Detroit City Council scraps Mayor Duggan's $250M demolition proposal

**Tig3rzhark** · November-19-19, 05:02 PM

Today, the proposal for a Municipal bond of $250 million was rejected by the City Council.

https://www.detroitnews.com/story/ne...an/4237277002/

https://www.freep.com/story/news/loc...al/4234805002/

News of this are also in other local sources. Read them, and post here your thoughts based on the local sources.

**Danny** · November-20-19, 06:50 AM

Oh well, the city CLOWNSIL is in their political status quo. Most of them don't even held their own town hall meetings in their ghettohoods. Detroit will never be abandon building free city until they can get their act together. Remember city CLOWNSIL your political career is on the line by 2020.

**401don** · November-20-19, 11:34 AM

Haven't followed this that closely but could they not have countered with a smaller proposal, 25-50 million, to be audited closely, and followed with more when the city proves it has resolved its problems and can properly manage the program?

**Metro25** · November-20-19, 12:09 PM

Good. Duggan taking on debt like this and putting it on the taxpayers is insane. Considering how mismanaged this whole program has been I wouldn't throw another cent at it. And I don't like the idea of mass demolitions, a lot of these homes could be renovated instead.

**ndavies** · November-20-19, 12:12 PM

Originally Posted by 401don

Haven't followed this that closely but could they not have countered with a smaller proposal, 25-50 million, to be audited closely, and followed with more when the city proves it has resolved its problems and can properly manage the program?

Even without the bond money Demolitions will continue. Just not on the scale they currently are.

The city will continue to get $50million to cover blight from the state. $30 million of that is designated for home demolition. It was negotiated as part of the bankruptcy settlement. The bond money would be in addition to this.

**313WX** · November-20-19, 12:58 PM

Originally Posted by ndavies

Even without the bond money Demolitions will continue. Just not on the scale they currently are.

The city will continue to get $50million to cover blight from the state. $30 million of that is designated for home demolition. It was negotiated as part of the bankruptcy settlement. The bond money would be in addition to this.

If that's the case, then I fail to see the issue.

It'll just take longer to demolish these properties than Duggan would like. That's all.

**DetBill** · November-20-19, 01:22 PM

Hopefully demolitions will continue, Its imperative to get this massive rot off the cities map, not only for appearance sake, but for citizen safety also. There is no way the vast majority of these properties will be renovated, save a few, its totally cost ineffective.. Opening up large empty areas are far more appealing for development..Im just hoping city council doesn't revert back to its years old mission statement of just say no , obstruct, and get nothing done...Compromise is needed, these demolitions need to occur if Detroit has any hope of real future progress outside of downtown and midtown..Duggan wanted it immediately, which is not a bad idea, provided it was carried out properly, however there seemed to be issues, it seems they need to fine tune it for efficiency,, time to get it done, ..

**DeLemur** · November-20-19, 01:58 PM

Council surprisingly acted like it should, by responsibly investigating and considering the bond, and then denying it under a Mayor whose projects they most always support. Demolitions by the Mayor were rife with mismanagement and corruption - why continue that? Let's talk a bond that rebuilds the Recreation Centers! Or a bond for the Joe Louis greenway!

**Honky Tonk** · November-21-19, 09:00 AM

Originally Posted by DeLemur

Council surprisingly acted like it should, by responsibly investigating and considering the bond, and then denying it under a Mayor whose projects they most always support. Demolitions by the Mayor were rife with mismanagement and corruption - why continue that? Let's talk a bond that rebuilds the Recreation Centers! Or a bond for the Joe Louis greenway!

Better yet, how about a bond to finally fix the potholes and pave the fucking streets. Enough with the empty parks and bike lanes.

**DeLemur** · November-21-19, 10:36 AM

Originally Posted by Honky Tonk

Better yet, how about a bond to finally fix the potholes and pave the fucking streets. Enough with the empty parks and bike lanes.

E. Jefferson is like a road in Baghdad. So dangerous.
I'd rather see the money from that needless I-94 expansion, diverted into Detroit roads and bridges.

**ndavies** · November-21-19, 10:50 AM

Originally Posted by DeLemur

E. Jefferson is like a road in Baghdad. So dangerous.
I'd rather see the money from that needless I-94 expansion, diverted into Detroit roads and bridges.

