Bing Announces Police Incentives - A house for under $1,000

[jtf1972]

Sounds pretty good... other than it seems to be a huge slap in the face to any officer who decided that he/she wanted to stay in Detroit in the first place. You felt like abandoning the city that you work for? Here's an incentive to come back! You felt loyalty to the city? F*ck you. Shoulda turned your back on us when you had the chance.

[DetroitPlanner]

The article states East English Village, not Indian Village.

That is NOT what the original story said. The story has changed.

[Rocko]

From The Detroit News, "the Home Newspaper":

February 07. 2011 3:17PM Bing to cops: Move to city, get $1,000 home, fix-it funds

Leonard N. Fleming / The Detroit News

Detroit — Mayor Dave Bing today announced an unprecedented program to entice police officers to move back into the city by offering ownership of 200 tax-foreclosed homes in two of the city's most stable neighborhoods.

Flanked by top police brass and administration officials, Bing helped detail the program called "Project 14" in which foreclosed homes will be available in the East English Village and Boston-Edison neighborhoods. The program name alludes to police code for "back to normal."

Officers will pay up to $1,000 for the houses and receive up to $150,000 in federal grants to rehab them. City officials said the homes are in good shape for abandoned properties but need some work.

The mayor said that police officers "living in their neighborhoods have the potential to deter crime, increase public safety and improve relations between the community and our sworn officers."

"Detroiters want to live in safe, stable neighborhoods and they deserve no less," Bing said. "This is just step one of many things that we think we're going to have to involve ourselves in as we bring our city back. We hope it's a model for the nation."

As more homes have become vacant and crime has been a nagging problem in the city for decades, Bing said this incentive program is critical to bringing people back. The city has lost half its population since it reached a peak of about 1.8 million in 1950. More left after the state Legislature banned municipal residency ordinances in 1999 requiring workers to live in cities that employ them.

The program is centered on the two neighborhoods, but the city also could offer houses in other ones, depending on officers' needs, city officials said.

The mayor said the program would eventually be opened up to include firefighters and then provide some financial relief to officers who chose to never leave the city once more federal dollars are secured.

The city is partnering with the Detroit Land Bank Authority, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, Michigan State Housing and Urban Development Authority, the Michigan Housing Trust and other private interests.
City officials did not reveal more specifics as to how many officers are interested or what other neighborhoods are being considered as part of the program.

Police Chief Ralph Godbee predicted the program would be a success.

"Our residents have told us loud and clear about the challenges that their neighborhoods face as more homes have become vacant and abandoned, threatening the stability and safety of our community," Godbee said. "What we're looking for is moving back to some normalcy in police-community relations."

At least 53 percent of the city's 3,000 police officers in Detroit live in the suburbs and the numbers are even higher for firefighters, the mayor said.

One of those is police officer William Booker-Riggs, 37, who lives in Southfield but is now eying a move back to the city as part of the program. He's a single father of an 11-year-old girl who, in part, left 9 months ago for better opportunities for her.

Councilman Kenneth Cockrel Jr. said he "applauds the mayor's vision" and believes the incentive program is a "step in the right direction" to turning around Detroit.

"I support anything that can be used as a way to get people to come back to the city," Cockrel said. "I do think that we can't lose sight of the fact that the ultimate incentive to get people to come to Detroit and to stay in Detroit is to fix a lot of the issues that are wrong with the city. It's to improve public safety, it's to have streetlights which work and are on, it's to have streets which are clean and safe."

The city is using $30 million in federal Neighborhood Stabilization Funds to pay for the program. It includes safeguards that would require police to repay money for the house if they sell it to someone other than a police officer.

lfleming@detnews.com

From The Detroit News: http://detnews.com/article/20110207/...#ixzz1DL6yOmDU

[hamtown mike]

If I had no mortgage I would gladly pay 12-20 k in taxes to live in a 7 bed 4 bath home any day of the week.

[DetroitPlanner]

If I had no mortgage I would gladly pay 12-20 k in taxes to live in a 7 bed 4 bath home any day of the week.

Ahh but taxes is just the begining. How much does it cost to maintain, provide utilities, and insure such a house? A few years ago I was able to get a tear-off and 40 year shingles on my bungalow for $3,000. Houses like these figure $10,000 minimum at that time.

[BrushStart]

To all of the public safety officials out there, welcome back. We've missed you.

[DetroiterOnTheWestCoast]

That News article was a lot more informative, and there is a video too if you click through the link. It is interesting that there are a number of entities that are a part of this initiative - not just the city. That seems to me to make it more likely to have some success.

I am really anxious to see any of the houses that they are actually talking about!

[BrushStart]

Dave Bing was interviewed on CNN and CNBC this afternoon. He said that there are already 70-80 police officers signed up! Hopefully, this will inspire others. They're launching this project with 200 homes, and I'd like to see them add 200 more by end of 2012. He said the homes will be renovated and ready for move-in this summer [[3-6 months).

