And thank you for joining us for the Planning and Economic Development Standing Committee on today, Thursday, February 26th.

Madam Clerk.

Will you please call the role?

Councilmember Letitia Johnson present.

Councilmember Gabriela Santiago Romero.

Member Santiago Romero did indicate she will be a few minutes late, but she's on her way.

Yeah.

I'm sure you have a quorum.

Thank you.

Having a quorum present, we are now in session.

Good morning, Pro Tim.

Is there a motion on the minutes?

Motion.

There's a motion to approve the minutes.

Hearing no objections, that action shall be taken.

And we are going to move into general public comment.

If there's anyone joining us in person or virtually who'd like to make a public comment, please raise your hand.

Please raise your hand.

We have two gentlemen in the committee of the whole.

And Miss Great.

Good morning.

How many hands do we currently have raised virtually?

Good morning, madam chair.

We currently have 11 hands raised for virtual public comment.

All right.

We are going to cut off general public comment going once.

Going twice.

Going three times, the collection of general public comment has concluded.

And we will give everyone two minutes.

We've been doing fairly well with our time.

So we'll give everyone two minutes and we'll get started with the two individuals in the committee of the whole.

Good morning.

My name is Jadante Smith for the record.

Well, President Pro Temperate Tempore's team, Maya.

We we started off kind of rocky.

We've had a nice lady, so we had a nice conversation on the elevator.

Um I want to say I just had a very interesting conversation about uh the Maroon family and Cronos Concrete and their vacant land that's about 4.4 acres west of their facility uh 3405 Gaylor Street.

I have requested down zoning several times.

There's about 800 residents who are uh also in the same request of down zoning.

There's seven businesses around this business that request down zoning of the vacant land that can be downzoned from any member of city council, they can request it.

We only need five votes.

So I also want to say I made a promise a little while ago about Conrad Mallet.

Those who voted affirmatively to um reinstate him.

I was gonna make sure we have some media connections.

I have not written my article yet.

Uh I'm gonna make sure I write it very, very soon.

I also want to say it's very interesting how the wine counts gets to ride off into the sunset after we have to deal with this demolition dirty dirt demolition scandal.

Um, and also so does Mike Duggan.

Uh it's really, really unfortunate that that is happening.

Um, uh LGC Global.

I'm going to look very very deeply into LGC Global and Avanash Rosh Mau and all of his dealings in the city.

He is doing sewer repairs.

He is also doing residential window repairs and also roof repairs, which is very odd for one company to have contracts the city doing all of this stuff.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Oh, good morning through the chair.

A few things.

Um I did watch the state of the state address yesterday, last evening.

I did hear the governor's desire to build.

Which is something that's been going on around here anyway.

The problem comes in to building equitably, making sure that the citizens here have a return into any type of investments in the city, regardless of where they may be.

Changing the way we've been doing business, looking at um past practices, and then identifying best practices moving forward.

We don't want to keep going in the same circle, being excluded out of uh these things.

Um secondly, when it comes down to our historic landmarks and districts, there's plenty of them here in this city.

It appears to be that they are um out of reach of ordinary people and the powers that be have the ability and more accessible um to those landmark properties, in particular the veterans building, Donald Jefferson is something that's being looted, you know, sold for 200,000.

And so it's other properties down here as well, in which big corporations, conservations have access to these things, and then don't do the best practice with them as well.

They get the million dollar grants, they get all these other things, and then don't do what's best for them.

But we just have to do better moving forward, and thank you all for listening.

We are going to turn to our virtual callers.

Who do we have first?

Our first caller for virtual public comment is Chase L.

Cantrell.

Chase L.

Cantrell, you have two minutes for general public comment.

All right, good morning to the members of this honorable body.

My name is Chase Cantrell, and I'm a member of City Council's Equitable Development Task Force and the chair of its economic development and accessibility subcommittee.

For quite some time, my committee has reviewed the current community benefits ordinance, prior amendments that have been proposed and the overall functioning of the CBO process during many of the community benefits agreements that have been entered into in recent years.

And my committee of the EDTF has submitted a memo to this body today, strongly encouraging City Council to establish a work group to review the CBO and to produce actionable reforms to strengthen the CBO's effectiveness in service of e traitors.