You can't use Federal Highway funds for local roads. They can only be used on freeways. So about 80% of the money being used for the I-94 expansion cannot be used for local roads. Either you use it for the freeway or you don't get it. I-94 is in desperate need of rebuilding.

**DeLemur** · November-21-19, 01:27 PM

Originally Posted by ndavies

You can't use Federal Highway funds for local roads. They can only be used on freeways. So about 80% of the money being used for the I-94 expansion cannot be used for local roads. Either you use it for the freeway or you don't get it. I-94 is in desperate need of rebuilding.

Looks like Detroit and the state are spending $600 Million dollars on this. Money better spent on potholes and integrated transit. Also looks like half of the federal funds can be used in other pots of money. They're not highway restricted. They come from the National Highway Performance Program, which 50% can be switched to other types of transportation. Am I missing something here Ndavies?
https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/fastact/factsheets/nhppfs.cfm
https://www.michigan.gov/documents/m...5_602412_7.pdf
https://www.crainsdetroit.com/articl...n-through-2036

Why spend hundreds of millions of dollars on a project whose vehicle estimates were wrong, with them actually decreasing not increasing? Let's spend that money on a plan whose projections might be accurate.

**Richard** · November-21-19, 02:26 PM

Originally Posted by DeLemur

Looks like Detroit and the state are spending $600 Million dollars on this. Money better spent on potholes and integrated transit. Also looks like half of the federal funds can be used in other pots of money. They're not highway restricted. They come from the National Highway Performance Program, which 50% can be switched to other types of transportation. Am I missing something here Ndavies?
https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/fastact/factsheets/nhppfs.cfm
https://www.michigan.gov/documents/m...5_602412_7.pdf
https://www.crainsdetroit.com/articl...n-through-2036

Why spend hundreds of millions of dollars on a project whose vehicle estimates were wrong, with them actually decreasing not increasing? Let's spend that money on a plan whose projections might be accurate.

You might be missing this part ?

Installation of vehicle-to-infrastructure communication equipment [23 U.S.C. 119[[d)[[2)[[L)];
Reconstruction, resurfacing, restoration, rehabilitation, or preservation of a bridge on a non-NHS Federal-aid highway [[if Interstate System and NHS Bridge Condition provision requirements are satisfied) [23 U.S.C. 119[[i)];
A project to reduce the risk of failure of critical NHS infrastructure [[defined to mean a facility, the incapacity or failure of which would have a debilitating impact in certain specified areas) [23 U.S.C. 119[[j)[[3)]; and
At a State's request, the U.S. DOT may use the State's STBG funding to pay the subsidy and administrative costs for TIFIA credit assistance for an eligible NHPP project or group of projects. [23 U.S.C. 119[[h)]

Even at that most fed funded transportation are based on a cost share basis.

Keep in mind the 50% that can be switched for non NHS [[bridges)has already been signed over to Canada for your new bridge,so you lose or lost that for many years to come.

**ndavies** · November-21-19, 04:12 PM

My only point was you can't get federal money to fix potholes on a local road.

**Gistok** · November-21-19, 04:18 PM

Originally Posted by DeLemur

E. Jefferson is like a road in Baghdad. So dangerous.
I'd rather see the money from that needless I-94 expansion, diverted into Detroit roads and bridges.

Um.... they are spending I-94 money on bridges.... every one of the I-94 bridges between Conner and I-96 are in bad shape and need replacing [[some are replaced already), which will continue until 2023, when the last of the bridges [[the railroad bridges) are replaced. They are being widened for an eventual 4th lane, but the true I-94 expansion won't happen until 2024 and beyond.

**DeLemur** · November-22-19, 01:50 PM

Originally Posted by Gistok

Um.... they are spending I-94 money on bridges.... every one of the I-94 bridges between Conner and I-96 are in bad shape and need replacing [[some are replaced already), which will continue until 2023, when the last of the bridges [[the railroad bridges) are replaced. They are being widened for an eventual 4th lane, but the true I-94 expansion won't happen until 2024 and beyond.

Gistok and Richard,

What's the percentage cost of the freeway widening part of the I- 94 project? I didn't realize they were replacing every bridge.

[[thread hijack)