Present Councilmember Gabriela Santiago Romero.

Present.

Council President Pro Tim.

Come A.

Young the second.

Here.

Madam Chair, you have a quorum present.

Thank you.

Having a quorum present, we are now in session.

Good morning, colleagues.

There was, um, just so you all know, there was an amendment that was made to the minutes.

I believe that the clerk has received it and updated the minutes.

Um, is there a motion?

On the minutes, there's a motion to approve the amended minutes.

Hearing no objections, that action shall be taken.

And we will move into general public comment.

If there is anyone joining us who'd like to make a public comment, please raise your hand.

Please raise your hand, whether you're joining us in person or virtually, public comment will be cut off at 10 05.

So you have one minute.

If you'd like to raise your hand for general public comment, please do so between now and 10 05.

We do have one hand raised in the committee of the whole.

Good morning, Miss Great.

Will you please set the clock for two minutes?

And how many callers do we currently have with their hand raised virtually?

Good morning, madam chair.

We have nine hands raised for virtual public comment.

Okay.

All right, we will get started with Mr.

Rue, who's here in the committee of the whole you can begin with your public comment.

Letitia.

Yes.

Uh you cheated in, you're TNN public official along with the President Pro Tem of the City Council over there, Coleman Young.

He cheated in, and you sitting to your left is a liar.

She's on the record line about reading the findings on the allegations of voter for by another Miss Citizen Report, which you didn't get on the night.

So I'm gonna say this people out of the case publicly.

I'm putting it out here publicly.

You didn't have it on the ninth.

How does she get it on the ninth?

She's a liar.

And that's what I'm saying.

Is it's I just asked you to stop calling people out of their name, please.

I'm telling the truth.

You can speak the truth without calling people out of their name.

Okay, so you're gonna stop my time, and then we're gonna talk about this because I what I said is the truth.

Now, what what's going on here in the city is the city is corrupt.

Janice Winfrey been cheating in elections for decades.

Decades, more years when she left from over with Jackie uh Cooper Curry over in the um city clerk's office.

She took the helm and been running with it.

Now I got all the evidence in the proof.

I got something on every last one of y'all council members.

Now I'm gonna bring it out.

I'm a resident over in District 6 now.

You know, in your district, and uh you know about District 4, one four four three three spring garden.

You ain't never went and looked at the house, but they stripped my house on some BS, and now I'm getting ready to turn it up to 2026.

And you're on deck, all y'all on deck, all y'all gotta go.

Y'all gotta get out of Nene's way, get some new people in, and then the little lady can get what she wants, asked for requested and deserved.

And my name is Mr.

Rue, and that's the truth.

All right, who's our first virtual caller?

Our first virtual caller is William M.

Davis.

William M.

Davis, you have two minutes for general public comment.

Uh good morning.

Can I be heard?

Good morning, yes.

Hopefully, all three of you young people are having an outstanding day.

Uh I I think that more needs to be done to inform people about what's going on with what's going on with uh the drainage fee and how the city historically, at least for the the time that Dugan was in the office, was picking winners and losers about how some people have to pay the full amount and some people don't.

I think it should be uh detailed audit of those funds that came in and what and what funds went out.

I think that the city of Detroit should renegotiate part of the deal with the Great Lakes Water Authority.

No way in the world should the city of Detroit be getting supposedly 50 million, but they have to pay a third of that.

And the city of Detroit should be having more control of what they are getting and should be getting a fair lease agreement with them that what they have now is not fair.

Uh and you know, because you can't have an entity that is worth 10 to 15 billion dollars, and he's only getting pocket change for it.

You know, so we could do a whole lot more with the resources we're supposed to own and and should be controlling.

Uh also I think that we need to make sure that the people of Detroit, the citizens of Detroit, and that the contractors and workers in Detroit are getting a return on our tax dollars.

Uh, far too many of our dollars are leaving our city.

You know, more of our tax dollars should be turning over in our city that can help generate more wealth for everybody.

I think that a better job could be done and what's going on in the city with our tax dollars and where it's going.

And of course, as always, the city of Detroit needs to do more to help the city of Detroit retirees because this whole so-called recovery has been on our backs, and we see it every single month.

Thank you.

Thank you.

And we do have a number of those questions queued up for budget hearings.

The next caller.

Our next caller is Cunningham.

Cunningham, you have two minutes for general public comment.

Cunningham.

Good morning.

Are you there?

313 444914.

313, 444, 9114.

313, 444, 9114.

That number was made so you can remember it.

That is my cash out.

That is my hotline number.

Contact me for prayer or encouragement.

Um on Facebook, you can put in 313, 444, 9114, and you will find me as well.

Uh I've been running through the hand warmers and the bus tickets like mad.

Um hand warmers, bus tickets needed, hand warmers, bus tickets.

It takes funds to buy those bus tickets.

Uh, I was homeless for 10 years, and I know to get a little reprieve or break, riding the bus back and forth or bus to bust the bus will keep you nice and warm.

Uh, and then you get back in the cold again.

So a four-hour bus pass is like gold.

Uh because I know literally being homeless, uh, those different ways of staying warm.

And also the main reason for the bus tickets in the hand warmers, which about 70% of the time are people waiting on the buses.

Detroit Department of Transportation is smart.

It's not on time, it's not convenient, and sometimes the bus doesn't even show up.

Uh, it is getting better, but the pressure shouldn't get off.

Um should go up because they've gotten a huge pay raise.

And uh, which is a good thing they deserve it, but things must get better.

I am Miss Chairwoman, thank you for all your support and help.

You are a blessing, and I thank you so much, everyone under the sound of my voice that has helped in the past.

Thank you.

The next caller.

Our next caller is Jadante Smith.

Jadante Smith, you have two minutes for general public comment.

Good morning, Mabby Hurt.

Good morning, yes.

Yeah, I was gonna say, um, no, I surprised you a little bit yesterday, Councilwoman uh Johnson, about producing the person who you thought I wouldn't be able to produce, probably or whatever.

Um, I think you need to look into Dr.

Tunisia Evans and that four years worth of back taxes on that church on uh Green Lawn Orange Lawn, 10531 Orange Lawn, regardless of if that church is in your district, you gave her a spirit of Detroit award along with everybody else on city council.

I think that that's a travesty to think that we're letting people go with 89,000 as a December 2025 and back taxes and giving the spirit of Detroit's awards and not doing any research on them into their background.

I like to say, I see how Cunningham gets everything he wants.

I like to ask for grand dollars.

I have a nonprofit.

If you want to help the community, help with grand dollars.

We don't need gloves with with with pointer fingers, like Colmy Young said and scarves.

We need affordable housing that people can afford.

We need jobs, we need mental health services.

We need actual accountability.

We need you guys to actually hold David Bill accountable and make sure that he is getting above 15% on the rental compliance.

We need to see the law department collect on that 1.5 billion dollars as evidenced by the Michigan Black Caucus Foundation saying that it's owed to us by um slum lords and landlords and speculators from the city of Detroit who don't pay their property taxes who don't pay into what we have to pay.

As a regular citizen of the city of Detroit, if I don't pay my property taxes, I lose my home, I don't get four years to get the lollygag and let my let a church sit and not do anything with it.

And the church in your district, Miss Latissa Johnson is behind on taxes as well.

So I don't know what kind of research you or your team is doing.

You said you have somebody from the law department.

She was brilliant.

I don't know what kind of research you guys are doing.

It's behind from 2024 tax is 140.

Losing a loved one is not an excuse to not pay taxes.

