Has Detroit Bottomed out Yet?

[Richard]

That said, Detroit's population will likely continue to decrease. There's still a fair number of people who've stuck around in outlying, decrepit neighborhoods comprised mostly of abandoned businesses & homes. Reality is, demolishing these neighborhoods is vital to Detroit's re-development, and with oodles of cheap housing available in other sections of city & inner-ring suburbs, there's no reason for people to be there anyway. The City being able to save money on providing infrastructure & safety far outweighs their needs.

I would think that the city is not in the business of determining what citizens needs deserve to be met and which ones do not.

To say ones needs outweigh another in the best interest of the greater good is just ...well..not very nice.I guess I will not say what I really want to say.

Of course, I would guess if one wanted to go door to door and explain to those living where they choose to in a free country that their needs do not apply and it would be better if they just pack up and move,you could try that and post how well it goes over here.

[illwill]

I would think that the city is not in the business of determining what citizens needs deserve to be met and which ones do not.

To say ones needs outweigh another in the best interest of the greater good is just ...well..not very nice.I guess I will not say what I really want to say.

Of course, I would guess if one wanted to go door to door and explain to those living where they choose to in a free country that their needs do not apply and it would be better if they just pack up and move,you could try that and post how well it goes over here.

I have to agree with your statement.

But on a side note, for the first time ever in my memory, I see homes in the Boston Edison neighborhood being bought, properly rehabbed, maintained and occupied by people who are actually able to afford them. For the past 25 years, these homes were bought by drug dealers, struggling owners with dreams of living in a mansion who were unable afford the heating bills/repairs and folks who were driven away by crime etc. The number of times these homes changed hands must be astonishing. I'd say B.E. is finally becoming a stable neighborhood.

I drive throughout the city thoroughly, on a very regular basis and surprisingly, property rehabs are happening all over. Even the outlying neighborhoods are experiencing this change. People are getting in where they fit in. Usually in areas where the housing stock still exist, but ones that aren't being mentioned by the likes of Dan Gilbert and company. It's not only the popular areas such as Woodbridge, Palmer Park, Corktown, Downtown/Midtown and the Villages. Other areas are seeing residential investment as well. No mortgage is looking better and better these days! The city is really trying to market the Morningside neighborhood on the Eastside. Beautiful housing stock and I hope their campaign can kickstart something in that part of the city.

[LAS2AMS]

I would think that the city is not in the business of determining what citizens needs deserve to be met and which ones do not.

To say ones needs outweigh another in the best interest of the greater good is just ...well..not very nice.I guess I will not say what I really want to say.

Of course, I would guess if one wanted to go door to door and explain to those living where they choose to in a free country that their needs do not apply and it would be better if they just pack up and move,you could try that and post how well it goes over here.

Except that we don't live in a free country and one must consider the value of the infrastructure being provided to these residents [[schools, roads, emergency response, lighting, utilities, etc.). Fact is, the existence of these residents is reliant on others and the city could therefore justifiably shutter these neighborhoods.

[Richard]

Except that we don't live in a free country and one must consider the value of the infrastructure being provided to these residents [[schools, roads, emergency response, lighting, utilities, etc.). Fact is, the existence of these residents is reliant on others and the city could therefore justifiably shutter these neighborhoods.

For clarity the term "Fee" refers to the freedom of movement,ie the government cannot force a citizen to live in a particular sector or city or even suburb for that matter.

There are homeowners and taxpayers living there that have been hanging in there and paying the taxes and supporting the local business through the tough times,are we now to say thanks for your support now move out of the way for progress.I would think that they deserve a little bit more respect then that.

It is clear that they have been living with reduced services all along,services they have been paying for and services that have been more directed to other places that they do not have a direct interest in.

So in theory if the city is investing taxpayers money to improve Midtown or Cork town then they are actually contributing to that rise while their neighborhood continues to deteriorate,but yet they are sticking it out.They are also a part of the solution and not a part of the problem.

The city operates long term and cannot look at today only or have the luxury of using terms of ,never going to happen because it has not happened before or in the past.Nobody in this world has that crystal ball.

The city is 15 years behind 1000s of other cities across the country that went through the same exact dynamics,it is in a position of learning from the mistakes that other city's have made in the process and it gets the main point of, unless you have a strong supporting neighborhoods your core will stagnate.It has been proven time and time again.

They also get that you need a mix of residential and commercial in the core and that is what they are also doing.Others cities concentrated on the commercial and priced out the residential,then had to come back with residential and affordable housing in the city starts at $200,000

The cycle is start out living downtown and if it becomes not so appealing or overly expensive as it will become shortly,the next move is into the adjoining neighborhood,it happens.

That is the difference in leadership,they understand that and are working to those goals,if they were not your company would not have even considered the move as stated in your first post.

Does one look at low populated neighborhood and say there is not enough residents to justify the expense of the infrastructure?

Or does one look at the same and ask how do we first stop the bleeding and what can we do to promote more residents in the future to justify the infrastructure.

It is not going to be today or tomorrow but if the infrastructure is gone it is very expensive and highly unlikely it will be replaced without being on the future generations back.

There is two Detroit's there is Detroit before bankruptcy and Detroit after bankruptcy,before has little to do with after and should not be be continuously chastised because of the past or the thought pattern in moving forward should not also be based on the past.

The cup is half full so maybe treat it as such.

[313WX]

There are homeowners and taxpayers living there that have been hanging in there and paying the taxes and supporting the local business through the tough times,are we now to say thanks for your support now move out of the way for progress.I would think that they deserve a little bit more respect then that.

It is clear that they have been living with reduced services all along,services they have been paying for and services that have been more directed to other places that they do not have a direct interest in.

So in theory if the city is investing taxpayers money to improve Midtown or Cork town then they are actually contributing to that rise while their neighborhood continues to deteriorate,but yet they are sticking it out.They are also a part of the solution and not a part of the problem.

Yep!!!

Otherwise, relieve these citizens in the areas you want to shutter from their tax obligations to the city if they will no longer be receiving the services and infrastructure maintenance/reinvestment they're entitled to. Also, let those same areas with those citizens de-annex from the city so they won't be counted when Detroit's trying to get a certain amount of federal/state revenue sharing based on size/population.