Present.

Councilmember Letitia Johnson.

Present.

Councilmember Mary Waters.

Present.

Mr.

Chair, you have a quorum.

Thank you so much.

Members of the committee should have received the minutes.

If there are no objections, I'll entertain the motion to approve the minutes.

Would not see any objections.

The minutes will stand approve.

I do not have any chair remarks today.

So we'll move on to public comment.

We'll now open public comment.

Request for public comment will close at 11 p.m.

Um, you will have two minutes.

And we'll start within the room.

And I'm not seeing anyone in the room for public comment.

Um do we have folks on Zoom?

Hi, Mr.

Chair.

Yes, we have seven hands raised as of now.

Okay.

First caller is Zoom user.

All right, Zoom user.

If you could state your name, um, and you are now recognized for public comment.

You have two minutes.

Zoom user, are you there?

Okay, we'll come back.

Let's go to the next one.

Yes, Mr.

Chair.

Our next caller is William M.

Davis.

Commissioner Davis, good afternoon.

How uh you have two minutes.

Uh good afternoon.

Can I be heard?

Yes, you may.

Good afternoon.

Okay, I think that the city of Detroit need to be exploring ways how they could get more money from say uh little Caesars Arena.

You know, why should we the taxpayers all over the city have to support and augment services for little Caesarina?

You know, um, I'm older than y'all, but I remember, like I said, the city church used to get money from Joe Lewis Arena, used to get money from a lot of other facilities.

Uh, at the very least, the city church should get rent from them since they don't pay no taxes, they probably don't even pay drainage fees.

You know, so it's like yeah, yeah, tax the little people like myself and retirees and seniors, but y'all let the big cats get away with murder.

And of course, I think I need to be doing more to help the city of Detroit retirees.

I think y'all need to be doing more to make it more equitable for us to live who live in the city.

Because you know, we have you know uh city detro workers, you know, the drive city vehicles that might live 20 or 30 miles outside the city.

That should be a perk that only uh city Detroit workers that live in the city should get.

You could probably save a couple million with that.

You know, there are things that y'all could be doing.

You know, I should get together uh uh a cross section of city employees and retirees to look at ways and make recommendations on how the city can save money because potentially I know that happened before in the past, and the city was able to save millions of dollars.

You know, y'all need to be finding more ways to make the city less expensive for those who live here and make sure that people don't live here they pay a little bit more than what they do for the services they get from us.

Thank you.

Thank you so much, Commissioner Davis.

Next caller.

Our next caller is please investigate BZA contracts for transcripts.

Good afternoon.

You have two minutes.

Yep, go ahead.

You have two minutes.

Good afternoon.

Hello?

Yes, can you hear?

Okay, no, I can sorry.

Um, first of all, uh, member McCampbell, I I'm I've been trying to send you an email at Councilmember Denzel, D-E-N-Z-E-L at Detroit Mi.gov, and it keeps coming back to me.

Did I get that email right?

If you can let me know.

Uh also please investigate the contracts for the Board of Zoning Appeals.

Um, and to everybody within the sound of my voice, the Board of Zoning Appeals is seeking to change their rules, some of which would violate due process according to a Wayne State law professor who showed up.

They're also now trying to insert their rules that the appellants would have to pay for the transcripts, and they're it to ignoring current law.

Uh this issue is up on appeal about whether the city of Detroit Board of Zoning Appeals can charge people for transcripts and whether it's obstruction of you know access to the courts.

I would argue it absolutely is, and I hope there's integrity in the court of appeals and that they will see this.

Um, and you know, this is why I said don't vote for Conrad Mallet because of the way some of the attorneys behave in that uh department.

Um, so the thing is I heard they issued an RFP for a new court reporter when the last people, it the the contract, it was an hourly fee that included uh having the court reporter there, but probably remotely.

Uh the next day, uh uh uh uh transcript, rough draft, hold keeping the Zoom hearings and and the certified transcript.

So, how on earth would they be going and charging people stuff?