There are plenty of people who lose their loved ones and still lose their properties.

So I don't know what kind of deal we got, but Dr.

Kneezia Evans, she on the clock.

And so is everybody on city council.

Because if you do not vote the right way to not reappoint Conrad Mallet, we're gonna have a problem.

And I want to make sure the media knows about it.

And that's not a threat.

That's just saying that I'm gonna expose all the stuff that I know about you.

All right, thank you so much.

And just so you're aware, the county does allow for individuals as well as entities to get into a payment plan.

Um it does not exempt them from paying their taxes, but they can be on a payment plan.

And if they're not up to date, that is certainly something that I would encourage you to have a conversation with the county about.

The next caller.

Our next caller is Lamont iPhone.

Lamont's iPhone, you have two minutes for general public comment.

Good morning.

Uh first of all, that's uh very optimistic about a lot of things that should be coming or after these next four years with a few questions today.

We want to be true, one county.

You know, our children and streets are watching the boats alike.

So when we see our county commissioners and uh legislators driving debt is the shoes on Gucci Low for some nice houses, right?

Well, I'll buy some of those things, right?

I'm about with my old money, so I know the value price level.

But my question would be how can you guys afford all those things on the $70,000, $100,000 solid a year.

And so just uh with all the complaints with brother Cunningham have a lot of other things.

So not only do these people have nice things, right?

But they get to come down from the county and get rehired into city government to get some more money.

Right.

While cities are called up and complain about little basic social issues, right?

And you suppress the voice, you ridicule, you allow it to go on even if you don't stand up and say anything.

So as a community, those are the things that we watch and said, these are the questions that should be valid for even you all if you have some integrity.

How do my co-workers afford to have been three or four hundred thousand dollar houses?

Right.

When the news is where the county commissioners get 70,000 a year.

Well, I know what the city council did because I've been advocating for a grades for city council.

So don't cry, Mr.

Falter, but I never told you all to stop anything.

Or I did say it.

Be inclusive.

And if my words, if my business isn't enough to compel you all, there may be everybody else can see fact that y'all see.

Thank you.

And before we go to the next caller, I'd like to call the 1015 discussion to order and reason it to the call of the chair.

Who's our next caller?

Our next caller is Betty A.

Varner.

Betty A.

Verner, you have two minutes for general public comment.

Good morning to all within the sound of my voice.

This is Betty A.

Verner, president of the Soda Els World Black Association.

Um, I'm gonna make a request.

I received some information about a uh public uh meeting that's going to be next week.

I think it's either February 17th or 18th.

Uh, the Detroit uh water sewage department.

They're having this meeting.

It was a lot of information that uh was sent out, and it's gonna be vertically, and it's gonna be about uh the replacement of the main water lines, and they uh indicate different areas and approximate time it was starved, and about the um I guess I guess a grant of money that they're gonna be uh receiving.

And so I think this information is very important.

And I'm asking one of the council members or the staff or someone to get that information and give it out verb verbally so that more people will have the information.

Everybody don't have internet.

And so it would be very helpful.

So people will know what's going on, what the water department is doing, what's going to be happening in their neighborhood, and how the money is being spent.

Next, I want to say if you are uh in need of help, not eligible for Medicaid, please contact the Detroit Area Agency for the Aging at 313 446, 4444.

Again, 313 446, 4444, ask for the my choice waiver program.

M I choice waiver program.

You can earn up to 2900 a month and be eligible for Medic.

Thank you.

And Miss Sullivan, if you are on the line, if you can have someone queued up to share that information about the Detroit Water and Tourist Department, we would appreciate it.

The next caller.

Caller ending in 169.

You have two minutes for general public comment.

Can you guys hear me?

Yes.

Good morning.

Good morning.

Um, please, please.

Um, thank you for praying for uh for Cunningham.

Cunningham is the underdog.

The others are rich and powerful.

Help the underdog, even if even if you have to help him behind the scenes, God will bless it.

Here's a quote.

Always make a total effort, even when the odds are against you.

This quote is by Arnold Palmer.

Thank you for one time.

Thank you.

The next caller.

Our next caller is DLBA nuisance abatement program is illegal.

Caller, you have two minutes for general public comment.

Yes, good morning.

May I be heard?

Good morning, yes.

Okay, well, here I'm gonna do a public service announcement for people.

Um, first of all, there is a class action lawsuit about the land banks is having taken people's property and uh not paid them any compensation.

The nuisance abatement program violates the taking clause of the United States Constitution, Article 10, Section 2 of the Michigan Constitution.

It violates uh the Michigan Fast Track Land Bank Authority Act, uh MCL 124.754 section four, subsection eight, which states an authority shall not exercise the power of eminent domain or condemnation.

Uh it also violates the second and restated intergovernmental agreement and recitals B, which says they're only allowed to do what is authorized under the Act.

Member Waters, who is in the legislature when they passed this law has already told you this is not what they contemplated, and you counsel, not everybody here did it, uh cannot authorize the land bank to do what they're not authorized to do under state law.

And so also there that's puffing at best in the quarterly report to say that the land bank is transparent.

I had a meeting with Miss Tammy Daniels about a situation where the stories kept changing, and she's supposedly I was gonna get the whole story, but she refused to tell the whole story, and they just got abrupt and like this is the way it's gonna be.

Excuse me, he wasn't, he sent somebody from the law department.

And see, this is why you can't you should not appoint him because they violated Charter Section 9-405.

We you can't have redundancy and programs.

You can't take some people's property through eminent domains, some people through blank, and some people through BC, and some people didn't do anything to.

Thank you.

The next caller.

Caller, you have two minutes for general public comment.

Good morning.

May I be heard?

Good morning, yes.

Wow, I just want to comment on the meeting that I had Tuesday, and for those to call in thinking that I was prejudiced and so uh Santa District 6 uh chairperson, young lady.

I have all sorts of people in my family.

I have all sorts of friends.

I mean, from Germany to wherever, but to think that I'm prejudiced, I'm not saying it as a prejudice.

And I know I'm not the only one where have people have floods and they didn't come to their aims.

I'm speaking on how it was done, not prejudice.

So get the prejudice out of there.

Don't use yourself as no victim, young lady, because I'm not calling out nobody because the young man is with me.

You say you're sending out the wrong prejudice.

So I know it's a couple of people on city council that'd be talking about, oh she, you're prejudiced.

No, I'm not.

So I'm just talking about how it was done, how they rushed over to Southwest Detroit and how they took and they put people in hotels.

I don't care how many would.

It was is I'm I'm one person, but I know those other people in my area that have floods.

But did we get this sisters?

No.

So, like I said, the way Gary Brown did it was wrong.

Because like I said, again, y'all, I froze in my house for two years.

I had no heat, no hot water tank, pipes busted.

The whole nine yards.

You think I was made whole?

No, I was not.

So that's I'm just letting you know, Noah.

Ruby Riley is not prejudiced.

So whoever got that in that man, and how one of the other city council was Scott Benson had turned around and sent the email to some people in district three, but he didn't send it to all saying that oh what it is not this meeting, it's the last meeting.

I guess him and Tate was correcting people on prejudice and stuff.

Hey, people don't have to be prejudiced, they just talking about how stuff is done.

I'm not stupid, and a lot of other people are not stupid.

I needed help.

Did I get it?

No, I did not.

Did other people get it?

No, we did not.

I want to be made whole from DWSD.

All right, thank you.

The next caller, Madam Chair, our last caller is call in user one.

Call in user one.