[SWMAP]

I do hope this project succeeds [[although I spend my own money to renovate my SW Detroit home and it hurts), but the Mayor's statement [[if correct) that there are already 70-80 officers "signed up" dismays me. It isn't possible and it smacks of spin. This program will work or it won't. No need to spin it.
Maybe 70-80 police officers asked for information. That is possible. And how many of those have credit problems that might rule them out? And how many of those will be frustrated by the bureaucracy and bow out?I can't see anyone selling another house somewhere in this market to get in, so the pool has to be renters or people living with Mom. How many of that pool of candidates will step up within six months?

What are the measurables for this? how many homes have to actually sold to actual police officers before the project is a success? And will the measurables and the actuals be public record somewhere? Like, will the results of this first effort be made available by end of year.

After all we have been through, its just hard not to be cynical.

[BrushStart]

I do hope this project succeeds [[although I spend my own money to renovate my SW Detroit home and it hurts), but the Mayor's statement [[if correct) that there are already 70-80 officers "signed up" dismays me. It isn't possible and it smacks of spin. This program will work or it won't. No need to spin it.
Maybe 70-80 police officers asked for information. That is possible. And how many of those have credit problems that might rule them out? And how many of those will be frustrated by the bureaucracy and bow out?I can't see anyone selling another house somewhere in this market to get in, so the pool has to be renters or people living with Mom. How many of that pool of candidates will step up within six months?

What are the measurables for this? how many homes have to actually sold to actual police officers before the project is a success? And will the measurables and the actuals be public record somewhere? Like, will the results of this first effort be made available by end of year.

After all we have been through, its just hard not to be cynical.

Maybe it was me who inadvertently put the spin on it by lazily saying "signed up." I don't remember the mayor's exact words, but he said something like "We already have 70-80 officers interested in taking advantage of the incentives." So, are they fully committed in writing yet? I don't know. But, it is a good sign.

I don't think it is unrealistic for people to take advantage of this. You're getting a superb home, fully renovated, at no cost to you in one of Detroit's nicest neighborhoods for $1,000. I'd jump all over that opportunity. Sure, the taxes are high but subtract your current bloated mortgage payment, the property taxes you're already paying, and the cost of gas you spend on commuting and it balances out. Plus, you get access to everything else in the city, i.e. museums, libraries, Belle Isle, Riverwalk, Campus Martius, etc. All that for $1,000. That's unbeatable, IMO.

[SWMAP]

The taxes are high; the schools are the worst in the nation; the city services are pretty bad, etc. The lights have been out on Junction Ave from Lafayette to Michigan Ave. for months. Pitch dark, it is. Yet call the PLD and they [[the second in command!) express surprise an indicate that I am the first caller [[hardly!) and say the will "get right on it." Couple this with lights out on West Grand Blvd and you can verifyably say that city services are poorly-delivered. So you get nothing in return for your high taxes [[mine are low because I have owned my house since pre-Headlee).

Only the singles will do it.

[thnk2mch]

The houses will have mortgages. And, of course monthly payments.


From the Freep:

Officers interested in buying homes through the program — called Project 14 — would have a required cash investment of $1,000 and would also have mortgage payments, according to a fact sheet on the initiative released today.

The monthly housing payment, which includes the principal, interest, taxes and insurance, will likely range between $500 and $1,000, depending on the size of the home and the mortgage amount, according to Bing’s staff.


http://www.freep.com/article/2011020...text|FRONTPAGE

[BrushStart]

The taxes are high; the schools are the worst in the nation; the city services are pretty bad, etc. The lights have been out on Junction Ave from Lafayette to Michigan Ave. for months. Pitch dark, it is. Yet call the PLD and they [[the second in command!) express surprise an indicate that I am the first caller [[hardly!) and say the will "get right on it." Couple this with lights out on West Grand Blvd and you can verifyably say that city services are poorly-delivered. So you get nothing in return for your high taxes [[mine are low because I have owned my house since pre-Headlee).

Only the singles will do it.

Well, the whole idea is to get the people who deliver the services to live in the city, thus improving the delivery of city services. So, you can keep walking in circles about it, but something has to be done. Public safety officials moving into the city will make other people more likely to stay and cause new people to feel more comfortable moving to the city. If it snowballs, you have more people, more tax revenue, and consequently better services. it's one piece of a big puzzle of putting Detroit back together.

[SWMAP]

Dear BrushStart: if the public lighting people lived in the city the lights wouldn't be on any sooner or more often. The issues are money [[correct budgeting and spending) and competant delivery. Officers living in the city won't guarantee that police department is funded better or led more competantly.

[SWMAP]

And don't say that the few hundred thousands that the 200 officers [[goal) will pay in taxes will turn the tide against absolute incompetance and thievery. The same people who are stealing from the detroit public schools have their grasps on the City as well.

[LeannaM]

They showed this on CNN today. They said that cops that already own a home in the city may be able to get some stimulus funds for rehabilitation on their own homes, but only the ones who buy a house from this plan will get the $150,000 to rehab it.

