Martha Reeves wants tax break

[Just Amazed]

Reeves seeks tax break for housing project

Ex-councilwoman to ask for tax break for $1.3M neighborhood

Christine MacDonald / The Detroit News

Detroit -- Martha Reeves has gone from Motown diva to politician and now may add housing developer to her resume.
She's partnering with a Highland Park businessman on a $1.3 million project -- called "Martha Reeves Estates" -- and first pushed for a tax break for the plan while she was a City Council member in 2008. She put the request aside after her colleagues raised questions about the deal to build 13 homes and rehab 20 others.
"I was told it was something she was pushing when she was here before," said Councilwoman Saunteel Jenkins, who was elected this year and whose committee will hold a hearing next week on the tax break. "Some of her colleagues pushed back and [[Reeves and the developer) dropped it."

But a month before Reeves left City Hall in 2009, Reeves and developer Rogers Carter again pursued the Neighborhood Enterprise Zone tax break from city officials for the project on McDougall Street at the Davison Freeway in Detroit.

In a letter to an official with the Planning & Development Department, Reeves asked to meet to discuss the tax break application after the Nov. 20, 2009, council meeting, noting her term ended in December.
Reeves owns one vacant lot within the project's boundaries, at 13151 McDougall, and said Tuesday she is trying to do something good for the neighborhood. She also said she owns 18 lots in the area.
"I feel like I am being a good investor in the city of Detroit. The development is an act of God," Reeves said. "It is a favor for being a good investor in the city of Detroit.
"A lot of people appreciate me for the work I do."
When asked whether she should have pushed the project as a councilwoman, she said: "I haven't got any tax break."
A public hearing on the tax break, which needs council approval, will be held July 1.
[[rest of article)

From The Detroit News: http://detnews.com/article/20100623/...#ixzz0rg5k0kOx

**************************************************How in the world did she acquire 18 lots in this area???????
And really who is going to pay $150,000 for a house in Highland Park when the surrounding houses go for $30,000.

[kraig]

Reeves seeks tax break for housing project

Ex-councilwoman to ask for tax break for $1.3M neighborhood

Christine MacDonald / The Detroit News

Detroit -- Martha Reeves has gone from Motown diva to politician and now may add housing developer to her resume.
She's partnering with a Highland Park businessman on a $1.3 million project -- called "Martha Reeves Estates" -- and first pushed for a tax break for the plan while she was a City Council member in 2008. She put the request aside after her colleagues raised questions about the deal to build 13 homes and rehab 20 others.
"I was told it was something she was pushing when she was here before," said Councilwoman Saunteel Jenkins, who was elected this year and whose committee will hold a hearing next week on the tax break. "Some of her colleagues pushed back and [[Reeves and the developer) dropped it."

But a month before Reeves left City Hall in 2009, Reeves and developer Rogers Carter again pursued the Neighborhood Enterprise Zone tax break from city officials for the project on McDougall Street at the Davison Freeway in Detroit.

In a letter to an official with the Planning & Development Department, Reeves asked to meet to discuss the tax break application after the Nov. 20, 2009, council meeting, noting her term ended in December.

Reeves owns one vacant lot within the project's boundaries, at 13151 McDougall, and said Tuesday she is trying to do something good for the neighborhood. She also said she owns 18 lots in the area.
"I feel like I am being a good investor in the city of Detroit. The development is an act of God," Reeves said. "It is a favor for being a good investor in the city of Detroit.
"A lot of people appreciate me for the work I do."
When asked whether she should have pushed the project as a councilwoman, she said: "I haven't got any tax break."
A public hearing on the tax break, which needs council approval, will be held July 1.
[[rest of article)

From The Detroit News: http://detnews.com/article/20100623/...#ixzz0rg5k0kOx

**************************************************How in the world did she acquire 18 lots in this area???????

And really who is going to pay $150,000 for a house in Highland Park when the surrounding houses go for $30,000.

She's a private citizen now. If she can pull it off, more power to her. I'm with you on the price. Even though the project will be in Detroit and not Highland Park I still don't see many people paying that much, especially in this economy.

[daddeeo]

Sounds like she feels "entitled."
If it is an act of God, then have him help you out.
What is it with these city leaders that whenever they get in a
jam or want something they have to bring God into the equation?
As it was, she felt being a council person was a part time job.
Enough with the special favors.

[ghettopalmetto]

...and the Lord Jesus sayeth:

"Thou shalt soakesteth thy most gullible neighbors for every public dollar possible, without fear of ridicule. For it is the ridiculers who be keeping thy black ass down in the name of Satan. In the eyes of the Lord God, dollars both virtuous and nonvirtuous are equally acceptable to the bank for constructing half-asseth slums to house the prostituteth and cracketh headeth in my Father's name."

Accountants 4:15

[esp1986]

Sounds like she feels "entitled."
If it is an act of God, then have him help you out.
What is it with these city leaders that whenever they get in a
jam or want something they have to bring God into the equation?
As it was, she felt being a council person was a part time job.
Enough with the special favors.

What are you talking about... they're all "entitled"...

Go ahead, give her the tax break... make it incremental based on homes sold... so when they don't sell any houses, nobody's out any money but the "developers."

[Hamtragedy]

I will drive by 13151 McDougall tomorrow and let everyone know whethter or not the grass is cut.