You have two minutes for general public comment.

Good morning.

Um council member Johnson, whenever trying to reach your office, it's been a voicemail um with some lady might be your assistant.

I've been trying to get all council involved because still on the north side of the street and south side at Lynnwood and West Grand, they have not shoveled that walkway so that the children can get to the bus stop without falling.

When you get on the north side of the street off of uh West Grand Boulevard in Linwood, where the dexterity would be going towards the Myers, which is northbound.

That side has not been shoveled.

I sent an enormous amount of pictures, and Mr.

Darion has not yet to make sure all of it is shoveled.

A portion was done, the bus stop is not done.

And you had made a comment that your uh office had been reaching out and I'm giving you follow-up.

I always follow up with pictures and videos.

This is the month, as you know, that Tatiana Williams children would have died, and nobody helped her, but they was helping those uh foreign nations and giving them hotels and paying their taxes.

That's not fair to our 88% majority black city.

And anybody don't like it, get out.

Plain and simple.

We would like for you to help the children of Northwestern High School so they can walk to school and not have to flip and fall.

And we have videos to show that.

I never complain that I can't back it up beyond a hundred percent.

Please let me know when can you do this, Latricia Johnson?

I appreciate you.

You're my favorite along with member young.

Um, I appreciate thank you, Miss Shea.

Um, we did receive your email that indicated that the bus stop had not been shoveled.

Um, so we have sent that over to DPSCD.

Uh, my team is actually going to be in a meeting with them in about an hour or so, so we'll make sure that is discussed as well.

Um, and we did send the information to BC'd about the north side of the boulevard.

Um, it's not the boulevard, it's across the street from Northern High School.

So we did send that information, so we'll make sure that BC has it and they are enforcing code, which includes making sure that we all shovel our sidewalks.

So thank you so much for uh following up.

We do appreciate it.

All right, that now concludes our general public comment, and we are going to move back to the agenda.

And I'd like to call the 1015 discussion back to order.

The 1015 discussion is for the Detroit Land Bank Authority fiscal year 2026 City Council quarterly report.

Um we do have several folks joining us from the land bank.

If we can port them over, and as you see yourself on the screen, please introduce yourself for the record.

Yes, to the chair, my name is Robert Linn, the director of planning here at the DLBA.

Good morning.

Good morning.

Good morning through the chair, Tammy Daniels, um chief executive officer for the Detroit Land Bank Authority.

Good morning.

Good morning.

Good morning through the chair, Reginald Scott, CFO, COO, Detroit Land Bank Authority.

Good morning.

Good morning, John O'Hana, Director of Real Estate for the Detroit Land Bank.

Morning.

Good morning, everyone.

Gabriel Guerrero, General Counsel here at the Land Bank.

Good morning.

All right.

Thank you all so much for introducing yourselves.

We can proceed with the 2026 quarterly report.

Absolutely.

Can I ask Carlina to run the slides, please?

Yes, good morning, everyone.

I need access to screen sharing.

Okay.

Team.

Right.

It looks like you have access and we can see your screen.

Thank you so much.

So, yes, we are here today to um give a brief overview of our Q2 activities.

We were we we did not do a um update for Q1.

So we just have like a few highlights from Q1 that I wanted to share.

Next next slide.

That I wanted to share just to recap some of our Q1 activities.

In Q1, we launched an Instagram live series called Talking with Tammy.

Um that series is a once-a-month um Instagram live where I connect directly with the community and we answer questions and discuss topics that Detroiters um that they care most about as it relates to the land bank.

Um it's a new engagement tool that we are using to help build stronger um more transparent relationships with the residents.

Um also during Q1, we supported ADA Detroiters in reclaiming ownership um to their homes through our Occupy Buyback program.

Uh we have successfully through that program um uh helped over almost 1400 families reclaim ownership to homes through that program.

Uh also during Q1, we um implemented a tribal member discount policy um offering 50% off auction properties.

Um that that policy is live and available for individuals of tribal and and indigenous groups to take advantage of.

And then finally, during Q1, we launched a glow-up competition.

It's a home and garden social media competition.

We received more than 80 submissions for residents, and it allowed them to showcase um how they've transformed vacant lots and homes.

Um we awarded prizes, and we're I'm sorry, and we're uh going to be doing that again this summer.

Uh just to highlight our Q2 metrics.

Um, we sold 101 homes through auction, 90 through through own it now, totaling over 23,000 uh structures across all of our platforms, 163 side lots, 272 neighborhood lots, totaling over almost 32,000 vacant lots across all of our platforms.

Uh currently we have about 4800 properties that we're monitoring in our compliance pipeline.

Our inventory stats that us, we're just under 50, uh just a little under 60,000 properties in our inventory at the at the close of our second quarter, um, the vast majority of that being vacant land, um 57,000 plus uh properties being vacant land.

Next slide.

Community activities, like as I indicated, we launched our um talking with Tammy uh monthly Instagram live series.

I will note that we will be having one of those this Monday at 12 o'clock.

And um, we'll be talking all things compliance.

CEO Daniels.

Are you still there?

So I'm sorry, I had some sort of can you hear me?

Yes.

I'm sorry, some sort of technical difficulty.

Um we also had the um the uh the gosh, the privilege of hosting um the two newest um council members, uh Renata Miller from D5 and Councilmember Giselle McCampbell from D7 joined us on tours for their respective districts and uh so that we could take them through and show them some of the projects and developments that are happening in their districts.

We also launched our first multi-channel um media campaign, which allowed us to share via commercial billboards a lot of the transformation and the hard work that Detroit's have done in helping to redevelop neighborhoods, and um that has been an extremely successful project with nearly 4 million impressions as a result of those um that campaign.

Next slide.

Um, media uh we closed out the quarter with um some significant um announcements um and that were report that work that was reported.

We actually have a story that's gonna be on uh Fox 2 to talk about the $2 billion in increased home values for Detroiters as a result of land bank activities over the last 12 years.

Um and so that is we're very proud of the of the work and how that is how that has um translated into increased property values for Detroit homeowners.

Next slide.

At the close of um 2025, our property rehab department has successfully completed and sold 123 renovated homes.

That's both full and partial renovations.

Can I pause for just a quick second?

All right, that gives us an opportunity to look at these uh addresses on the screen.

Um 123 renovated homes, well, full and partial renovations across all um city council districts.

We currently have six properties that are for sale.

Um and one that was going to be coming online very shortly, and another 27 properties in various stages of construction across all city council districts.

Next slide.

We did announce in Q2 that we are um launching uh an affordable housing development in D4 to create 30 new affordable housing units um in the Longview neighborhood.

Um we are currently at the phase of doing structural assessments and planning um with groundbreaking anticipated in the spring of 2027.

This is an important and um monumental expansion of the land bank's role in supporting affordable housing um in the city.

Next slide.

Finally, just wanted to highlight our community partners and some of the benefits that we um have that can be um provided to community partners.

Uh we have discounts for them, uh 50% discount on vacant land and vacant land-based projects, such as beautification, parks, gardens, and agricultural projects, up to 40% discount to complete renovation of existing residential structures, and uh up to 80% discount for affordable housing projects where at least 25% of the units are affordable to those earning no more than 50% of the area medium income.

And that concludes our Q2 report.

All right, thank you so much for that.

Um, and we see that you are multitasking, so I'm not sure if a team member can assist.

I did see in the report um that there was information um about and I just lost my train of thought.

So let me go go to a couple of questions that I have for you.

