Unwelcome Neighbors

[DetroitDad]

Yup, the culture of poverty is a the best way to put it. It is the same problem by the way in Europe or North America, plus or minus some of the extreme violence that exists in fairly circumscribed zip codes. Kids are exposed to behavior from the world of music and films that promotes violence and nihilism as a code to live by. All the posturing and bravado fairly complicates the process of elevation out of poverty. At a certain age, kids who havent been exposed to different codes will adopt what their parents and friends know to be right for them. You have the gangsta rapper and the death metal or punk attitudes that crossover black and white culture. You have the shame of poverty versus the acceptance of this poverty and the codes that go with it. So at one point, unless there is an effort to expose children to other stuff, and having them validate it for themselves; they may choose the static comfort of home values instead of the challenge of rigorous study, etc...

This, THIS is why we need truly cosmopolitan urban areas of mixed races, incomes, and value systems. This secular garbage that we have now is going to get us nowhere.

[canuck]

This, THIS is why we need truly cosmopolitan urban areas of mixed races, incomes, and value systems. This secular garbage that we have now is going to get us nowhere.

Yes, and you need to give people mobility, especially kids. They need to feel part of a greater area than a hood. I reminds that when I lived in HoMa an east end neighborhood in Montreal, some people who had grown up there and practically never left it. What happens is that folks become less curious about the bigger world, they are in fact suspicious of it, not welcome in it, naturally. This doesnt mean they should all want to become Art appraisers for Sotheby's or opera singers, but that at least they should be curious and, maybe touched by something other than lowslung sweatpants or rebel flag tattoos.

[Hamtragedy]

This is going to be a huge issue if Detroit's so-called "right-sizing" ever happens. It's the 900 pound gorilla in the room. As one civic leader put it, on the radio last week, when asked whether or not he was in favor of someone moving from one of those blocks with one beat up house left to his neighborhood, his reply was "absolutely not."

[upinnair]

I left Michigan in 1982 and only came back for visits. In the seventies I remember how Southfield and Oak Park were considered high class. Hell, even where I lived in N.W. Detroit was considered a good area. How things have changed. Sometimes I wonder why anyone even stays in Michigan.

[masterblaster]

Detroitnerd
My response was based on personal experience and knowledge of history. Both of which have proved to be true, that I walked away from the toilet bowl so my family could prosper and have a quality of life I/they deserve, not to stay in a situation that was a no win on my watch, you are however welcome to try I wish you luck.

You do understand that the only way Detroit will experience a true renaissance is if the good people that are left REMAIN IN THE CITY AND NOT FLEE! That is the only way Detroit will ever come back.

[mwilbert]

Certainly it would be preferable for people not to be fleeing, but it seems pretty clear that if people have to stay in Detroit against their own perceived interests in order for the city to revive, then the city isn't going to be revived. There aren't enough masochists and altruists in the world to populate Detroit.

[SWMAP]

You know Masterblaster, I think the city and county have to do better at making it possible for people to stay. Near my house are three buildings that seem to have sqatters in them. One house has a group of young black men who moved in on Sunday with garbage bags of belongings. Since this is a burned-out shell with boarded up window openings and records show that it belongs to the city of Detroit, I looked around for who to dall or write to yesterday and there is no one. Department of admisistrative hearings? Not likely. They now only take complaints from Buildings and safety. Buildings and Safety? No- it will take six months at least before they can address this property - if they care to.

This property is one block from Holy Redeemer Elementary School and on the corner of Junction & rogers if anyone cares to look it up. The front porch is being held up with 2X4's. Trouble waiting to happen on a street with no streetlights for miles. And this is just one of three. Across the street a squatter lives in 1490 Junction [[again with boarded-up windows) and also there is 1456 Junction [[ think now empty) but falling down and owned by the County. Wayne County has abandoned its Nuisance Abatement Program, so no help there.

So what do you think? Haow can a person who has only one life to live commit to such disarray and carelessness and blight and filth?

[masterblaster]

My people in Detroit just have such low standards. They come from dysfunctional families and they have dysfunctional lives. They seem to be cut-off from mainstream society, and they don't know how to live their lives like the mainstream. It's foreign to them. This is all they've known - blight, broken families, violence, getting over on people as the norm- This is normal to them.

To mwilbert, this city will not be revived. There is no purpose of a detroityes.com but to reminisce about the good ole' days.

[rencense]

and feline aids is the number one killer of domestic cats.............

[milt721]

Across the street a squatter lives in 1490 Junction [[again with boarded-up windows)

That's sad about 1490. When the google pic was taken, that appeared to be a reasonably kept house. There are flowers on the porch and a guy there who looks to be eating his lunch...

http://www.google.com/maps?f=q&sourc...,72.11,,0,4.34

[SWMAP]

It is foreclosed and bank-owned now. I am close to the very-old lady who lived there for 82 years until she sold it around 1998 to move in with relatives. She and I noticed that there was a For Sale sign for a very little while, but it is gone now. I imagine that the squatter who I see go in and out removed it.

[ordinary]

"Heck if I had no job I too would be up all hours getting loud and stupid. I too would not care about shoveling my walk or keeping my property up."

This makes me curious. Why? I might be partying a little more but I think I would be seriously searching for some kind of work.

[Det_ard]

It is foreclosed and bank-owned now. I am close to the very-old lady who lived there for 82 years until she sold it around 1998 to move in with relatives. She and I noticed that there was a For Sale sign for a very little while, but it is gone now. I imagine that the squatter who I see go in and out removed it.

According to public records, 1490 Junction is now owned by "NEW SEASONS COMMUNITY DEV CORP", effective 12/7/2010. 1456 is still in the name of the individual who bought it three years ago in the database I looked at, perhaps the records haven't been updated to show the county as owner?