By the way, she was cited for blight violations on several properties she owned during her council tenure, and essentially made the excuse that she had so many properties, she didn't know where they all were.

[maxx]

Sounds like she feels "entitled."
If it is an act of God, then have him help you out.
What is it with these city leaders that whenever they get in a
jam or want something they have to bring God into the equation?
As it was, she felt being a council person was a part time job.
Enough with the special favors.

Maybe she's going to take up a collection.

[Mkap]

I hear, if you vote Republican, everyone can get a tax break [[reduction) and, add jobs to the local community by employer investment. I say that's better than giving one individual construction company a tax break, for a few months, even if it is " ...an act of God'.

[Bearinabox]

I hear, if you vote Republican, everyone can get a tax break [[reduction) and, add jobs to the local community by employer investment.

You really shouldn't believe everything you hear.

[DetroiterOnTheWestCoast]

Something is odd with the numbers quoted. It is a $1,300,000 project to build 13 houses and renovate 20. How could one do all of that for that amount? And if you could, the new houses would have to be constructed for way less than $100,000 each.

[Detroitnerd]

Something is odd with the numbers quoted. It is a $1,300,000 project to build 13 houses and renovate 20. How could one do all of that for that amount? And if you could, the new houses would have to be constructed for way less than $100,000 each.

Simple. Look at the last "development" project out Highland Park way.

http://www.clickondetroit.com/news/17203057/detail.html

[ghettopalmetto]

Something is odd with the numbers quoted. It is a $1,300,000 project to build 13 houses and renovate 20. How could one do all of that for that amount? And if you could, the new houses would have to be constructed for way less than $100,000 each.

If she already owns the properties, it's not as expensive as one might think, especially if the new houses use a simple framing plan and don't require high-end finishes.

On the "renovation" side, she might be talking about work as simple as new paint.

[Mkap]

You really shouldn't believe everything you hear.

Maybe I shouldn't, but it beats just giving the tax breaks to the rich, or 'free' social programs to the second, third, forth generation welfare poor. They both seem to want more than their fair share. And either way we pay. I'll stick to my vote until there is a viable middle ground alternative.

[Bearinabox]

Maybe I shouldn't, but it beats just giving the tax breaks to the rich, or 'free' social programs to the second, third, forth generation welfare poor. They both seem to want more than their fair share. And either way we pay. I'll stick to my vote until there is a viable middle ground alternative.

If that's what you see in the Republican platform, I'm not sure what to say to you. It's hard to debate policy with someone who resides in an alternate universe.

[Mkap]

If that's what you see in the Republican platform, I'm not sure what to say to you. It's hard to debate policy with someone who resides in an alternate universe.

Ingest what was written, not what you think was written. I didn't say I liked it. I just inferred there is no alternative... yet.

I still say cut the taxes for all 'tax payers'. I'm sorry you don't agree. Now, what about that, don't you like?? Unless, of course, you don't pay any, and are on one of those forth or fifth generation welfare tickets. Then I suppose I get where your'e coming from. Somethin' for nothin' kinda ursidaeinabox.

[fanniemae]

I doubt these houses will ever be built. 3 will be started, half finished, then the money will disappear and so will the developer .

[Mkap]

I doubt these houses will ever be built. 3 will be started, half finished, then the money will disappear and so will the developer .

Only to open a new business and start all over again. I've worked with my share of those. I'll take the tax reductions for all. Thank you very much!

[Zacha341]

That would NOT be the strangest or most unusual outcome......

I doubt these houses will ever be built. 3 will be started, half finished, then the money will disappear and so will the developer .

[Detroit500]

Update... From DetNEWS.COM:

Reeves isn't Partner in "Martha Reeves Estates"

Darren A. Nichols / The Detroit News
Detroit -- The developer of the "Martha Reeves Estates" insisted this morning he's not partnering with the Motown legend on a $1.3 million housing project.
Rogers James Carter, a Highland Park businessman who appeared at a public hearing pushing for a tax break on the project, claims he just used her name because Reeves supported the project and helped him get through the city's bureaucracy. Carter said he didn't have "the political skills" to get the deal done on the development he's been working on since 2003.
"I came to Martha Reeves' office and explained to her my problems, and she [[gave) her support," Carter said. "She was supporting me in getting that project done because I was having such difficulty with the planning and development department."
The assertion was met with some skepticism.
Reeves owns one vacant lot within the project's boundaries, at 13151 McDougall, and another 18 lots in the area. She has told The Detroit News she is trying to do something good for the neighborhood.


From The Detroit News


So now she has nothing to do with it? Except the name...

[Ed Golick]

Reeves had her chance to do something good for the neighborhood when she was on the city council- and blew it.

[fanniemae]

Obvious the developer was trying to flatter old Martha to get her influence. She was too dumb to realize it. This guy wanted financing from the council for the whole thing, property and all it sounds like. The council figured it out.

[Detroit500]

Today's Freep had a version of this story which mentioned the fact the developer doesn't even own all the properties he wanted the tax break to develop.

[fanniemae]

4 years ago they might have gotten away with all this crap.

[Hamtragedy]

Half of her vacant lot is cut. It appears the neighbor to the south is doing a regular job of mowing the grass, and appears as though he gets the half closest to his house. It's about knee high on the uncut, northern half. The lots adjacent to the north are chest high.