So it looked like it said you have 2,827 structures still in your inventory.

Is that correct?

Um that if you go back to that side, that includes all of our structures.

Umvage unsold as well.

It's everything.

Okay.

Accessory structures.

We only have at the close of Q2, we only have uh seven, we only have 743 salvage unsold properties.

Okay, I would like to request a breakdown of those 743 structures in particular by district.

I'm really interested to see where they are located.

Um, and I do believe there were uh several properties that I had requested to be pulled from the demolition list.

Um, I want to see if they made it back to you and are in your inventory.

Um, so if you wouldn't mind having someone send that over to us and to all council members, that would be great.

Um thank you.

I would love for someone to kind of share an update.

I did see the Beneto uh properties that were on the list.

I know that there were at least two properties that were renovated um and sold.

So can someone share whether or not the activity on Beneto has been completed and any impact that you've seen in that immediate area?

Um, so our um property rehab team is not on here, but I can have uh Veronica Johnson who leads that team send you information on the Benito properties because there are four of them that we were um working with um all together.

So I will um have her send that over to you today.

Okay, all right, thank you.

And you mentioned the Longview properties.

Can you share more details about that?

I know that's in the Wade community in District Four, there's not a lot of activity happening in that particular area of the district.

So can you share more about what you all are planning to do?

Time time frame, um, when you expect to have it completed, and um if there is a target audience for those units.

So it's there's definitely a target audience.

We are targeting um a partnership with a nonprofit who can provide temporary um permanent housing or permanent supportive housing for um individuals um in need of sh of shelter.

Um currently we are in the process of of assessing those buildings to determine the full scope of what a renovation will look like.

Um we're getting our the architects in and the environmental teams in to assess.

Um and so we're in the very early stages of that um of that project.

And so I I don't want to be premature and offer a date uh because we are in the very, very early stages of of that.

But the goal is to um to take those two 20-unit buildings, um, reconfigure them to 30 units, take some lots that are that we own around there and create parking and green space and actually you know convert that effectively that entire block.

Okay, awesome.

So that that's great information um not only for me to hear, but certainly for that uh area within the district.

Do you have you already identified the partner or can you share what the process is as you seek a partner?

So we um have not identified a partner, but the goal and our our current plan is to issue an RFP to um solicit um to give every you know nonprofit an opportunity to partner with us on this effort, and so it there it will be a a process through RFP.

And so it there it will be a process through RFP.

That that currently is the plan.

Okay, excellent.

And if you can have your team to be sure our office receives the RFP when it goes out, um we can certainly share it uh with developers who express some interest in uh developing in the district.

Absolutely.

All right, excellent.

Thank you.

Colleagues, any questions?

Vice Chair Santiago Romero.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Good morning to the land bank.

I do have a few questions.

Um this was mentioned during a call, and just wondering where we are with NUCS abatements.

I know that this was something that was confusing for us last term.

There were involvements of B seed, um Demo, land bank.

Um, just if you wouldn't mind letting us know if you're still going to be doing nuisance abatements, um that's still gonna be part of your program.

Um, through the chair, um, yes, we will continue um to do nuisance abatement.

That will be a program that um the land bank continues to run in partnership with um B seed and um our our team, we will be and in the department of neighborhoods that and residents who help us identify properties that need intervention.

Okay, through the chair.

Understood.

Uh wondering there was mention of lawsuits.

How many are there currently?

Um, if we have any that are currently active.

Currently, we have a uh active um case load of about 300 lawsuits that the team is working through.

Okay.

And what seems to be the issue?

Uh why are we getting sued?

Um, is it processed?

No, no.

I'm sorry, through the chair.

We have 300 active lawsuits against derelict property owners.

Understood.

We aren't being sued.

Yeah, I'm sorry.

So that was my question.

Are we currently being sued through our nuisance abatement program?

Um through the chair, I will pivot and turn that over to um our general counsel to discuss any um defensive litigation we have for NAT cases.

Good morning through the chair.

Uh Councilmember Santiago Romero, thank you for that question.

Um, we there is one pending action uh against the program uh that is pending um um currently.

Um we are confident in our position and we are uh vigorously defending uh that litigation, uh, but that is the only um open litigation matter that I am aware of.

Okay, understood.

Thank you.

Um I want to make sure that we that we are utilizing this program um successfully, and I have seen success.

I think the concerns always if we are um not being fair, but I will say in our office, we reach out to the land bank regularly, and we have been very successful in being able to get projects through um land sales done.

Maybe not exactly what's was asked of the public, but I do believe that uh there is uh a collaborative effort, which I do appreciate.

Um, but we'll always just be um want to be aware of anything else of any concerns or when things don't work.

Um, but thanks for letting us know of the pending lawsuit of the one.

Uh we can ask more questions offline um if we can learn more about that.

Um a few more questions regarding this is a question regarding the budgets.

Uh so last year the subsidy was cut.

Um, wondering if you wouldn't mind giving us um maybe some insights into what the budget asked will be this this time around.

So through the chair, I will turn that over to our CFO.

Uh yes.

Good through the chair.

Uh good morning.

Yes, as you stated, our budget was cut from uh for the FY26 fiscal year.

Um currently we are working to adopt and we're working through an a creation of an FY27 uh budget, and we've been working and we're talking to the uh CFO's office, and we have we do not have an ask that is before the um CFO right now as we continue to develop um more programs and the manner in which the um land bank is going to continue to operate some of these programs, we will um have a better idea of um what the potential um ask could be for the upcoming fiscal year.

But right now, we do not have an ask that is currently being contemplated.

Okay, thank you through the chair.

Uh my last question is regarding properties that we receive from Wayne County.

Um so just want to confirm whether or not this is true.

If Wayne County cannot auction properties, is that transferred over to the land bank?

Through the chair, I'm gonna turn that over to our inventory director, Robbie Lynn, and he can give you like the how things flow directly to us, Robbie.

Of course.

Yes, uh, through the chair, um any unsold properties left after the auction um are offered to the city and to the land bank.

Um we work with our partners at HRD and PDD to ensure that all of the commercial and um uh uh more industrial properties end up at the city and all of the lower density um residential properties end up at the DLBA.

Through the chair, thank you for sharing that.

Just wondering, do we ever receive properties that are in complete disrepair needing to be demolished, or do we deny those properties?

We really embrace our our role as the owner of last uh resort in the city, so we accept all properties that you know are uh homes, you know, that uh maybe uh saleable or also may need to be torn down.

Through the chair, understood.

So it sounds like this is just the process, just I is the responsibility then not within the county to demolish properties that are unable to be salvaged, because then that's cost that the city um is paying for for demolitions.

Yes, uh through the chair, um the land bank does accept these properties, but you know, in this year's um uh uh transfer, for example, nearly all the properties that needed to uh to be torn down were already in the queue to be torn down just through the the BC process rather than um uh through the land bank ownership process.

Okay, through the chair.

So just to be very clear, the responsibility then always lies on the city for demolitions, never on the county.

Yes, through the chair, that is correct.

Okay.

Um have more questions on this, but for now, this is enough for me.

Thank you.

Thank you, madam chair.

Thank you.

Um, so if I can get clarity on that, um if if the property was to stay with the Wayne County land bank, um why wouldn't the county then take responsibility for demolishing the property if need be uh through the chair, the um uh Wayne County Treasurer has typically transferred these properties to the state if they're not accepted by the city.

Um and uh the state does not have the the funds to carry these homes down uh as I uh as I understand it.

Uh thank you for that.

I I think I'm still trying to understand.