And some of our recommendations include developing clear definitions and safeguards to prevent conflicts of interest, amplifying community voice by increasing the number of community elected NAC members to four NAC members, requiring impact assessments and public disclosure of findings, including environmental impact, social impact, racial equity assessment, job creation, income ranges, and other equitable outcomes, developing baseline standards or a suite of starting provisions for all NAC negotiations and developing strategies to claw back incentives if a developer does not meet standards within a particular time.

So those are just a handful of recommendations included in our subcommittee's memo.

And I thank you for your time and consideration, and I'm happy to speak more about the work of our committee.

Thank you.

Thank you.

The next caller.

And Madam Clerk, if you will please note that Member Santiago Romero has joined us.

Thank you.

Our next caller is Cunningham.

Cunningham, you have two minutes for general public comment.

Mr.

Cunningham.

Betty A.

Verner.

You have two minutes for general public comment.

Good morning to all within the sound of my voice.

I'm Betty A.

Verner, president of DeSoda Elsewhere Black Association.

If you are a senior or uh you have a disability and are not eligible for the state Medicaid, and you need assistance at your home, please call DAA at 313 446, 444.

Again, that's 313 446 44 44 and ask for a program that's called My Choice Waiver.

That's MI Choice Waiver.

Come out and see what it is that you need so that you can uh live safely and be at peace in your home.

It makes a big difference.

They offer a whole lot of different services once you are eligible and you have gotten into the program.

Caregiving, running errands, repairs, etc.

The whole objective from the federal government is to make sure that you are able to stay in your home and not be in a nursing home.

I am in the program, and it is a blessing.

So please.

Thank you.

The next caller.

Our next caller is William M.

Davis.

William M.

Davis, you have two minutes for general public comment.

Good morning.

Can I be heard?

Good morning, yes.

You know, I am very interested in uh item 8.3, the housing voucher, housing choice voucher, uh, in that we should, as a city, should be doing a whole lot more to inform people about opportunities for them to transition to home ownership.

Because frequently, especially for black and brown people, that end up being the most valuable possession and the what helps to build generational wealth.

So I think we need to be pushing more programs to help people become homeowners.

I think we should be moving away from some of these uh far too often when you do them developments, you get developments where you know people have uh efficiencies of one bedroom apartment smaller than my garage.

I have a two and a half car garage, and some of these places are horrible.

Uh we need to be doing more to make sure that Detroit become a family friendly uh place again, as it was when I was growing up, which is you know, way before y'all was growing up.

Also, separately, I would like to see the city council the coordinate with other city councils and other people throughout the state to do more to eliminate uh or not eliminate to repeal the emergency management law because it if it that was repealed, perhaps it might be a little bit easier to renegotiate some of the evils of the bankruptcy, especially the fact that looking at Detroit Water and Sewage, we should be getting more for our lease than what we're currently getting.

You know, we should be doing better in a number of areas that we're not doing better, you know, because the the bankruptcy was a grand theft, and it is still being visited on by the city of Detroit.

You know, we should have more access to have more value and should be doing more with our to help the people of the city of Detroit.

Of course, you need to help the city of Detroit retirees.

Thank you.

Thank you.

The next caller.

Our next caller is Owner Papa.

Owner Papa, you have two minutes for general public comment.

Uh good morning, and to the chair, may I be heard?

Good morning, yes.

Good morning.

Um, yes, um, Mr.

Foster makes some very good points about our dollars.

I'm looking at your C OBs, and nothing has come to me.

And I don't know if you understand that the tax, the federal dollars that come back to the city are based somewhat on the federal taxes that we pay to the federal government.

I have paid thousands, but I see absolutely nothing coming back to me as a citizen.

I see lots of things all pie in the sky that people come and promise at the table, but we never see all of it.

We never see any results for our people.

And what I'm saying is, Detroiters are being shortchanged by this very planning department that is seems to be planning for the genocide and the dislocation of the legacy Detroiters that are here.

Thank you, uh, Miss Varner, who calls and gives information that should be coming from the city council and should be readily accessible.

You you want to do things in secret.

You want to tell her about how this water deal is going on and how they are going to tackle what you owe in June.

These things need to be brought to the light because they're impacting large numbers of people in the city of Detroit.

You all have legislated us into poverty, is what you've done.

You've gotten millions of dollars from the federal government.