And we asked the last city council's people to look into this before it got to that litigation matter, and the law department was saying don't get involved, even though we weren't asking you to look into the merits of the underlying case, but now this crazy transcript issue is the matter, and some cases are on hold because of it.

So please look.

Thank you, Ms.

Wark.

And yes, that is council member Denzel, D E N Z E L at Detroit Mi.gov.

And I did check and I didn't see anything, so we can just try one more time to send that through.

Thank you.

Next caller.

Mr.

Chair, next caller is Betty A.

Varner.

Miss Varner, good afternoon.

You have two minutes.

Uh good afternoon to all within the sound of my voice.

I'm Betty A.

Varner, president of DeSoda Ellsworth Block Association, asking the council to consider uh when you start the book budget uh process to allocate monies to help um black clubs and associations with the payment of their uh fee to have a uh land use hearing.

We have been asked to purchase the lots, bacon lots in our neighborhoods to beautify them to make them useful.

Uh our situation, we would like to uh install playground equipment on the land that the additional land we just purchased to uh expand our Deba community park.

We are told we have to have a land use hearing, and the fee is $1,500.

That wreaks havoc on small black clubs and associations, and we are doing what we've been asked to do in regards to being part of improving our neighborhoods, buying up the vacant lots, and it just seems that it doesn't make a lot of sense that that would be a fee that we would have to pay at $1,500.

We understand we need to get the approval from the city, we need to get the approval for the neighbors who uh would be in the area of the uh the playground, but I'm asking that you allocate monies and the administration will support it.

Also, if you are a small business or a church and uh uh need monies to renovate or do development, uh there's DTE has a loan up to 200,000.

You can call 855-748-2525.

855-748-2525.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Um Member Waters.

Thank you.

Um good afternoon, Miss Varners.

Always uh pleasure to hear from you.

Um, I want you to encourage uh community organizations to submit their budget requests to your budget at Detroit Mi.gov.

That is your budget at Detroit MI.gov.

I'm gonna say it one more time, Mr.

Chairman.

Your budget at Detroit Mi.gov.

Thank you.

Thank you, Member Waters, and thank you, Ms.

Varner, and for bringing that to our attention and as always for the useful information.

Um and we'll definitely keep that budget request in my um next caller.

Mr.

Chair, our next caller is phone number ending in 039.

Phone number and then 039.

Good afternoon.

You have two minutes.

Uh councilman uh Campbell.

Detroit MIG.

This is Ruben James Crowley Jr.

I'm a district seven alumni, resident for many many years.

Hey, consider me to be a legend over in district seven because of things I've done in the past.

Now bringing it to your attention that you sit there with two proven.

Earlier proved or demonstrated 2020.

That's the year Donald Trump was keeping in Detroit.

The right so he should have got.

It was gossip by fraud committed in 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2024.

And that's my word.

And they've been covering up murder.

Over the homicide division.

I'm sick of it.

Now all y'all gotta go.

Well, you didn't get TV, and I can't prove that.

But all the rest of them, the TV and all the TV and public officials in the city of Detroit, Michigan.

I've got to get out of Nimi's way.

Y'all all gotta go.

Thank you.

Next caller.

Our next caller is JR Block Club.

Good afternoon.

Hello again.

Hi there.

Good afternoon.

You have two minutes.

Yes.

Hi.

So I gave public comment yesterday to the to the council, and I was suggested I come in today and address this committee.

My name is Katie Marino Elst, and I'm with the Burns Seneca Fisher Block Club, and I'm the director of the junior block club.

Um, you know, first off, it's very difficult for working residents to attend multiple daytime meetings in a row.

Um, many of us have jobs and family responsibilities.

Um, so these repeated appearances definitely create, you know, barriers to participation.

Uh first off, is there any way to streamline the process so residents or like myself can share across committees without requiring to attend like three meetings in a row during the day.

That's definitely hard.

Um, but most importantly, I'm here because I was asked to come to this committee to advocate for the increased funding um and grants directly to the block clubs.

Um that way we can address the issues ourselves.