Um, so the county can retain some of the properties, correct?

Uh if the city or the land bank were to not accept them, they would uh uh stay with the uh treasurer who would then you know I think try to transfer them to a different um body.

So the Detroit land bank authority is choosing to um take possession of those properties, even though we know they need to be demolished.

So uh to the chair, uh under state law, properties are transferred automatically to the local land bank and to the local city unless they unless they object.

Okay.

Oh okay, thank thank you for that.

Um CEO Daniels, can you step in here?

Um is there a reason that the land bank, the Detroit Land Bank Authority is not rejecting those properties because it is a heavy burden financial burden that's put on the city to demolish the properties.

So through the chair, we can revisit that approach historically um with HHF dollars and the bond dollars.

The goal was to remove the blight from the Detroit neighborhoods.

And so um it's it was the um approach that we try to address everything in the in Detroit neighborhoods that was blighted with with the dollars we then had.

Um I know the bond dollars have are you know at the end, so we probably do need to reassess that strategy.

Okay, I would certainly, and I think my colleagues agree, um, at least those that are here in this committee um agree that we do need to revisit that as we have seen um HHF dollars, proper in dollars, um, all of them exhausted, and we've been trying to minimize the amount of money that is um allocated for blight funding within itself.

Uh, and so especially considering that the cost of demolitions have gotten I I don't think I've seen anything less than 20, 25,000.

Um, so we we certainly should revisit that.

Um, so we can probably all have conversations with the departments with the land bank authority as it relates to that to determine how we move forward and making sure that we are using our resources as best as we possibly can and making sure that we all share in um the growth, uh the productivity of the city.

So thank you for um uplifting that, and we will certainly have some offline conversations.

Pro Tim Young.

Thank you, man.

Chair uh to piggyback off of uh chair and uh member Santiago Romero's questions.

I I had a whole different line of questions, but after I just got this revelation here, um I I just want to know.

So we are basically receiving properties from the county, and they're not providing us with any sort of financial benefit.

There's not an intergovernmental agreement or some sort of partnership to be able to demolish these houses.

We're just accepting these houses.

You mean all the time we've been talking about the land bank and people been coming out here and jumping on the land bank and beating up on the land bank, a lot of these pro all these properties aren't even properties that are in our land bank, these are properties we've accepted from the county.

Is that what you're telling me?

And do we have a percentage of how many properties we accept from the county annually?

So through the chair, the short answer to that is yes, and I will turn it over to Rob Lynn, and he can talk about um the number of properties that we have gotten historically over the years.

And have we ever said no to them?

And why not?

So um through the chair um uh this year the land bank accepted transfer of approximately 200 properties, of which about a third required uh demo.

Um, but nearly all of those were already in the demolition queue.

Okay.

Um I would say that in you know uh prior to the land bank, um uh sort of assuming the role of owner of last resort, um, the two sort of challenges I think the city faced.

One was that um the property ended up in a number of places, and so there was a very fractured public ownership at the state and county levels.

Um, and also the county would oftentimes not uh foreclosure properties that that you know had to be torn down so that they would just sit there and private ownership.

No, I I understand that now I personally think that some of that in terms of fractured ownership.

I think that's what um that's what uh artificial intelligence are using uh cot using um contract corporation entity uh tracing should be for so you can establish clear titles, clever established clear ownership.

I think that's just us moving forward into the 21st century, and then I think you can have either through blockchain or through other uh distributed ledger technology be able to track that process or a dashboard so people can be able to see that in a transparent fashion.

But I I I just really don't understand why we are playing captain saver politico for Wayne County.

I mean, look, you have a land bank, you have demolition of the people or assume they have to be, and if not, they need to go get them.

That's not our responsibility.

Why don't you, you know, I mean I mean, isn't this called like just do your job over there?

I mean, I don't understand why we're doing that without any money.

So all the so we're so we're assuming all the costs over here, and we're it and and you know, and I'm gonna say this too.

I mean, I I'm not trying to be defender of the land bank, but I mean you're the one who people are coming at for properties that we're now finding out, all of them aren't even properties that you should be having.

These are properties that the county should be doing, and it doesn't work in reverse, right?

Like we don't give properties that we have to them that they pay for out of their pocket, right?

Correct.

I mean, isn't it?

I mean, I I would think constitutionally, this would kind of sound like an unfunded mandate.

I would think this would be a violation of the constitution for us to be able to accept these properties without some sort of fiscal um transfer at least.

That's insane.

How long has this been happening for?

It's a damn lawsuit.

Shit.

Unbelievable.

So through the chair.

Trying to swear here.

Again, the the working theory behind behind our actions was, you know, we were trying to address the blight in the neighborhood so the residents didn't have to live next to it.

And with the HHF dollars and the bond dollars in place to take down these types of properties, it it made it um more expedient for us to hold the ownership to the property and get them down as quickly as possible, as opposed to always having to wait for them to become an emergency and then BC take action through their emergency demolition process.

So again, you know, with the end of HHF funding and end of the bond dollars, um absolutely is a conversation we should revisit about what approach we take to blighted properties remaining in the neighborhoods that are um held by Wayne County Treasurer.

And listen, let me say that it lets you say and then I'm gonna wrap up because I could keep going on this for a long time.

Um Director, I'm not attacking you at all.

I I I I think it's completely unfair and unprofessional that we have had such an adversarial relationship in my time with the land bank, and I understand what you're doing.

I'm not saying that you need to do the right thing.

I I I I appreciate that.

You're right about that.

Ultimately, the citizens suffer.

We don't have these properties.

I just think it's just unbelievably unfair to the land bank and the professionals there for to find out that you have been absorbing responsibilities that were not yours to begin with from another government, and there hasn't been any sort of reciprocity.

There hasn't been any sort of uh even an attempts to provide some sort of financial um leeway or mitigation to the costs of these properties.

I you know, I I I just really feel that this is just very unfortunate.

And and I think that this is something that that needs to be um there needs to be some sort of remuneration here for what the city has gone through for accepting properties like that.

That should not be how that works.

And so I just think that's wrong.

So this is my last question, and then I am done because I am really hot on it.

Uh, I just wanted to ask you, you you you you silenced you you start a new uh pilot program in partnership with the United Community Housing Coalition about um support outreach and engagement for DLBA owned occupied properties.

I just wanted to say you were talking about vetting households for available programs, and you work with UCHC.

Uh was there any has have you thought of or has there been any sort of attempts to be able to use um artificial intelligence, not to make decisions, but just to be able to be more informed, artificial intelligence doesn't make decisions, it informs you of the decisions you can make.

Has there been any sort of technological advances in terms of alleviating that process?

I'm not saying that you shouldn't partner with um UCHC.

I just want to know has there been any sort of um analysis that you've used in order for that process to be more efficient and more effective through technology.

So through the chair, um Pro Tim Young, um, you've raised a very interesting question that quite honestly I had not contemplated.

And so I, you know, I take that as a homework assignment, and we will investigate how that may help us.

I will say that UCHC has um in this partnership that we've had, um, it's only been probably like six or seven months, they have made significant um impact on that population in getting them to respond and reach out so that we can determine, you know, what programs they are eligible for.

So that has been very um very, very helpful.

But uh as we move forward and try to enhance our technology and use AI in in as many ways as possible, we absolutely will investigate um the suggestion that you've made about using AI to help us do some sort of vetting um of that population and any of our other programs, quite frankly.

Thank you, Director Dams.

I I appreciate you and uh thank you for your lead.