And and and our our namesake, um, the uh the the uh bus terminal is an ill repair and dirty, and the whole reason why you got ARPA money was because of a health issue, but you don't use it to eradicate any of our health issues.

What you do is you demolish our entire city and make more people who were homeless, even homeless, and then uh uh kick people out of their homes and uh illegally because some of these people are not even in compliance, they should even be in the court system, and that's where you should stop it there at the court system.

Thank you.

Thank you.

The next caller.

Our next caller is Sam Butler.

Sam Butler, you have two minutes for general public comment.

Good morning, honorable body.

Thank you for the time.

My name is Sam Butler, and I am a member of the Equitable Development Task Force, as well as executive director of uh a group called Doing Development Differently in Metro Detroit.

Uh our organization has been monitoring the community benefits ordinance since its inception, along with other partners.

And I appreciate this honorable body discussing the CBO today.

I think, you know, the CBO undoubtedly has done many great things.

Um, however, in the years that we've been implementing it, I think there are various ways that we've seen that it can be improved.

I think also since its inception, various other cities across the country have adopted similar community benefit ordinances and community benefit policies that we can learn from.

So I think now is the time for us to maybe take a moment and evaluate the CBO and to think about how we can improve it for the future.

So I just want to echo my uh colleague Chase's comments and say that I support the EDTF's recommendation to look at the CBO and establish some sort of work group or task force to come up with effective uh recommendations to make the uh CBO all the better.

Thank you so much.

Thank you.

The next caller.

Our next caller is caller ending in one two four.

Caller ending in one two four.

You have two minutes for general public comment.

Good morning, thank you for two minutes, maybe heard.

Good morning, yes.

Okay.

I just want to say very disappointing that the uh executive organization plan was not attached to the agenda.

Um you know, people don't read the Detroit legal news, or many people don't.

Also, we'd like to know who's going to fill these posts because that's really important.

And so far, what I see is Duggan 2.0, uh, just with the female governor.

Uh, we need a full investigation into the dirty dirt.

Uh, thank you, Chase Kentral and the other gentleman.

Uh basically, we should be calling back to Herman Kiefer, and that's what we should have been spending the millions of dollars of ARPA money on instead of demolition to uh revamp our health department so you can comply with Charter Section 7-201, long overdue.

Um, the land bank, the land bank, the land bank.

Wow, the land bank continues to misrepresent to the public and to this board that they are the holder of last resort.

That is absolutely not true.

Um, because they do the uh ultra virus illegal nuisance abatement program, which they were not authorized to do under state law.

And so uh if you as a body approve an MOU with the nuisance abatement program, you are complicit in taking people's generational wealth in Detroit and uh ultra virus activity.

Um so, you know, why does the land bank not have to take care of property it has title to, but then they can go and try and commandeer private property.

This insanity needs to stop.

Also, for the equitable development task force, uh please take a look at the non-meaningful inclusion in the master plan update process.

And like do it that's doing stuff like North End Landing, look at the misbehaving BZA and our law department over trying to charge for transcripts.

The cities already supposed to have trying to thwart people's ability to uh go against their uh ill-founded thank you.

The next caller, our next caller.

Sorry, Miss Gray.

Before we proceed to the next caller, I'd like to call the 1025 public hearing to order and recess it to the call of the chair.

We are now back to our virtual public comment.

And who's our next caller?

Our next caller is Tahira Ahmad.

Tahir Ahmad, you have two minutes for general public comment.

Good morning.

Uh, thank you for all the good work that you do.

In celebration of Black History Month, I must have list my teacher, Dr.

Yosef Ben Yakanat, Black Egyptologist who's who woke black people up here in Detroit and then Hein Park lecturing at Heiden Park Community College, telling us and showing us proof that the ancient Egyptians, our ancestors, are black people.

Uh, and we named our black land Kemet.

The Greeks came in and renamed it Egypt.

We have invaders that are running Kemet, uh Arab invaders.

They are not the original black people chemic.

We need to teach the truth.

That's Black History Month.

And that's why I want to dedicate my comments to that.

Our museum, the Charles H.

Wright Museum has been renamed by corporate invaders, uh, who renamed our museum the right.

Disrespecting Dr.

Charles H.

Wright's legacy and the name that the museum was named under.

I'm a member of the Black Legacy Coalition formed when that uh disgraceful Thomas Jefferson traveling exhibit that uh celebrate his pedophilia and enslavement of 600 of our ancestors.