For example, every block club I know or resident complains about the alleys.

Um, and it's great that people come in and clean them, but what's unique um is that each block club knows their boundaries.

Uh, for example, ours, we have paved alleys, we even have a rare grass alley that's not paved.

Um, if we could get grants and funding to the block clubs, we could hire our own mowing teams and tree cutters, uh, as well as you know, do the proper avenues that's needed.

We also share um boundaries with two other block clubs, the Iroquois Block Club and the Cream Block Club, like empower us to take care of it because it'd be more sustainable, long-term answers, and definitely faster results for the community, as we don't really see the results from the city when we're trying to hire out for different departments.

Um, I just wanted to advocate for for funding to figure out more grants for the block clubs.

Thank you so much.

I will say um just on your initial point on the short uh the multiple meetings.

One, it was suggested that you come to budget finance and audit because we are starting a budget process and and this is the community that carries that out.

But as always, and folks who are listening, you can always reach out to your uh council member as well, and you can reach out to all of the council members um as we go through the budget process if you're not able to make it to these meetings.

The last thing I'll mention, excuse me, is that we have an evening community meeting next Tuesday at 7 p.m.

at Kaddesh Baptist Church over on the west side on Plymouth Road.

You can either attend that in person or join it by Zoom as well.

Um, for folks if you're not able to make it during the day, but definitely um thank you for your uh lifting uh budget priority and um member words.

Did you want to repeat the email address that you mentioned?

Your budget at Detroit MI.gov.

Your Y O U R budget at Detroit MI.gov.

Thank you.

Mr.

Chair, uh Vice Chair Johnson.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Um, thank you, Ms.

Marino, for calling in yesterday and today.

Recognizing that Burns Fisher Seneca Block Club is now in District 4.

We have heard your requests.

I did actually ask for Micah to reach out to you to understand whether or not you all are in 501c3.

She did get back to me.

Also the last meeting that I attended, Toya indicated that the you all had a list of alleys that need to be addressed.

I did ask for that to be shared with us, noting that we have some CDBGDR funds that will be used for alleys within the city.

It does take time when we have federal grant dollars for them to be implemented within the community.

But we would like to get that information from you just to make sure that DWSD has it to be able to address the alley and likely or possibly any pipes underground underneath the alley that cause the alleys to be all cracked up and things.

So if you would please just share that information with your community liaison, Micah Lee Morris, that would be great.

And I would also encourage if you do not currently have 501c3.

And then our office has historically and will continue to provide opportunities for engagement with our 501c3 organizations to tap into the grants that the city offers.

So when CDBG applications go out in the fall, we typically host a virtual meeting just to make sure that all of our organizations are aware of the requirements to apply and that they are ramping up and preparing to apply, if not that first year that they get the information, but certainly in a subsequent year.

And definitely noted your request as it relates to block club funding.

I do know the neighborhood beautification grant was one that was provided.

It was ARPA funded.

But it was an initiative that Mayor Sheffield advocated for when she was the council council member.

And so there may be dollars within the city's budget that continues the neighborhood beautification program.

So I would welcome having additional conversations with you offline.

Certainly is it necessary for you to call into all of our committee meetings because we have heard you.

Thank you, Member Waters.

Um, next caller, please.

Yes, Mr.

Chair.

Next caller is Owner Papa.

Owner Papa.

Uh good afternoon.

You have two minutes.

Are you there?

Yes.

Good afternoon, Councilman.

Um Carolyn Hughes.

Thank you for taking my call.

Um let me suggest to this body that there's something called C D B G monies that used to come to the neighborhoods.

Um, and it should be distributed in a more equitable way instead of it being heavy-handed in one district.

I think there's a pot of money, and every district has different needs, but every district should get in that pot the same amount of money so they can do what they need to do.

I know that you all have complicated uh block clubs, and that now they have to be incorporated and they need an overseer or fiduciary person.

Just you you know, so why don't they get the funds?

Why why aren't they coming to the neighborhoods so that people can have zero um interest loans or grants to fix their porches and their roofs and their windows to stabilize our neighborhoods?