And if before I leave, I just want to ask.

I know in 2017, you started at, I think you had a hundred thousand properties in the land bank.

You were the biggest land bank in America.

I use I I don't know what that number was, but I think you said it's some somewhere around like 2000 or something like that.

You have now.

Do you know how long it'll take you to get to zero?

And I'm done.

So through the chair.

Um we don't know exactly how long it will take us to get to zero in the last from 2014 to to present.

We have sold over 50,000 properties.

So I mean I think we should add some time in because this properties that we sold earlier in the program were the lower hanging fruit, those were the more desirable properties, and now we're probably kind of at the end at the you know, you know, the higher hanging fruit, the more challenging property.

So it may take a little bit more effort and time to sell, but I feel like you know, uh, and the change in our inventory.

We're primarily vacant land, so you know, development of vacant land takes you know much longer than the rehab of a house, but we are hopeful that um we can we can see uh inventory that is consistent with our partners across the country within the next 10 to 15 years.

Okay, thank you.

All right, thank you.

And CEO Daniels, uh, very quickly, was there a program that was referenced within the report that is providing greater assistance to individuals that are looking to um stay in compliance or get into compliance with the land bank?

Um so um through the chair.

We do um we we have historically we've had a um finish line grant fund that has assisted um purchasers with that last big ticket item that will allow them to achieve compliance.

That program has been around for a number of years.

Um we also help we have partnerships with local um hardware stores that provide discounts to our purchasers to help them finance the costs.

Um we do we are we have received funding to expand the finish line grant program to help more um buyers, and so um we will be launching that expansion in the coming um weeks and months.

Okay, that's probably by April.

But yes, yeah, there will be an expansion of that finish line grant program.

That sounds like a topic to talk about on talking with Tammy.

Um absolutely all right, members Santiago Romero.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

I just want to share uh gratitude to the land bank.

It was mentioned during the beginning, uh, the 50% off uh program for NATO Detroiters, indigenous detractions.

Um, our office worked very closely with an indigenous group that was looking to buy lands.

It was incredibly expensive.

Uh we floated the idea of a discounts for for native peoples and the land bank said yes.

So just thank you so much.

Um, it is a really great program.

Uh, want to make sure that people know about it.

If you are indigenous to this land to Detroit, please do reach out um and try to be a part of this program.

And just encourage my colleagues if anyone else has any creative ideas, share them with the land bank.

They might happen.

Thank you, madam.

Cheer.

Thank you.

And our most creative idea has been the community land trust policy.

All right.

Thank you all so much for joining us this morning.

We appreciate the report and the updated information.

I'm sure you'll have uh additional questions that come from.

I do have a couple more uh that'll come from my team as well as from my colleagues.

But we appreciate your time this morning, and uh look forward to future updates.

Thank you very much.

Thank you.

All right, that now closes out the 1015 discussion and takes us back to the agenda line item 6.1, which is the city council quarterly report, second quarter fiscal year 2026 for the Detroit Land Bank Authority.

Is there a motion to receive and file?

Motion.

There's a motion to receive and file line item 6.1.

Hearing no objections, that action shall be taken.

Line item 6.2, status of council member Letitia Johnson submitting a memorandum relative to requesting legal research on property management agreements.

Colleagues, there is a request for a two-week bring back.

Is there a motion?

There's a motion to bring line item 6.2 back in two weeks.

Hearing no objections, that action shall be taken.

Line item 6.3 status of the economic growth corporation submitting memorandum relative to December 2025 update on the status of business activity in the Grand River Corridor.

It looks like there is a healthy discussion happening around line item 6.3.

There is a request for a one-week bringback.

Is there a motion?

So moved.

There's a motion to bring line item 6.3 back in one week.

Hearing no objections, that action shall be taken.

That now brings us to new business.

Beginning with line item 7.1.

Line item 7.1 is contract number 6007660, 100% city funding to provide for Gordy Howe International Bridge Project to rehab property.

The property at 9575 Prairie Contractor is Joseph Contractor Inc.

Contract period is upon city council approval for a period of two years.

Total contract amount 148,390.

Colleagues, is there a motion to approve or discuss?

Motion to approve.

There's a motion to send line item 7.1 to formal with the recommendation to approve.

Hearing no objections, that action shall be taken.

Line item 7.2 from the city planning commission is the correction of a scribble's error on zoning ordinance ordinance map number 71.

Is there a motion to approve or discuss?

Motion to approve.

There's a motion to send line item 7.2 to formal with a recommendation to approve.

Hearing no objections, that action shall be taken.

Line item 7.3.

Line item 7.3 is to approve of neighborhood enterprise zone exemption certificates.

Held by Exchange Detroit LLC in accordance with section 11 2 of the Neighborhood Enterprise Zone Act.

Colleagues, is there a motion to discuss?

Motion.

Justice Cook, Brian Cole, Richard Barr, and Katie Long.

That's queued up for this item.

If we can please move them over.

Please introduce yourself.

Justice Cook, Housing and Revitalization Department.

Good morning.

Good morning, uh Richard Barr from Hunigman here for the applicant.

Uh nice to see all three of you.

Morning.

Morning.

I'm Katie Long.

I'm corporate counsel for Exchange Detroit LLC.

Good morning.

To the chair, we are waiting on Brian Coe from the law department.

And okay, as we await them, if they can please raise their hand when they are on the line.

Um, and perhaps the petitioner or their council can just share with us the need for the extension.

Yes, uh through the chair, uh Richard Barr.

Uh as I mentioned I uh represent the applicant.

Uh in 2021, uh the honorable council approved any Z certificates for the exchange building.

Uh that's the building in the Greektown area that was built uh on the top down.

You may remember uh this building, uh unique uh construction and fully operable.

Uh and by way of background for those who were involved or remember this.

There were two sets of NEZ certificates requested and approved by the council at that time, one related to the portion of the building that is uh operated as apartments, and that everything is fine and well and good and working well with that.

And the other was a set of 12 certificates for 12 condominiums for sale condominiums that were designed into the building and constructed.

Uh legally, they're separate.

And the condominium has to have a separate certificate for each condominium.

So there are 12 certificates for the condominium and one combined certificate for all the apartments.

All we're talking about today is the condominium certificates.

Over the course of the last several years, the developer property owner was successful in selling 10 of the condominiums, but two have not sold yet, despite significant efforts to have them sold.

And as you may know, uh the condominium market has uh encountered some challenges in the last couple of years uh across the country as well as in Detroit, and they're working very hard to get the last two sold.

Uh the NEZ program has a deadline under state law that says you for a for sale unit, you have to sell it as a principal residence within three years, and that three years is extendable by the state for a fourth year.

And this was extended by the state for a fourth year, which expired November 16th, uh 2025.

What we're asking for respectfully today is for the council to exercise authority it has under section 112 of the law to approve a fifth year.

Uh this follows the same pattern, similar fact pattern, but not the same as one that I brought before council in November of 24 for brush eight, where the developer was Maudi Terray, and we had a discussion about the circumstances of that, and the council was kind enough to approve that extension, which was helpful for that project.

Uh we're asking for a similar uh understanding today, so that these units can be offered with the NEZ tax rate, which is a significant savings that would be realized by the buyer and owner of those condominiums.

It's not a tax savings for the developer, uh, but it avoids what would be an additional tax of maybe $625 per month for the owner of those condominiums if the NEZ rate was not available.

Uh, because that's basically the value of the NEZ certificate for a property valued at about $300,000.