We formed because we demand that that the right, not bringing that exhibit under this this the disgraceful uh narrative that Sally Hemmings, who was a raped child by uh Thomas Jefferson while he was writing the independent declaration of independence.

Uh we demanded that that exhibit not be brought in our museum and these white corporate uh invaders get it anyway.

So we want our own representatives on the board of directors.

Thank you.

The next caller.

Caller ending in 039.

You have two minutes for general public comment.

Caller ending in 039.

Are you there?

Ms.

Great, let's come back to this caller.

Our next caller is Galaxy Tab A.

Galaxy Tab A.

You have two minutes for general public comment.

Galaxy tab A.

You have two minutes.

Okay, we'll return back to Galaxy Tab A.

Madam Chair, we're going back to the previous caller starting with Zoom user.

Zoom user.

You have two minutes for general public comment.

All right.

It looks like Zoom user is not available at this time.

If you have a comment you'd like to put on record, please provide that comment to the clerk's office.

Who's our next caller?

Our next caller is Cunningham.

Cunningham.

You have two minutes for general public comment.

313, 444, 9114.

313 444, 9114, 31344, 9114.

That number was made so you can remember it.

And I think this is a Holy Spirit idea, because the Holy Spirit brings all things to our remembrance.

In regards to African American history, um, it should be little exhibits everywhere, like at the transit centers, our sculpture of uh Rosa Parks, and when you stand near it, uh it's an audio, and you can read it, what her life or what she did and other Detroit heroes and everything.

I'm really disappointed in the city council because they didn't do too much with African American history.

They have a platform.

Um, and none of the council members really did much as regards African history.

But I talk about transit, but I digress on that.

Uh um D Dot, I'm still getting uh a bad report when people get in my taxi cab about the services.

You guys have done a lot, raise the wages and everything.

I think we need undercover bosses, like the like the show, undercover bosses, come in at random, dress down, um, and talk to the people, especially the buses of it after 6 p.m.

daily, and on the weekends.

Why should I care?

I'm a taxi cab, I make money off of that.

Yeah, but I'm a Christian, and my mother raised me to care about others, and you should care about others as well.

If you under the sound of my voice, if you're a gubernatorial candidate, um federal uh incumbent, which we had Sri on the coaches uh last week, Shri Zonator.

Um I endorse no candidate, but all people running and incumbents, let us do this burglar, right along.

Uh thank you so much and stay free.

Thank you.

The next caller.

Our next caller is caller ending in 039.

Caller ending in 039.

You have two minutes for general public comment.

What up, Joe?

Uh, motor city rule, seven mile rule, six mile rule, jury roll rule.

Uh Latissa Johnson.

Angela Callaway kicked me out of the internal operations committee meeting before the meeting started.

She asked the EPU to remove me.

Now, uh, this is to all the commenters on uh public comment.

If y'all been taken advantage of or disrespected by the city council or the city of Detroit in regards to making a public comment, your hands raised, you don't get called on.

Y'all need to sue them.

Because that's what I'm gonna do to Angela Callaway in the city of Detroit for kicking me out that meeting.

Now it's no video.

And Latissa Johnson, you keep it in, you're a keeping in public official.

I got the evidence and the proof to prove it.

2020, 2021, 2022, and 2024.

And yeah, I did give it the number 47.

And that'll be other conciergo mayor.

You see it in too.

And you're a liar, too.

You lied about that findings of the allegations of voter fraud by anonymous citizen report done by Janice Winfrey.

You said you read it on the 9th of May 2024, and that's a lie.

A bald face lie, bald face, blue face lie, and I got the proof and evidence is on video, just like Danis is on video because he sent to every member of council that report, the fighting journal allegations of voter fraud by another citizen report.

He sent it to the mayor's office and to council.

I called on the 20th of May, and then none of them have it, so I brought it down and gave it to Red George Committee on the 22nd, and ain't nobody seen it.

Y'all ain't got it, and y'all won't say nothing.

Y'all liars, and keep it in.

Public officials here.

Thank you.

Before we proceed to the next caller, I'd like to call the 1030 discussion to order and recess it to the call of the chair.

And we're back at virtual public comment.

Who's the next caller?

Our next caller is Galaxy Tab A.

Galaxy Tab A.

