Detroit City Council Meeting: November 14, 2025

The Detroit City Council convened on November 14, 2025, to consider a comprehensive agenda of budget approvals, contract amendments, ordinance readings, and community service resolutions. The session featured significant debate regarding the timing and community engagement surrounding a bundle of zoning amendments, resulting in the postponement of the primary zoning ordinance and the adaptive reuse ordinance to allow for further public education. Several contracts related to homelessness, housing revitalization, and legal representation were amended, with specific line items postponed pending corrections and reporting. The meeting concluded with the approval of a new council calendar and the ratification of a Citizen Neighborhood Blight Patrol ordinance.

Consent Calendar

• Line Items 18.1, 18.2, 18.3, 18.4, 19.14-19.36, 19.38-19.40, 19.41, 20.1-20.4, 21.15-21.21, 21.22-21.25 (minus 21.23, 21.25), 22.2-22.28, 22.29-22.35: Approved with attached waivers for processing speed or procedural requirements. These items included contract amendments for legal services (Miller Canfield, Hodgson Russ, etc.), expanding the Bagley neighborhood enterprise zone, approving neighborhood enterprise zone certificates for 96 condominium units, and various housing and development grants.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Councilmember Waters: Expressed strong opposition to the speed of the zoning ordinance package (Line Item 21.1), stating it was disrespectful to communities (University District, Boston Edison, Indian Village, etc.) who are calling to slow down due to confusion and fear of unknown impacts on neighborhood fabric and property taxes.
• Councilmember Callaway: Voiced concerns from District 2 residents (Palmer Woods, Sherwood Forest) regarding mini-golf courses in residential areas without neighborhood petitions and potential liquor license violations regarding brew pubs.
• Councilmember Santiago Romero: Expressed support for the intent of the zoning changes but strong opposition to the rushed process, arguing it confused the public and failed to provide adequate time for understanding before decisions were made.
• Councilmember Young: Expressed support for the need to address poverty and housing rapidly (noting a rise from 31% to 34%), acknowledging that while community engagement is vital, the urgency of the economic situation requires immediate action.
• Councilmember Durhall: Defended the administration's and Planning Commission's efforts, citing over 28 community meetings for the previous ordinance and arguing that the city must modernize to avoid falling behind, though acknowledging the need for better communication.

Discussion Items

• Zoning Ordinance (Line Item 21.1 - Sixth General Text Amendment):

  • Discussion: Intense debate occurred regarding a bundle of zoning amendments. Councilmembers Benson, Callaway, Santiago Romero, and Waters moved to remove (postpone) the item to the new calendar year to allow for better community education and to "unbundle" the issues.
  • Positions: Councilmembers Benson, Callaway, Santiago Romero, and Waters opposed moving the ordinance forward in its current bundled form, citing confusion among residents and a lack of buy-in. Councilmembers Durhall and Young argued the ordinances were beneficial and necessary for economic growth, though Young acknowledged the need for better process.
  • Outcome: The Council voted to remove Line Item 21.1 from the agenda to be reconsidered in January, with Director Todd (Planning Commission) confirming that the items remain viable for a 120-day period.

• Adaptive Use Ordinance (Line Item 21.2):

  • Discussion: Following the removal of the main zoning bundle, this specific ordinance to allow institutional buildings (schools, churches) to be adaptively reused was discussed. Councilmember Callaway and Waters raised concerns about bundling and the lack of clarity regarding potential impacts (parking, noise, non-housing uses).
  • Positions: Councilmembers Durhall and Young expressed support for the ordinance to revitalize vacant properties, while Callaway and Waters requested more time to educate the public and ensure the process was unbundled.
  • Outcome: The Council voted to postpone the vote on Line Item 21.2 for one week to the next formal session.

• Homelessness and Housing Contracts (Line Items 21.3 - 21.14):

  • Line Item 21.8: Councilmember Durhall requested a postponement to correct a discrepancy between the reported number of beds (220 vs. 185) in the contract text.
  • Line Item 21.12 (Affordable Housing Website): Councilmembers Benson, Callaway, Santiago Romero, and Waters raised concerns about the website's utility, cost ($200,000 increase), and lack of data usage. Councilmember Callaway called the website "lackluster" and noted that desperate residents prefer phone calls over websites. The vote was postponed to obtain a performance report by the next session.
  • Line Item 21.13 (Jefferson Chalmers): Postponed pending further specificity from the community regarding resident concerns.
  • Line Item 21.9: Postponed at the request of Councilmember Callaway to receive a report on the work performed by the contractor for the hotline.
  • Positions: Councilmember Waters argued funds should be directed to services rather than an underutilized website. Councilmember Benson questioned the necessity of short-term extensions without clear long-term plans.

• Property Acquisitions (Line Items 21.22 - 21.29):

  • Line Item 21.23: Postponed at the request of Councilmember Callaway to investigate potential debts owed to the City by DPSCD for prior demolitions and to clarify the city's plans for the property at 352 4th Street.
  • Line Item 21.25: Postponed at the request of Councilmember Callaway to contact the owners (Adjacent LLC) regarding their plans for the property at 3239 Puritan Street.

• Citizen Neighborhood Blight Patrol (Line Item 22.1):

  • Discussion: An ordinance to establish a "Citizen Neighborhood Blight Patrol" modeled after the existing Citizens Radio Patrol was discussed. The discussion clarified the scope of the patrol.
  • Positions: Councilmember Santiago Romero requested a motion to be made for LPD to report on municipal solutions to eliminate blight, expressing skepticism that reporting alone solves the issue. Councilmember Callaway supported the ordinance, noting it was driven by residents in District 1 and 2. Councilmembers Young and Anderson confirmed the role was strictly "observe and report" with no interaction, law enforcement powers, or firearm carrying.
  • Outcome: The ordinance was approved; a separate motion to request LPD blight elimination solutions was also passed.

• Detroit Land Bank MOU (Line Item 21.30):

  • Discussion: Moved to the end of the agenda to allow for the attendance of a Land Bank representative to answer questions regarding Community Land Trust (CLT) discounts compared to current community partner provisions.
  • Outcome: After the Land Bank CEO (Director Daniels) confirmed CLT discounts match those for current partners, the motion to approve was made. Councilmember Waters noted one objection but the motion passed.

Key Outcomes

• Zoning Postponements: Line Item 21.1 (Zoning Bundle) was removed from the agenda. Line Item 21.2 (Adaptive Use) was postponed one week.
• Contract Adjustments: Multiple contracts were approved, but Line Items 21.8, 21.9, 21.12, 21.13, 21.23, and 21.25 were postponed for corrections, data reporting, or further investigation.
• Blight Patrol Ordinance: Approved, establishing a program for residents to report blight without enforcement powers.
• Land Bank MOU: Approved after clarification that CLT discounts align with existing partner terms.
• 2026 Council Calendar: The revised 2026 Detroit City Council calendar was approved as a walk-on item.
• Teamsters Pay: Clarified that Teamsters will receive rate adjustments on the November 28th check and retroactive pay in the December 12th pay period.
• Flood Mitigation: Director Clifton confirmed no funds have been received for flood mitigation studies as council support was not provided; future legislative action is needed. Vote on 22.1 (Blight Patrol) passed with roll call.