District 7 has not seen any development other than use car lots for the last 10, 15 years.

We pay taxes too, we pay federal dollars.

I've paid a lot of them, and so that money is federal dollars that come back to the community, and it should be distributed in an in an equitable way.

And there was a survey that was supposed to be done, a study to see the disparity that's being done, but we can see that in the projects that have come out.

Um these NEZs, Mr.

Hornsby showed you how all of these in lieu of taxes is killing the general fund, but people keep wanting to take from the general fund.

The surplus has been used for sidewalks, and and now it's being used to fill a hole for the um business community, and and we don't have a uh a recreation center in in the 7th district.

Uh they were talking about lactating booths.

Where would we put a lactating booth in a rec center in the in the 7th district?

That means we don't have access.

And you could give uh Miss Varner a waiver.

We could have a waiver for those fees for Detroiters.

Thank you.

Thank you, Miss Hughes, and and absolutely agree with you on the need to ensure that these dollars are spread throughout equitably in the city.

Um, as you probably heard at during formal session yesterday, I did bring up the aspect that we don't have a uh rec center in D7.

And but we also need to ensure that our our um mothers have uh places that they can um for the lactation station.

So definitely agree with you on that, and and also are working to make sure that we do get a rec center ASAP.

So thank you for that.

Mr.

Chair.

Um Vice Chair Johnson.

Thank you.

Um, just also want to indicate that CDBG is federal dollars.

Uh so there are federal requirements.

Um, we can certainly look into making sure that the city is not adding additional requirements above and beyond what the federal government asks for as it relates to who receives the funding and how it gets disseminated.

Um, additionally, there have been some discussion about participatory budgeting.

Um, and I'm hopeful that that is something that we will have a greater discussion about during budget hearings, um, where each council district, and I guess each council member has access to some resources to disseminate um into our communities to address those unique uh challenges that our our neighborhoods face.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Thank you, Vice Chair Johnson, and and yes, on participatory budget.

That's um in huge support of that as well.

So looking forward to that conversation.

Next caller.

Our second to last caller is Cunningham.

Brother Cunningham, good afternoon.

You have two minutes.

Brother Canaham, are you there?

Okay, let's go to the next caller.

Come back.

Um, we are back to Zoom user.

Zoom user, are you there?

If you are, please come on mute.

Yes, I'm here.

Okay, you have two minutes.

Good afternoon.

Good afternoon.

I'm I'm I'm calling the day to uh voice my opinion about the city of Detroit causes more crime than they're settled than they solve, more crimes committed than they solve, and that's because the city of Detroit and the police department and this Wayne County Treasure is illegally taxation, taxing people's property, over attacking them, underassessing them, then illegally foreclosing, misupplying payments, the uh uh legal evicting people, they're not doing anything in the city of Detroit.

You're just running people out of Detroit, businesses, water drainage fees, illegal water drainage fees, no meters.

Uh he's just doing anything and everything under the sun.

And you all guys are conspirating.

So this is a your you're you're y'all conspiring to do this.

So this is a conspiracy.

So this is a federal offense.

This is really serious what you guys are doing, and think you're getting away with it.

And you guys can continue to just over tax people with these millage rates.

That's ridiculous in the whole country, and not do nothing about it.

And everybody's sitting back like, oh well, and next.

So y'all need to stand up, and then you're letting people get evicted that shouldn't be getting evicted that don't even have eviction notices.

Y'all all grouped up and letting the police not do anything about it.

So you creating more crimes.

You create you crave creating crimes that shouldn't be happening because you should stop it.

Because you tell them that's the law is to have an eviction.

What's the sense of having a court if you're not gonna do nothing about it?

And in court, no, no rule.

Thank you.

One thing I was uh I will just in that as I hope folks have realized when it comes to millages, there's been robust conversations in this committee about how do we um what do we need to do to bring those down.

And if folks are facing um evictions or and their rights have been infringed upon, definitely reach out to our office so we can look into that as well.