You have two minutes for general public comment.

Galaxy tab A.

Are you there?

Good morning.

Can I be heard?

Good morning, yes.

I'm gonna speak on the buses.

The buses that run, you know, the one hour, two hours apart with your shame.

I mean, with your shane comment and uh six mile.

These buses need to be running more closely.

I don't know if y'all remember back in the day.

They used to say, men are like buses, you miss one and catch another.

LOL.

So we need that going back.

Plus, they got uh they got they have six mile going out six mile, but we used to have the Davison bus to come down Davidson, and they need that Davidson bus stop back, so nobody had to walk, even though it's right across the street going to six mile, and Davidson bus need to come back because it stops at just a compound and I'm gonna say um just a compound and six mile or a turnaround.

So we need that back, and um I just want to mention that, and then also um councilwoman at large, god bless us.

So not at large councilwoman queen mother, councilwoman reverend mother, Joanne Watson.

She was trying to get a black black, like everybody else have name behind us.

Everybody has it, but we don't have it, and it's time for us to have the African African town.

Like I said, the last one I know was Bangalore Town.

I've been over since 77, and they just put that sign up recently.

We need an African town city council mayor, Cheffield.

We need the African town.

Honor our queen mother, Joanne Watson.

There's no African town.

And in Bangladeshown, they got only them working there.

Thank you.

The next caller.

Madam Chair, the last caller before you cut off public comment, noting that there were two additional hands raised after is George Ibrahim.

George Ibrahim, you have two minutes for general public comment.

Good morning.

I am George Brahim.

We own, I am interested in the parcel 18079.

It's the opposite size side of our office.

I have problems with the parking club.

Recently, I've figured out that somebody on part of this parking club.

So I am looking to add extension to my uh parking club, or if the owner of that parcel wants to swap them, I could do that.

So please, this is what I want to say.

We have that office there.

It is mediatric office, it serves that area.

Uh yeah, it serves that area, and we are there uh since uh four or five years ago working in that office.

Thank you very much.

Thank you.

All right, that now concludes our general public comment.

And I just want to um share with the the gentleman who just called.

If you'd like to reach out to the office, we can connect you with the planning department or the Detroit Land Bank, not sure who owns the property you're talking about.

Our phone number is 313-224-4841.

Again, 313-224-4841.

And want to say thank you to Chase Cantrell and Sam Butler who called in regards to the work, the great work you all have been doing as a part of the Equitable Development Task Force.

Um looking forward to the recommendations to amend the community benefits ordinance, and also looking forward to having those conversations with my colleagues.

I know uh Member Santiago Romero, who co-chairs the Equitable Development Task Force with me has been working very closely on those amendments.

So uh thank you uh for your work as well.

All right, colleagues, any additional comments in regards to general public comment.

All right, uh Pro Tim Young.

Yes, I think we're gonna have Miss Uh Chapman come up in a little bit, but someone will talk about uh African American history, and uh I know that Miss Chapman is working on a lot of things.

You have to come up now.

I'll wait to call it, but I know she's working on a lot of things involving African American history because every day and every month is African American history month.

So just because we need to do it in February, doesn't mean we're not gonna honor it.

I know she has a lot of plans.

I know we've been talking back and forth about stuff she wants to do, particularly without my name's sake, the Honorable Cole Mean Senior, the best man there ever was.

So I'm really looking forward to working with her on this.

I just want to let people know just because you see now, doesn't mean we don't have plans to see things in the future.

Thank you, Pro Tim.

And to that point, I know we talked about it, I believe it was last week.

Um, all of the great work that the um historic designation advisory board is doing um and sharing information about black history and and um perhaps folks that we don't hear about frequently.

Um, and so when you all come up, I know that's not part of our discussion today, but if you can just share again with the residents with anyone who's listening, how they access that information, that would be appreciated.

Thank you.

Thank you, Pro Tim.

All right, colleagues, we are going to move back to the agenda.

Uh, and I would like to call back to order the 1025 public hearing.

The 1025 public hearing is to amend chapter 21 of the 2019 Detroit City Code History, Article 2, Historic Districts and Landmarks, Division 5 designated districts to add section 21-2-253, conductors protective assurance building, CPA building, historic district, and to define the elements of design for the district.

And we have um individuals here from HDAB.

If you will please introduce yourselves for the record.

