Blight Busters: why did they get shut out?

**David L** · April-22-14, 07:28 PM

What was the conflict between Pulte and the Mayor?

**Richard** · April-22-14, 09:30 PM

Just speculating but Pulte wanted a rather large chunk of the $100 mil in blight funds.

It would look kinda odd that this private company that recently acquired lots of properties then received taxpayer funds to clean then up so they could profit in the future.

That's not to say that they would actually prioritize their investments over other more pressing common good needs,but it has happened in the past.

The sole existence of a corporation is to make money for its shareholders, bottom line a couple of million was invested for the chance of obtaining millions more.

The 100 mil that was going for blight is now being diverted towards settling the other thing.So blight monetary incentives are gone.

The mayor believes in repopulating neighborhoods with families and not destroying what fabric is left to build on by mass clearing for tree farms etc.

Conflict would be the above and the biggest problem of everybody running around in their own little fiefdoms,the city needs to take control and organize it so everybody is on the same page and have the same interests and goals.

The mayor is saying the buck stops there and as he is accountable to the residents I doubt he is going to leave any wiggle room on not being in control.

Look at how the scrapping bill played out.

First the the young lady by herself fighting in Lansing.
Then 4 month's later the Crime Commission.
Then after election the Mayor.

No organization or group effort = disaster.

Now get a combined effort that says "Hey we have 542,000 voters here in Detroit that want some action" then you get results.

The city could easily become the largest and most powerful vote block in the state and that scares some.

**illwill** · April-22-14, 10:09 PM

This is a positive sign for Detroit tax payers if Duggan went for the lowest bidder.

Unless of course he's unfairly feeding the business to his cronies...?

**sumas** · April-22-14, 10:22 PM

Interesting comments. We have been involved for years in community but I think our very best has been to get our young community to register to vote. We drive people to the polls. We do not try to influence any votes. It is just important to make people understand we have a voice and see that it gets leveraged. My vote counts and so should theirs.

Just as a funny aside. My husband and my vote quite often canceled each others out. That was fine, we each had our own political views.

**Richard** · April-22-14, 10:53 PM

Originally Posted by illwill

This is a positive sign for Detroit tax payers if Duggan went for the lowest bidder.

Unless of course he's unfairly feeding the business to his cronies...?

I think cronies is just part of the political process,it is not what you know it is who you know.

It is a grey area and as long as the citizens receive the best service rendered and the company that is providing that service is not laying a city to waste for personal greed as in the past,then I think it might be overlooked somewhat?

Maybe different types of cronies.

jimmyr · April-23-14, 07:00 AM

I should be used to this by now, but this perpetual embarrassment really pisses me off. Any of you read Forbes? "It seems that this is another sad chapter in the long, dysfunctional story of Detroit: being unable to get out of its own way so the real work of restoring the city can proceed."

http://www.forbes.com/sites/dalebuss...ur-bill-pulte/

What happened here is obvious: We have an educated and ambitious young man the dumb cronies wanted out, so they could control [[i.e., power) the dough, and to a lesser degree receive all of the credit [[i.e., vanity). These people don't care about their legacy or what Detroit looks like in 10 or 20 years, they care about how much of the $XXX,000,000 they can skim before the term expires. Pulte's grandpa warned him not to waste his time, and it appears he was right all along.

**Eber Brock Ward** · April-23-14, 07:53 AM

You know that anyone can be a "contributor" to Forbes, right? It's basically no more credible than a personal blog.

**Hamtragedy** · April-23-14, 09:32 AM

Correct me if I'm wrong, but this thread seems be lacking significant information. Could someone please share so the conjecture has more basis?

**downtownguy** · April-23-14, 12:46 PM

Originally Posted by Eber Brock Ward

You know that anyone can be a "contributor" to Forbes, right? It's basically no more credible than a personal blog.

Especially when he's basically regurgitating something Nolan Finley wrote. As Hamtragedy says, I also would like to hear more than just conjecture. And I don't look to Finley when it comes to objective journalism.

**DetroitArtSeen** · April-23-14, 12:55 PM

The headline led me to believe this had to do with Motor City Blight Busters, which I don't think are connected with Pulte.
http://www.mcbbdetroit.com/
THEY are who I think of when I hear "blight busters", they've been at it for quite some time. I helped them take down some homes back in the 90's.

**Detroit Stylin** · April-23-14, 01:16 PM

Maybe its a snub to Pulte since they decided to move to Atlanta.....

**gnome** · April-24-14, 10:38 PM

Pulte and Blight Busters are not one-in-the-same. They have done similar work but BB has been around longer than young Mr. pulte has been alive.

**gnome** · April-24-14, 10:40 PM

Originally Posted by DetroitArtSeen

The headline led me to believe this had to do with Motor City Blight Busters, which I don't think are connected with Pulte.
http://www.mcbbdetroit.com/
THEY are who I think of when I hear "blight busters", they've been at it for quite some time. I helped them take down some homes back in the 90's.

Oops, a, sorry, I should have read the thread in closer detail.

**1953** · April-25-14, 09:12 AM

I met the guys from Detroit Blight Authority and was not impressed. In essence, they kept costs down because they worked with their friends to get tacit approvals to bulldoze big chunks of land into the basements that they left in the ground. The city was wise to close them down, because the city should be using a more thoughtful and strategic approach - one that costs a little more - than the one that these guys were using.

1953

**1953** · April-25-14, 09:15 AM

By the way, I also have a problem with Motor City Blight Busters. For years, John George has been getting tons of attention for taking down houses in his neighborhood - but what has been the result? Nothing but more empty lots. Demolition is great and all, but it has to be tied to a redevelopment strategy; that's something Motor City Blight Busters says it does, but doesn't do, and its something that Detroit Blight Authority had unequivocally no interest in doing.

1953

**313WX** · April-25-14, 09:32 AM

Originally Posted by 1953

I met the guys from Detroit Blight Authority and was not impressed. In essence, they kept costs down because they worked with their friends to get tacit approvals to bulldoze big chunks of land into the basements that they left in the ground. The city was wise to close them down, because the city should be using a more thoughtful and strategic approach - one that costs a little more - than the one that these guys were using.

1953

But...but...they rode into town on their high horse purely out of the kindness of THEIR hearts to help out us desperate and depraved citizens of Detroit!!!

How in the world can we even consider the thought of turning them away!?