think about the number of people that might be thinking about moving to Detroit or even just visiting the city and happen across one of these threads. I know it's a tough town but..... why not just post signs at the city limits that say Danger, Go Away.

We tried that. Damn things got scrapped within a week.

**BEEAH** · January-25-12, 10:29 PM

Originally Posted by antongast

We tried that. Damn things got scrapped within a week.

I have one hanging in my garage.

**Hamtragedy** · January-26-12, 10:57 AM

The city guards larger acre parcels pretty close to its vest, in hopes for 'future investment." What may seem like a vacant block or two, the city sees as a whole industrial complex once the remaining houses on the ten surrounding blocks get knocked down. The city has been known to knock down out entire neighborhoods, then sit on them for decades.

**kryptonite** · January-26-12, 11:14 AM

It can take several years to buy nothing more than a single abandoned vacant lot next to an existing property. I can't imagine the problems involved in assembling large tracts of land together.

**ronaldj** · January-26-12, 04:25 PM

Side note to Gannon: Look up the legend of the White Lady regarding Belle Isle. Also the Fox /Sauk tribe have done a ritual cleansing of the location of the Fox Creek Massacre recently. The new owners of the old trailer Park [[look at old threads) are apprized of the need to follow NAGRA guidelines [[Native american grave reparation act) I might have the name wrong might be NAGPRA. The Fox/Sauk are currently in Kansas and Oklahoma but the Ottawa tribe looks after their interests here in Michigan.

My wife is a small owner operator landscape gardener here in Detroit. Among other things she sells herbs at a local outdoor merchants venue. Great fun, great people. She recently was given an allotment at a local Goddess garden. Privately owned vacant lot purchased from the city on the far eastside. That one will also be a cash crop. Gladiolas. The first years profits will go to her favorite charity.

Our favorite community garden, now somewhat fallow due to its inceptor passing away had a great sign. Pull a weed, pick some produce.

Strongly urge you to check out Detroit first. Come for a visit.

Ag zoning is in the not too distant future. Also strongly urge you talk to the detroit ag network, greening of detroit, GSCC, Messiah Church, the Caputians, Gleaners. There are bee keepers in the city already Eight Mile Honey and a devotee of Krisna on Lenox, no doubt there are many more. Wayne County also has some funding for entrepreneurs.

Best of luck