Thank you.

Through the chair, I'm Lisa D.

Kiera, Deputy Director of Historic Designation Advisory Board.

Morning.

And my name is Ian Tomashek, Historic Planner with the Historic Designation Advisory Board.

Morning.

Good morning, Janice Chapman, director of the historic designation advisory board.

Good morning.

All right, thank you so much.

I know we talked about this briefly, but um, if you all do have a presentation, we do to share.

All right, we will give you access.

We do.

Through the chair, I would like to note that I'm getting a notice saying the host has disabled participant screen sharing.

Ms.

Grey.

I believe you can try again.

Ah, yes, work now.

Thank you very much.

And before we proceed, I'm receiving a message indicating that closed caption is no longer on two media services.

If we can ensure that closed caption is on as a part of the discussion, we would certainly appreciate it.

I believe it was there during public comment, but it looks like it is no longer there.

Thank you.

All right, you may present.

Thank you.

Through the chair.

By a resolution dated November 21st, 2024, the Detroit City Council charged the Historic Designation Advisory Board with the official study of the Conductor's Protective Assurance CPA Building Historic District.

City Council also approved two ad hoc members to the board, Mr.

Robert Zalkin, owner of the CPA building, and Blake Almstead, president of the Corktown Historical Society and a Corktown resident.

The Historic Designation Advisory Board approved an ordinance and final report for the CPA Building Historic District on July 10th, 2025.

The law department approved the ordinance to form on August 15th, 2025.

We are now here at the Planning and Economic Development Committee for your review and approval to forward this proposed CPA Building Historic District to formal for final city council approval.

The proposed boundaries of the CPA Building Historic District run on the north, along the center line of the East West Alley, parallel to and north of Michigan Avenue, on the east, the center line of 14th Street, on the south, the center line of Michigan Avenue, and on the west, the westerly boundary, extended northerly and southerly of lot three of the subdivision of the Godfrey Farm, PC 726, lying between Michigan Avenue and Grand River Avenue, as recorded in LIBER 1, page 293, Platts Wayne County Records.

The boundaries described above delineate the parcel presently and historically occupied by the CPA building's original footprint and to its west, a non-contributing parcel at 2216 Michigan Avenue.

At the time of this proposed designation, on this non-contributing parcel is a parking lot and a later added drive-through structure with canopy, which is a non-historic feature to the CPA building.

The proposed historic district is in the Corktown neighborhood in District 6 and to the north across Michigan Avenue from the Michigan Central Station.

We acknowledge the Native Peoples and Cultures who lived on this land that included the Chippewa, Ottawa, and Potawatomi nations, as well as those traveling through the area, including the Anishinaabe, Wyandotte, Iroquois, Fox, Miami, and SOC.

This region had multiple trail systems, including the Great Sauk Trail, the path sometimes referred to as the Pottawatomie Trail, now known as Michigan Avenue.

In 1825, President James Monroe signed a bill into law that funded the survey for the Chicago Road, also known as Michigan Avenue, which extends to Chicago.

Criteria.

The Conductor's Protective Assurance Building, CPA building, is significant under HDAB Criterion 1.

Sites, buildings, structures, or archaeological sites where cultural, social, spiritual, economic, political, or architectural history of the community, city, state, or nation is particularly reflected or exemplified.

This criterion is aligned with National Register Criterion A, a property associated with events that have made a significant contribution to the broad patterns of our history.

The CPA building is also significant under HDAB criterion three.

Buildings are structures which embody the distinguishing characteristics of an architectural specimen inherently valuable as a representation of a period style or method of construction.

This criterion is aligned with the National Register Criterion C.

A property that embodies the distinctive characteristics of a type, period, or method of construction, or represents the work of a master architect or possesses high artistic values or represents a significant and distinguishable entity whose components lack individual distinction.

The Conductors Protective Assurance Building, commonly known as the CPA Building, owes its name to its first and longtime owner of the Conductor's Protective Assurance Company.

The company was established in 1907 by W.J.

Ross to protect eligible railroad railroad workers discharged from their jobs.

In 1915, the company reorganized as a family-owned stock corporation, and by 1922 began planning for its new building on Michigan Avenue at 14th Street.

By then the company had over 15,000 members.

While railroad unions represented workers, CPA assisted its membership who lost employment before the advent of social welfare programs and unemployment benefits.