[SWMAP]

Thanks, Det_ard.
Curious about 1456 Junction.
Wayne County property tax data-base shows taxes unpaid 2007 - 2009 and taxes due: $3,109. The owner listed there is Figueroa. The County takes aproperty after three years so I assume the County is the owner now.

As for 1490 Junction - good news about New Seasons Community Development Corp. I will look them up. The guy going in and out must be their guy and they just haven't removed the boards on the windows. I wonder what data-base you used for that. i used wayne County's property tax data-base and it does not show the new ownership - just a Sheriff's deed on April 4, 2010.

[SWMAP]

Uh Oh. New seasons Community Development Corporation some sort of shell with no assets and no income and no internet presence of its own. Only information is:
Contact info

c/o TANYA THOMPSON
19154 JAMES COUZENS FWY
DETROIT MI 48235-1931
Last update: 2009-12-01
NEW SEASONS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION Form 990 Data as of 2011-02-26


Tax Period: 2009-01-01 thru 2009-12-31
Under $25K? Yes
Terminated? No
Officer Contact Info
Tanya Thompson
28400 WESTBROOK CRT

FARMINGTON HILLS MI 48334 US

[Det_ard]

Website for New Seasons: http://newseasonscd.com/index.html
Maybe someone knows if they're legit or scammy.

I'm using the MLS Public Records Database. It pulls from County records. 1456 shows the owner as Figueroa, bought for $2K on a Quit Claim deed in 12/07.

[SWMAP]

I thought I had a minor talent for Googling - but you are better!

And now back to the regularly scheduled program/thread...

[rhythmc]

Their website does not do much to instill confidence.

[EASTSIDE CAT 67-83]

You do understand that the only way Detroit will experience a true renaissance is if the good people that are left REMAIN IN THE CITY AND NOT FLEE! That is the only way Detroit will ever come back.
My people in Detroit just have such low standards. They come from dysfunctional families and they have dysfunctional lives. They seem to be cut-off from mainstream society, and they don't know how to live their lives like the mainstream. It's foreign to them. This is all they've known - blight, broken families, violence, getting over on people as the norm- This is normal to them.

MasterBlaster
Dude you answered your own question, who would sacrifice their family for the good of a city that has lost it way.

[milt721]

If this Tanya Thompson person does live at the Farmington Hills address, she seems to enjoy blighted properties. Check out the place next door: http://www.google.com/maps?f=q&sourc...,83.42,,0,9.54

[Detroitnerd]

Now, I try as much as the next guy to help my neighbors when I can. But I think what we're missing here is that, in the old days, nice neighborhoods had a fair amount of conflict. You'd get out on your porch at night and yell at people to go to bed. You'd tell somebody they were driving like a dumbass. You'd tell somebody they parked wrong and that you were calling right then to ensure they got a ticket for it. All of this before calling the cops. Maybe that's something we've lost in the suburban anomie where "the authorities" take care of everything for you. Conflict is a good thing in small doses. I remember one time, when I lived in Dearborn, I pulled up into my driveway and listened to some loud music after a late-night shift. My neighbor ran out in his pajamas and screamed, "Turn that off! What's the matter with you? Are you drunk?" I never did that again. And he was pretty nice to me afterward, although a little fish-eyed toward me. Do people have the will to yell at dumbasses anymore? It ain't easy, but it's a lot easier than selling your house and leaving ...

[Fury13]

Do people have the will to yell at dumbasses anymore?

It's not a matter of not having the will; it's a matter of not wanting to get shot.

[Toolbox]

Now, I try as much as the next guy to help my neighbors when I can. But I think what we're missing here is that, in the old days, nice neighborhoods had a fair amount of conflict. You'd get out on your porch at night and yell at people to go to bed. You'd tell somebody they were driving like a dumbass. You'd tell somebody they parked wrong and that you were calling right then to ensure they got a ticket for it. All of this before calling the cops. Maybe that's something we've lost in the suburban anomie where "the authorities" take care of everything for you. Conflict is a good thing in small doses. I remember one time, when I lived in Dearborn, I pulled up into my driveway and listened to some loud music after a late-night shift. My neighbor ran out in his pajamas and screamed, "Turn that off! What's the matter with you? Are you drunk?" I never did that again. And he was pretty nice to me afterward, although a little fish-eyed toward me. Do people have the will to yell at dumbasses anymore? It ain't easy, but it's a lot easier than selling your house and leaving ...

You do that nowadays and your ass will wind up shot or have your house firebombed.

[masterblaster]

MasterBlaster
Dude you answered your own question, who would sacrifice their family for the good of a city that has lost it way.

So what do you do - just reminisce about the past and that's it. Just complain and accept the sad reality that Detroit will never come back. Ok.

These people can be reached. On my block in the Greenfield/Grand River area, there are teenage dudes that are stealing cars, breaking into abandoned houses, selling drugs out of them, having sex with girls in them. They are not graduating from high school. They come from messed up households. Like I said, it seems like they are cut off from the mainstream. But they are human beings. They are capable of doing great things. They need mentors. They need role models. They need good decent men to emulate, because their fathers are deadbeats. I seek to be that role model, even though I am not perfect or anything like that.

In addition, not all of Detroit is like this. I idiotically choose to live in the ghetto, but just up Grand River, there are Grandmont and Rosedale Park -just 2 of the several Detroit neighborhoods where the vast majority of people are good, caring, and responsible. If you really love the city, and want to see it prosper, then you can find a home in these neighborhoods. Not all of the public schools are bad either.

[skyl4rk]

When you move up to Snootytown, no matter what you do, they can smell a child of the ghetto. It has taken me many years to fool them and fit in.