Uh next caller.

Our last caller is Cunningham.

Brother Cunningham, are you there?

Um Yes, sorry about that.

I had to pull over to five of the road for safety.

Good afternoon.

You have two minutes.

Thank you, sir.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

The entire uh committee there.

Um to you at home talking to you 313 444914.

313, 4449114.

313 4449114.

Uh, I was blessed this morning.

It's a lot of blessings.

A lot of good karma.

But DDP Detroit Disability Power, Ms.

And KC.

Uh they gave me uh an order, they're mailing to me of hand warmers and purchase some bus tickets for me to give out.

And so this is good for homeless folks.

This is good for those waiting on the buses that are not on time.

Ain't nail one of y'all listening at home was homeless for 10 years.

I was and to get on the bus with a four-hour pass to warm back up again is quite uh a blessing.

People appreciate that.

Uh also just the gesture because the buses aren't on time and not showing up.

Giving out those bus tickets is a blessing.

So hand warmers, bus tickets at the bus stops.

You can do it vicariously through me or do it yourself.

There's a lot of I would say about two or three people, Caucasian, non-Christian, uh, who've contacted me.

I don't I don't know who they are, but they see me every week.

Uh and from the Scott building down there, different apartment buildings.

Folks have been donating many hand warmers, food, and monies for bus tickets for me to disseminate amongst the people.

So you don't have to look like me to help the people.

Uh let's work together.

3134.

Thank you, Brother Cunningham.

Uh does that bring it?

Is that the end of public comment?

All right, thank you.

Um, that will bring us on to the next uh portion of the agenda, unfinished business.

Um 5.1, a neighborhood enterprise zone certificate application for the rehabilitation of a residential building at 250 Elliott Street into six rental units in the crosswinds neighborhood enterprise zone area.

With that, I'll entertain a motion to discuss motion.

All right.

Um, I think we have Mr.

Gulach from um CPC, and then do we have anyone else on thank you, Mr.

Chair?

Go ahead.

If you can introduce yourself for the record, Mr.

Chair Chris Gulak, CPC staff, and I think we're joined by the petitioner Craig Jenkins.

Yes, good afternoon.

Um do we have any discussion on 5.1.

Um I don't did you want me to speak first, Mr.

Gulag?

We can just remind council uh to the chair that uh this was uh at your committee last Wednesday for further analysis.

It was forwarded to formal yesterday, but then it was decided to bring it back to the budget committee today for further uh discussion.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Thank you, Mr.

Gulag.

And it's my understanding that when we discussed this last week, it was the chair.

Oh vice chair Johnson.

Yes, thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Um, there has been a lot of discussion about this particular project.

Um, it has come to my attention that some there's been some miscommunication about it as well.

Um, and so to avoid having a continual public discussion about this, uh Mr.

Chair, can we bring this back in one week?

I know my team has spoken with Mr.

Jenkins.

And I think we can we can move this forward.

So that he could determine how to move forward.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Thank you.

There's been a motion to bring back in one week.

Motion.

Any objections?

Seeing no objections, we'll bring back 5.1 in one week.

Thank you.

That'll move us on to new business.

That is uh 6.1 from the Office of Auditor General.

A submit a report relative to the citywide payroll performance audit.

Um there's been a request to bring us back in two weeks.

Is there a motion?

Motion without any objections, this 6.1 will be brought back in two weeks.

6.2.

Um there this is related uh from the city office of city clerk and the city planning commission.

A submit a report relative to the neighborhood enterprise zone certificate application for the construction of a new single family house at 4475 17th Street in the Core City Neighborhood Enterprise Zone area.

Is there a motion to discuss?

Discussion, Mr.

Chairman.

All right.

Um there's been a motion to discuss.

Uh member Waters.

Uh thank you.

Um just um have a few questions regarding the valuation.

So uh my apologies, Member Wars.

Um, if I if you don't mind if let me if I can introduce Mr.

Gulag and other petitioners to go over, and then we can go to my apologies.

My apologies for that.

All right, thank you so much.