When the building opened in 1924, Mr.

Ross stated, quote, the CPA company has been in business for 18 years and is the only concern of its kind in America.

It ensures railroad officials, conductors, and engineers against the loss of their jobs because of being fired, being forced out of their position because of old age or physical disability.

Unquote.

Upon the completion of the building, CPA took occupancy of the entire sixth floor.

A branch of Central Saving Bank opened on the ground floor.

Two additional store spaces were also on the ground floor.

Fourteen business office spaces were made available on floors two through five.

These were often occupied by real estate and insurance companies, contractors, and at one time a dentist.

The CPA company remained in the building until 1990 when it moved to the suburbs.

It was acquired by a California company in 2010 and dissolved in 2012.

While the bank occupant changed several times, the ground level maintained a bank tenant well into the 1980s.

The CPA building is highly visible and is distinguished by its angled corner location at the intersection of Michigan Avenue and 14th Street.

Michigan Avenue became one of Judge Augustus Woodward's major diagonal avenues laid out in his 1805 City of Detroit plan.

By 1940, it was widened to 120 feet but had no impact on the CPA building.

The building's location across from Michigan Central, as you can see in the image here, was well suited for its purpose, serving workers of the railroad industry, and in that it provided the opportunity for great visibility on a busy commercial corridor.

The angled site allowed the building's architect Alvin E.

Harley to utilize a flat iron design, giving prominence to both the Michigan Avenue and 14th Street facades.

The building is neoclassical, a style often used during the 1920s for commercial buildings, especially related to finance and banking.

The style was thought of as dignified with classical features such as pilasters, embellished friezes and cornices, and details such as dental moldings seen on the building's primary facades.

The building's architect was Alvin E.

Harley, who practiced in Detroit from 1903 to 1963.

Harley worked as a draftsman and apprentice for two of the city's leading architects, first Albert Kahn and then George D.

Mason.

Harley joined in partnership with another architect from Mason's office, Norman Swain Acheson from 1908 through 1912.

During that time, the number of buildings constructed in Detroit more than doubled, and Harley and Achinson designed many, including the administration building and exhibition building at the state fairgrounds, demolished in 2021, and seen here the Henry Clay Hotel at 1538 Center Street, built in 1913.

Both the CPA building and the Henry Clay Hotel are two of the most distinctive flat iron buildings in Detroit.

Harley's success paralleled that of the growing automobile industry.

His residential business thrived and he designed residences in Detroit's prestigious Indian village and Palmer Woods neighborhoods.

In 1933, Harley joined with Harold Slate Ellington to form Harley and Ellington Architects and Engineers.

And in 1943, they merged with Charles E.

Day, becoming Harley Ellington and Day.

After World War II ended, they designed projects for the federal and municipal governments, including the Detroit Civic Center's Veterans Memorial Building, and Detroit City County Building, today known as the Coleman A.

Young Municipal Center, where we are meeting today and is seen in this article on his career.

Alvin E.

Harley retired in 1963 and died in 1986 at age 92.

The firm he founded exists today as H to ED with offices nationwide.

The CPA building is six stories with a flat roof and is of steel and concrete construction with white Bedford limestone and granite facades.

The plan of the building is in the shape of an irregular pentagon with two acute angles forming the single bay entrance facade at the southeast corner.

The two primary facades along Michigan Avenue and 14th Street display out from that corner bay.

The Michigan Avenue facade has three bays, and the 14th Street facade has six bays, with the primary entrance to the upper office floors in the fourth bay of the 14th Street facade.

Both street entrances are heavily embellished.

Early on, two NEON CPA building signs were installed atop the Southeast Corner and 14th Street entrances and over the original and sized panels with the CPA name.

This can be seen in the image on the left.

In the image on the right, you will see a large square clock.

Its installation date unknown, which is beneath the southeast corner entrance lintel.

Originally in this location was a round clock seen in the historic photos.

This replacement clock is considered later in date and non-historic.

The rear single bay elevation on the north side of the building along the Fisher Service Drive has similar materials and detailing of its upper floors as the two primary facades.

However, the back door and side window are non-decorative as the door was a service entrance.

The image to the right shows this entrance and window in 2017.

The west elevation is faced with brick and lacks architectural embellishments as it was historically partially covered by a smaller scaled commercial building within the Michigan Avenue commercial block to its west.