So it's just picking a number as an approximate value of one of the units.

So we're asking today for council to uh approve that.

Uh Katie Long, who's counsel uh inside counsel for the developer, can answer more questions and give a brief history of the last couple of years, but uh that's in essence what the request is for.

Uh we've discussed this with law department, uh and they've shared this with HRD, and that's why we're before you today.

Okay, thank you.

Yep.

Thank you for that.

It is my understanding that this is the final extension that can be requested.

Is that correct?

That is right.

I confirm with the state tax commission staff that this is a one-time.

And we anticipate that these final two condos will be sold within that time frame, considering what's happening within the market.

Yes, and Katie can comment on that.

Uh, they will they will do what it takes to have these sold before next November.

We have no intention, no desire to come back, and frankly, no desire to hold these uh unsold for longer than uh November and hopefully much quicker than that.

Attorney Long, did you want to add anything?

I would like to just thank you for your consideration today.

And as a little bit of background, our goal in becoming a part of this project, you know, Barton Mallow, which is a construction company, is um is the owner of Exchange Detroit.

And so our goal was to contribute to the community and to help revitalize Greek town a bit and bring in this new residential opportunity.

Um, so we do not intend to um, you know, yeah, try and hold on to these units.

We do want to sell them.

Um, and so we would really like to offer the same abatement that the current owners have and make sure that the property has a consistent application of the abatement for all those condominiums.

Can you just share with us the difficulties in selling these last two?

Yes.

So most I would say probably half of the units sold before construction started.

Um, that was at the very beginning of COVID, and the market for condominiums was just very different than it is now.

Um, we did um put in about $38,000 in one unit and about 50 or 32 and 58,000 in the other to try and um improve them, try to add some little touches to help raise interest in them.

And then we also have cut the prices significantly.

Um so we have taken steps to try and move them, but the feedback we've been getting is just that that any of the abatement really helps people become comfortable with and train this market and buying these units.

Okay, thank you.

We know how um challenging our property tax rates are uh throughout the city.

So all right.

Well, we hope we don't have to see another extension in that you can get these units occupied because we are also looking to continue growing our population.

So if I'm I'm sure you're working with the housing and revitalization department as well, just to help market the units.

Um, I will have to check with our team.

I'm I'm not able to answer that at this moment.

Mr.

Cook.

So the chair, I have to go back and look at our records to make sure um exchange came for a tax abatement and received um affordability agreement.

But as of right now, I do not see it in our files.

Okay, does that just for an NEZ certificate?

Right.

Does that preclude us though from helping to market um the units to get them sold?

Correct.

If they don't have affordability addendum, then um HRD does not market um the units because they are not affordable.

Got it.

Okay, thank you.

All right.

Uh thank you, colleagues.

Any additional questions, comments?

All right, thank you all so much for joining us.

Is there a motion on line item 7.3?

Motion.

There's a motion to send line item 7.3 to formal with the recommendation to approve.

Hearing no objections, that action shall be taken.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

We appreciate it.

Thank you.

Line item 7.4 is a property sale of 1170 Whittier.

LLC, a domestic limited liability company to purchase said property for the price of $2,000.

Colleagues, is there a motion to approve or discuss?

Motion approval.

There's a motion to send line item 7.4 to formal with a recommendation to approve with discussion very briefly.

Discussion.

Thank you.

Um, so I just want to share with the community that this is a request for um what will be across the street from a future development site that has come before the plan and economic development committee in District 4 that will house a laundromat as well as coffee shop and a community space.

So this will just provide parking for that building across the street.

So just so everyone knows.

Uh all right, there is a motion to approve line item 7.4.

Any objections?

Hearing none, that action shall be taken.

Line item 7.5 is property sale of 7001 of Finkel Avenue.

This is a request to purchase from Greenwood District Equity LLC.

The purchase price is 31,005.

Colleagues, is there a motion to approve or discuss?

Motion to approve.

There's a motion to send line item 7.5 to formal with a recommendation to approve.

Hearing no objections, that action shall be taken.

And line item 7.6, Councilmember Letitia Johnson submitting memorandum relative to Hance Farms LLC purchase agreement.

Colleagues, is there a motion to refer line item 7.6 to the Detroit Land Bank Authority and bring back in two weeks?

Motion.

Okay.

Hearing no objections, that action shall be taken.

That brings us to member reports.

Negative report.

One moment, Director Todd.

Vice Chair Santiago Romero.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

No report.

All right, thank you.

Director Todd.

Good morning, Madam Chair.

Morning to you and the members of this honorable committee.

As you will recall last week, CPC staff did submit two memos relative to your neighborhood, the neighborhood opportunity fund uh upcoming deliberations.

At that time, I believe Mr.

Gulach indicated that we were uncertain as to whether or not the timeline was going to be met as originally conceived.

Since then, we have in fact received the NOF awards as reviewed and approved by the mayor's office.

So it would appear that we are ready and able to move in accordance with the original schedule as proposed in that memo last week.

So we are requesting if that could be brought back up and then advanced to the formal for approval.

Again, that would uh establish as your city council annual calendar for 2026 already indicates that uh the hearings and deliberations would take place the week of Monday, February 23rd.

So on the 23rd, we'd have an overview.

We'd have the uh uh NOF hearing, and then we would have the appeals hearing, and then we would follow that with a day of review on Tuesday, and your deliberations being scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday of that week.

So that would begin two weeks from this current Monday.

And again, we are pleased and thankful to the administration for being able to uh expedite the matter, address it, and allow the city council to keep it scheduled and not have to extend uh this process into the spring following budget.

All right, thank you, Director Todd.

So do we need to take action today, considering it's not on the agenda.

Can we pull it out of committee?

I I think that that might be the best.

I failed uh to check with Dr.

Powers uh in terms of what would be best if I remember correctly.

I think Mr.

Gulag told me that you put it up for bring back in two weeks.

Um I think yeah, that would uh be appropriate on Monday to pull it out of committee.

I'm sorry, on Tuesday during the formal, but I see Dr.

Powers has joined.

No, I I'm just on in case there's a specific question for me.

But if if the item was set to be brought back in two weeks, yes, you're correct.

It could be pulled out on Tuesday and voted on it formal on Tuesday.

Okay, thank you.

Then we shall plan to do that on Tuesday.

Thank you, uh, Director Todd.

Thank you, madam chair.

We will make sure to have available hard copies for distribution.

We appreciate that.

Um Pro Tim Young.

Yeah, uh, member Todd on a much different point.

Um, and I'm sure you had to work this out with the chair, but I would hope that I get to see you so we could talk about uh zoning and how we are going to use it so that we can build more in field properties and more developments and mixed use development in the city of trial.

I'm I am chomping it a bit to see a presentation for you and your office of how we can do that and do those sort of things.

So I just want to say I look forward to it and hope to see you soon.

Thank you, sir.

Will do.

All right, and Director Ty, you know, I I've been looking for some amendments to that uh to that ordinance that Pro Tim is referring to.

So we we will certainly have a uh lively discussion about it, I'm sure.

Indeed, Madam Chair, members of the committee, we are working with the law department as we speak to put in the appropriate amendments to the uh sixth general text amendment, which was one of the two that was carried over.

Uh those amendments being necessitated by things that were changed as a result of the other two ordinances that were adopted.

And uh we hope that we will have that coming before you uh sometime this month, and then once we dealt with that matter, we can then dive headlong into the other matter uh as well and begin to discuss uh revisions to it as well.

Sounds great.

Thank you so much.