Um Mr.

Gulag.

If you can introduce, thank you.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Chris Gulag, CPC staff.

Um, and we're joined by the petitioners uh on the screen, uh Brooke Dexter and Ryan Kayan.

And I also have a brief slideshow if you'd like me to show Mr.

Chair uh regarding the request.

Please do thank you Mr.

Chair, can you see my screen?

Yes, we can uh thank you, Mr.

Chair.

The CPC staff has received a request from the city clerk's office, and we submitted a a background report and a resolution for your consideration.

This is for the construction of a new single family house.

Um I believe in the course city neighborhood.

Uh it's located here on the red dot.

It's it's west of Grand River, north of Buchanan, east of 96, south of Warren, and the in the traditional four city neighborhood.

Zooming in closer, uh 17th Street here did have it.

I I think it had houses on either side, but it's a lot of vacancy there.

There are still houses on West Forest to the West, I think is an urban agricultural facility.

Uh this is a 2D view or 3D view of the site.

It's uh a lot of trees and vacant land.

Uh the petitioners, I believe, bought the land from the land bank.

Um this is the overview of the core city NEZ.

It's it's a large one.

I think it has about 144 acres.

This was approved by city council back in 1920.

I think at the time Phoenix Development wanted to build uh, you know 50 plus single family housing and townhouses, but that that project fell through with the downturn, I think in after that.

Um so no that project never went forward, but the the the NEZ still exists for folks to take advantage of.

The petitioner is an LLC folding shed LLC.

It's represented by Brook Dexter and Ryan Cahan, who are on the call.

Uh they purchased the land and they'd like to um develop it with their future primary residents.

Um they're proposing a two-story single-family house, about 22,272 square gross square feet, four bedrooms, three and a half baths.

The estimated project cost is about 750,000.

So the NAZ would help reduce the amount of their property taxes for 15 years.

And here's some images of the proposed structure.

I think it has been preliminary preliminarily reviewed by the building department.

This shows the site plan that's right off the alley and and the 17th Street.

I I believe they're proposing a unique design because they want to save some trees on the property.

They do propose to have a driveway for their vehicles, and then maybe down the road build a future garage.

So a staff has confirmed it isn't the core city and easy established recommended approval.

A resolution has been submitted for your consideration.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Okay.

Thank you, Mr.

Gulag.

Um and for the um we'll go ahead and have member waters your questions on that.

Sure.

I just I have a few questions regarding 6.2.

Is that good now?

Sure.

Okay.

All right.

So um 750,000 dollars is a significant price point for this specific area.

Are there specific high-end materials or specialized construction techniques that are driving this cost?

Mr.

Gulark um for the petitioners, if you all could introduce yourselves and um just if you heard member Waters' questions on the cost of the building.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

I'll defer to the petitioners um regarding the the high construction costs.

Hi, yeah.

Um Brooke Dexter here.

Um Ryan and I are representing folding shed, just the two of us for our primary residents.

Um yeah, that's the that's the fee that we are looking at from our builder contractor um that's been proposed, which includes his fees.

So that's it's not just a build cost, it's also including those fees associated.

Um we are also planning to use more sustainable wood fiber insulation, which does drive the cost up a little bit.

It's just something that we care about sustainable building.

Thank you.

Member Waters?

Okay, well, this is this is certainly not one of the high-end areas, and so that was a reason for my question.

So, how does the uh NDZ certificate factor into your ability um to build this home if the tax abatement were not available?

Would this project still be financially viable for you?

I think uh in response to that, uh you know, given it is a high construction cost, we are trying to minimize our costs once we build this house.

Um we're committed to to building this and investing in the city and continuing to live in the city, and any tax breaks that can be available for us are very instrumental for that.

Um you gonna be utilizing local Detroit-based uh contractors and labor for the construction?

Uh, we're always interested in seeing local investment stay within the city's workforce.

Yes, absolutely.

Um, we are planning to work with JJ's houses, which is a local builder contractor in city in the city.