[Rocko]

The taxes are high; the schools are the worst in the nation; the city services are pretty bad, etc. The lights have been out on Junction Ave from Lafayette to Michigan Ave. for months. Pitch dark, it is. Yet call the PLD and they [[the second in command!) express surprise an indicate that I am the first caller [[hardly!) and say the will "get right on it."

Those lights have been out since the fall on Junction. I've called several times about them since November. I was connected to someone at Public Lighting once and was told they have the whole circuit turned off while they replace the internal hardware in every since lamp post on this stretch, since much of it was stolen, or cobbled together. No surprise there. I just hope they hurry up and get them on soon. Junction at Vernor in front of Holy Redeemer is completely dark. Nevermind all the elementary and high school kids who come here weekdays, all the various weekday and weekend masses, DDOT bus transfer, etc. I fully intend to keep calling about that and harrassing someone until the lights come back on. [[It'd also be nice to have them put up a new pole where someone demolished the one right at the corner of Junction and Vernor in the SW quadrant.....probably too much to ask though.)

As for East English Village, isn't this an NSP2 target area? How can they use NSP money in Boston Edison if that's not a target area?

[SWMAP]

Well, once I saw some crews that looked like they had something to do with lighting. There were three trucks in front of Holy Redeemer. But nothing at all before or since on the stretch in question. Work must be going very slowly.
Nice to meet you, rock. We must be neighbors.

[begingri]

Bing releases more details in police residency program
Firefighters may be included later


http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/a...=2011110208049

[Zacha341]

You are right about the increased deterioration of the area getting closer and closer to Boston-Edison. The decline has been swift over just the last nine-months. Parts of Blain and Philadelphia, are just squatters village or bombed out burnt out houses, some occupied by druggies and what all known as 'trap houses'...

Not Indian Village, East English Village. "Near" Boston-Edison is a total fucking war zone, you'd need a lot more incentive than a $1000 house to convince any middle class person in their right mind to move there.

[SWMAP]

Update on Project 14 from Charlie LeDuff on July 28, 2011:

But you might remember that Bing tried the same thing with another grand proclamation back in February. Known as Project 14, the city set aside $30 million in federal money to encourage police officers to move back to the city. The incentives are generous: $25,000 for a down payment, up to $150,000 on renovations and the possibility of loan forgiveness. Many of the city owned properties are in places like Boston Edison.

So how many cops have moved back to date?

Zero.

As one cop told me: “It’s too dangerous.”

If a cop feels that way, what does it tell you about the true state of the city? I reported a month ago that Detroit’s murder rate is spiraling out of control. As Chief Ralph Godbee tried to put a happy face on the problem this week by telling reporters that overall serious crime is actually down, my colleague Taryn Asher reported that a 21-year-old man who was plugged in the head at an east side gas station.

The new fire commissioner tells me he’s never seen a department so depleted and demoralized. On some nights we’re running just 14 ambulances – less than Cleveland a city half the size of Detroit. Sometimes fire trucks are replaced with pickup trucks because nobody downtown seems competent enough to fix the rigs.

Public Safety should be the mayor's blueprint. Because without a plan for safe streets, we’re just building on mud.

[Crumbled_pavement]

Update on Project 14 from Charlie LeDuff on July 28, 2011:

But you might remember that Bing tried the same thing with another grand proclamation back in February. Known as Project 14, the city set aside $30 million in federal money to encourage police officers to move back to the city. The incentives are generous: $25,000 for a down payment, up to $150,000 on renovations and the possibility of loan forgiveness. Many of the city owned properties are in places like Boston Edison.

So how many cops have moved back to date?

Zero.

As one cop told me: “It’s too dangerous.”

If a cop feels that way, what does it tell you about the true state of the city? I reported a month ago that Detroit’s murder rate is spiraling out of control. As Chief Ralph Godbee tried to put a happy face on the problem this week by telling reporters that overall serious crime is actually down, my colleague Taryn Asher reported that a 21-year-old man who was plugged in the head at an east side gas station.

The new fire commissioner tells me he’s never seen a department so depleted and demoralized. On some nights we’re running just 14 ambulances – less than Cleveland a city half the size of Detroit. Sometimes fire trucks are replaced with pickup trucks because nobody downtown seems competent enough to fix the rigs.

Public Safety should be the mayor's blueprint. Because without a plan for safe streets, we’re just building on mud.

But we're getting a Whole Foods downtown in 2013. This is a minor challenge.

[Flintoid]

Charlie Leduff is a joke. The man is an example of yellow journalism and only does stories to scare people into tuning in. He cares nothing for true impartiality and will do anything to get alot of viewers. Its not surprising that he went from working for the NY Times to Fox 2 here. What a fall in the journalistic world. This man is a joke and no one should take his reporting seriously. These may all be facts, but Leduff will always pick and choose what he reports. He is a shock journalist, no more.

[SWMAP]

So , you don't like his style. But he may be reporting the facts. Just some of the facts, you say. And isn't the Mayor and isn't the Chief reporting just "some of the facts" - the facts they like? So, isn't LeDuff doing the public a journalistic service by providing the additional facts? After all, everyone shouldn't be Rochelle Riley, don't you agree?