All right, colleagues.

More than welcome.

I'm going to share one member report uh just to make sure people are aware that the private sewer repair program still has funding and is still available.

I believe it is available in 97 neighborhoods throughout the city of Detroit.

Um that includes all of District 4, even the new parts of District 4.

It just tells you how much of an impact um the residents had in 2021.

So if you had a backup in your basement in 2021, and you filed a claim, whether it was to your insurance company, the Detroit Water and Sewards Department, the Great Lakes Water Authority, Tafema, um, just to show proof that you had a backup.

Please, please, please uh reach out to our office about the private sewer repair program.

Our phone number is 313 224841.

Again, 313, 224, 4841.

There are dollars available.

We have been trying to get residents to sign up for the program.

It is an extremely beneficial program that will hopefully prevent future backups in your house.

A private, a uh backflow preventer uh can be added to your line if your line is collapsed.

Uh if it is disconnected from the city's main line, uh the TAP.

Um, so all of those items can be addressed.

We just need to get you all to apply for it.

Uh again, it is available throughout 97 neighborhoods throughout the city of Detroit.

If it didn't happen to you, it's likely that you know someone that it happened to.

So please share the information so that our residents know and we can um prevent having that issue in their property moving forward because it is a traumatic experience, and I hear that from District 4 residents on a weekly basis.

All right, thank you.

Pro Tim Young.

Yeah, I just wanted to ask um that backup sewer um, I'm assuming that's also working in conjunction with the over 300 million dollars that we had to fix the uh underground infrastructure as well as rebuilding the seawall in that area.

I mean, has there been discussion about that?

Are we gonna talk about that in this committee at all?

Or so I'm sure the 356 million dollar grant that came from CDBGDR will come before us.

Um the administration, because of the requirements on um a private property needing to show that they had an issue within their property.

Um, and the issues were not as widespread in 2023 as they were in 2021.

Right.

So that 356 million dollars have been allocated for uh alley repairs to the sewers uh to the sewer line, and that gives the Detroit Water and Sewers Department the ability to reconnect any lines that have fallen off from private properties so that they can have that addressed as well.

Uh and it looks like we have Chief Chief Rico Razzo who has his hand raised, who'd like to share some information perhaps about the private sewer repair program.

Thank you, ma'am chair.

Chief Razo.

Good morning, council.

Good morning.

Yeah.

So I didn't know if there uh through the chair, I didn't know if there was another question asked outside of council member council Pro Tem Young's question.

But those are those are three different buckets, uh, Pro Tem Young.

So the 2021 bucket, uh private sewer repair program, which HRD is currently uh running, is going to address probably north of 1,500 households through private sewer lateral replacements repairs and uh backwater valve preventers, as uh uh Chair Johnson mentioned.

Um and I think she already answered the second part of the 2023 bucket is going to more larger infrastructure improvements where we where we really bypass a lot of the application approval on eligibility criteria where the water department can go right in and make larger uh improvements in the alleys and on larger uh infrastructure sites that will affect way more people than I think we could have going house by house.

Uh estimates for the alley sewer repair program are going to affect, I think 10 to 15,000 households.

So when you look at it in turn in terms of those numbers, um a lot more households will benefit uh than you know our private sewer repair program right now, where we're going house by house and roughly doing 1,500 and 2,000 houses.

And then your third question about the seawall uh repair program.

We did get an allocation of a million dollars.

We're currently drafting an RFP that will go out to bid um and we'll be working in the Jefferson Chalmers community.

We've been uh in continuous conversation with Councilmember Johnson, and uh we'll be looking forward to getting that to City Council uh in a contract form, hopefully uh by this uh spring.

End of winter and end of winter, uh early spring, I would say is the timeline for that.

Uh thank you, madam uh chair.

Uh no, uh Mr.

Razo, I I appreciate that.

And I and I appreciate you making that clarification.

I uh and maybe I should have been more clear what I was saying.

I was just thinking that there has to be some sort of oversight or a coordinating council or body that's kind of coordinating all those things, because even though they're separate, they're all in terms of rebuilding that area that's been damaged.

So there's somebody kind of, I don't know if that's project management or something that falls within that, but somebody just kind of overseeing all that and making sure all that happens, all that's coordinated connected properly.

And also I just wanted to say uh involving the seawall.

Does that include what the private properties that are along that area?

Have they agreed for that seawall to be built?

You know, I mean can I take uh they kind of take a turn from uh member Benson because we don't want a gap to smile, you know, where you have certain places of the wall that's built in other places that aren't.

So I mean, have they agreed to do that?

And I just want to know what is the measurements or conversations about that.

Through through the chair to pro tem.

Um great question.

I'll I'll take I'll answer your first question about disaster recovery dollars that have come into the city.

Those have all uh and are coming through HRD.

So we manage those dollars, their CDBG disaster recovery dollars, and we've partnered with the Detroit Water and Sewage Department on the contractor management side of it.

So our private sewer repair program right now as it exists.

We HRD bid those contracts out, we select the vendors and then work hand in hand with the water department uh to manage those those uh job sites and all the work that is being performed.

Um HRD and our disaster recovery team is responsible for all the documentation collection, um, all the uh audit reviews and everything that that we're responsible to make sure that we don't have any findings.

So that's that's how that's set up currently.

Um to answer your second question about seawall repair, um we've delayed putting out an RFP because we're in the process of gathering more information.

There was a community assessment and survey just completed within the last I think three or four weeks.

We're reviewing that to determine whether or not a more contiguous approach to seawall repair on all these are all private properties will be more effective than like you said, having the gap to smile where you're doing uh series of one-offs, and if and if my seawall is replaced and the waters rise up, it's still gonna find the path of least resistance.

So uh that is part of um uh what we're analyzing right now, so that we can have an effective RFP and scope of work created uh and application process when we officially launch the program.

We don't have I think the other you know piece of this is the dollars aren't great.

Um hopefully this may be a pilot that shows it's effective, and maybe we can uh bring in more dollars at a later time.

But you know, we're looking at a million dollars.

I think of that you'll probably have about 750,000 that'll go towards actual construction of seawall.

All right, thank you, sir.

I appreciate that.

Thank you, ma'am chairman.

Thank you.

Thank you, Chief.

Um, just want to say that we appreciate the relationship and the open communication we've had with you and your team.

Um, I do want to share with pro Tim Young that we have these conversations on a regular basis in my office, just making sure that we're addressing the various um infrastructure challenges that we have in that particular community.

Um and one thing we didn't talk about was the 20 million dollars that the Detroit Building Authority uh is overseeing to address shoreline protection.

So uh that will come before this committee as well.

So uh looking forward to that and and if if we can advocate for those dollars to be used for additional seawalls so that we don't have the gap to smile um as opposed to the stop laws that were proposed, then um we will be in a much better situation within the Jefferson Chalmers community.

So look forward to additional conversations and um we will have them here in this committee.

So I appreciate your support.

Thank you, Chief Rosso.

All right, colleagues, if there isn't nothing else to come before this body, we shall before I adjourn, just want to remind uh everyone who is listening and interested that we do have a special session uh this afternoon after NCS, but it will take place at 2.30 this afternoon here in the committee of the whole.

Uh so I'm sure you all will be listening and joining the neighborhood and community services committee at one o'clock and then 230 hour special session for the confirmation hearings for the uh seven individuals that the mayor, Mayor Sheffield has reappointed or is interested in reappointing.

All right, colleagues, if there is nothing further to come before this committee without objection, we shall stand adjourned.