Um, and we'll be working with him to identify subcontractors that are local to the city too.

And so what is your timeline for completion?

We have to complete by September 2027 with the land bank um regulations and oversight.

Um, so that's the plan.

Um, we're planning to break ground this summer so that we can get it far enough along to have it enclosed and reduce costs in the winter for working on it.

Okay.

Thank you, Mr.

Chairman.

Um, wait a minute, just one other thing.

Um what uh specifically drew you to uh core city?

Curious.

Uh yeah, some of the recent development is something that has been very appealing for us, um, including some neighbors who have received an uneasy tax break um for recent builds.

Um both it's it's pretty limited, I think, in its development so far, but we see a lot of the potential, and we've really gotten to know the neighbors and love them.

So I wonder how much time are you committed to you say you're gonna live there.

Uh are you committed to to live there for years, or are you gonna get it to a point where you just sell it?

No, hopefully we spend the rest of our lives in this house.

Um, we want to be this to be a multi-generational house.

Um, in a place where we can start a family in the city.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Thank you.

Thank you, Member Waters, Professor Johnson.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Um so member Waters is is was probably asking questions similar to what I'm going to ask.

Do you all currently live in the city?

We do.

We rent currently in Milwaukee Junction.

Okay.

Um, so when you look at, I was thinking when Member Waters asked you if you were planning to live in the property for a long period of time.

I don't think you'll be able to sell it for what you are paying to build it for.

So I'm I'm really interested in are you all working with a developer that's working in core cities now?

Not currently.

He's done some development in um like Boston Edison and some other residential bills.

He worked on the congregation.

I'm familiar with the congregation.

Okay.

And the square footage again for the finished product.

Um about 2200 square feet, 2272.

That's a lot of money for that size of a property.

Um I agree.

If if you all are committed, that's $330 a square foot, um, which is unheard of in the city of Detroit.

And I so my cousins actually lived on Bangor, not far from this area, and I think about what it looked like when I was a young kid growing up kind of in that area.

Both my my maternal and paternal grandparents lived in the community.

So it's I have not visited to see the development that's been taking place there, but um I would I don't want to discourage you from working with your developer, but I think that is a considerable amount of money.

Um I appreciate you all wanting to invest in the city of Detroit and move um into this property and live there.

Um it is so I don't have any questions about the NEZ itself.

I was just curious about the property and the developer because it is a significant amount of money.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Thank you, Vice Chair Johnson.

Um just a few questions on um I know you mention you are in you know fresh ship or conversation with other folks that maybe um that have had any of these certificates are thinking about.

I do you know or Mr.

Gulag, if you know of about how many um certificates we've grant granted in this area?

Because I know the because right now there are no homes that exist on the street, right?

Mr.

Chair, um, yeah, over the last two or three years, I think you've received two or three um new any Z umle houses that wanted to locate in this in around this area, 16th Street, maybe 17th Street north of Buchanan.

So there seems to be a cluster and there's some synergy in the neighborhood, I guess that Prince Concepts, who I think runs some uh uh projects near Warren and Grand River, you know, they're developing some restaurants.

They're also they built those Kwanza Hut uh apartments there, and I think they're doing some infill on 16th near Hancock.

So there's I guess some synergy moving southward to this area, but yes, in the last two or three years you've had one or two houses um come through the committee.

Thank you.

And uh Mr.

Gullock, just on the I know you mentioned the previous when this in these when the zone was created, there was a a um project that fell through.

Were those projects for single family homes as well?

Uh to the chair, yes, that was I believe it was Phoenix Development, who I think is still around on Grand River there.

I think it was uh gosh, I forget his name now.

Uh but yeah, it was it was uh at least 50 single family homes and then a number of townhouses, and I don't remember the site plan for that, but it was a definitely an in fill project um in and around this area.

And obviously we had the we've had the Alberta W.

King villages, you know, and Martin Luther King, when that's kind of the last development we really had in this uh core city area in the last 20 years, but there's more interest here, I think maybe because the land is cheaper than other parts of the city.

Yeah, okay.

Um any further questions.

All right, is there a motion on line item 6.2 motion to send line item 6.2 to formal with a recommendation to approve?

There's been a motion to send to formal with a recommendation to approve.

Are any objections?

All right, we'll send this 6.2 will be sent to formal with a recommendation to approve.

Approve.

Thank you so much.

Thank you.

All right, they'll move us on to line item 6.3 uh uh petition of Wayne Um Ramakan Senior to request to speak before Detroit City Council.

Um I would actually enter uh ask for a motion to bring this back in one week.

Motion without any objections, this would be brought back in one week.

Chair.

Yes, just very quickly.

Um I'm not sure if your team has reached out to him to schedule yes, we have reached out and we haven't heard back yet, so that's we want to still phone to bring about.

So um, because he's a district four resident, I did ask for my team to reach out to get an understanding of what his concerns were.

Um, I did have a team member connect with him, so perhaps um we can tag team just to make sure that he's available during um the committee meeting next week when you'd like to have it scheduled.

We will definitely our teams will connect.

Thank you, Vice Chair Johnson.

All right, that would bring us on to uh line item 6.4 from council member Sante Algaromero submitting a memorandum regarding a centralized fee schedule for city services.

We've been asked to bring this back in two weeks if there is a motion to bring it back.

Motion without any objections, 6.4 would be brought back in two weeks.

And we will start with uh member, you want to start?

Sure, no problem.

Thank you.

Um just uh one announcement, and that is the deed fraud uh town hall meeting that will be tomorrow Thursday, and it's gonna be at the Fireware Recreation Center.

Um that's done uh hosted by uh member member uh Vincent and I in District 3.

And that's uh that is tomorrow from 4 to 6 p.m.

Fireware Recreation Center, which is at 2711 Auto Drive East.

You can also participate virtually.

Uh we're gonna have some pretty good speakers there, some attorneys and and so forth that could help uh guide people, talk to them about how to protect themselves.

In fact, there will be an attorney there who currently has about 10 clients right now who are who are indeed fraud.

So uh this thing is live and and is and is real.

So but call my office if you need the virtual information or you can check out our social media page as well and the city's uh page as well because we we have it out there, but our number is 313 628-2363-313-628-2363.

Thank you, Mr.

Chairman.

Thank you, Member Waters.

Vice Chair Johnson.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Just want to remind residents that we're hosting our monthly community meeting in the district on Monday, February 16th at 5 30 p.m.

at Purpose Charter Academy, located at 10101 East Canfield.

We will have the housing and revitalization department there to share information about the critical home repair program that is slated to open up in March.

Um we do know that there are numbers of residents who have reached out to the office in regards to home repair.

So we hope we have a robust uh attendance there.

Whether you need some assistance or you know someone who does, we want you to get all of the information, start pulling your paperwork together so that you can apply as soon as the application process opens up.

We will also have a discussion about uh property tax foreclosure prevention in collaboration with the Wayne County Treasurer's office.

We are gearing up for our annual canvassing that we do throughout the district for properties that are potentially facing foreclosure.

Uh, we work with the housing and revitalization department with the county as well and all of our community organizations throughout the district to get their support to get on the ground, knock on doors, and have a more intimate conversation with our neighbor about the potential of their property facing foreclosure.

Uh, and so we look forward to doing that and always appreciate all of the community organizations that support that effort, just trying to help stabilize our neighborhoods as we continue to uh build them up.

So again, that is Monday, February 16th at 5 30 p.m.

at Purpose Charter Academy 10101 East Canfield.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Thank you, Vice Chair Johnson.

I will just uh I just want to remind folks I mentioned earlier, but there is an evening committee meeting or evening community meeting for the Detroit City Council in District 7 next Tuesday, February 17th at Kadash Baptist Church 20361 Plymouth Road at 7 p.m.

And you can join in person and virtual.

That is the end of member reports, and there's no further business before this committee.

I'll entertain a motion to adjourn.

Motion.

Without any objections, this committee stands adjourned.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.