Seen above this facade is a rooftop penthouse structure.

By 1977, a new drive-thru structure with canopy teller stands and drive-up window was constructed by the Bank of Commonwealth.

This structure is considered a non-historic addition to the building.

It is located within the western parcel that also contains the former parking lot.

This parcel is included in the boundaries of the proposed district, but non-contributing to the proposed historic district.

The last known photograph of the building pre-board up of ground floor windows and doors is from 2008, seen on the left.

On the right is how the building appears today, with all windows and doors boarded.

Again, to summarize, as seen on this map, the proposed CPA Building Historic District consists of a single contributing building resource.

While the district boundaries encircle the parcel to the west of the building, addressed at 2216 Michigan Avenue.

Again, it is non-contributing to the district.

The later added attached drive-through window structure with canopy, again, is also considered non-historic, as is the replacement clock at the Michigan and 14th Street entrance.

I'd like to acknowledge Deborah Goldstein, the original researcher and author of this report, and Rebecca Savage, who did additional writing and research.

Thank you, Councilmembers, for your consideration, and I'm happy to answer any questions.

Thank you.

Just very briefly, the parcel adjacent where the canopy is.

Yes.

Is owned by the same owner as the building.

Okay.

And can you just share what implications the designation would have on the building?

Sure.

Through the chair.

When a property receives historic district designation here in the city of Detroit by our ordinance, it essentially protects that historic structure.

So this is a building that has been long regarded as an important building.

At one time had been proposed for demolition some years ago.

Continues to be boarded as you are well aware and is currently for sale along with the rest of the block that includes that one parcel to the west.

The current owner has owned it for some years.

Whether it was to be individually rehabilitated and rehabbed by a future owner or in conjunction with the entire rest of the block.

Okay.

Thank you.

I did see that pro Tim Young had his hand raised.

I did.

Thank you so much.

I appreciate that, manager.

Thank you very well.

Excellent presentation.

I just wanted to ask you, you said something about um I think part of this building being built by Olmstead, if I'm not mistaken, or he had something to do with this.

Is that correct?

Just to be able to do that.

I don't think I said Olmsted.

I'm sorry if I mispronounced something that sounded like Olmsted.

Yeah, yeah.

Well, well, I'll give her a second.

If you say Olstead, was that the brother of the Oh, I'm sorry.

Blake Olmsted.

Yes.

Olmstead's also the name of a famous landscape architect.

No, that's what I was getting ready to say.

Were they related?

No, I know not that I'm aware.

Blake is a resident of Corktown and is president of the Corktown Historical Society and has been one of our ad hoc board members through this process.

Oh, okay.

Okay.

Also, that's my fault.

I think it gets too much.

No, that's okay.

Yeah, what are like are they related?

Is he related?

It's the French.

We should ask Holmstead or not her.

That's the nice little historical connection right there.

Oh, I just wanted to ask you, I'm looking at this, and it also is about um showing about the land, the historical connection to the Native Americans.

I just want to know is that gonna be something that's gonna be preserved included in this.

So it is it's included um in our report that uh your body received as well.

Um so you have before you for the purpose of this uh hearing the ordinance as as written.

Right.

Um, but we also submitted the the full historic report on this property, and that information is included in the report.

Okay.

I just want to make sure.

And was there I just want to ask this just for my understanding, and if we're going through this process, we're not gonna find like you know, um, Native American, you know, um parts or burial sites or anything of that nature.

Well, it would change that.

We did with this change this project at all, or is that covered?

I just don't want to go through this process of oh, you know, this was a native burial site, and Colby's here trying to dis you're trying to disgrace our ancestors or something like that.

You understand what I'm saying?

Through the chair.

Um, so the city of Detroit, of course, has remnants of history throughout this entire city that is archaeological in nature.

And so if and when there is ever the discovery of archaeological uh remains, uh, whatever it may be, whether it's um objects or uh remains of of bodies, there is a process here in the city of Detroit um for addressing that.

And so um that would most likely more so happen in one in in the empty parcel or the parcels adjacent than the CPA building itself during a rehabilitation.

But if that did happen, there is certainly a process for addressing that.

We actually have uh an agreement with Wayne State University uh for when uh you know thing objects and remains are discovered in uh projects like that.

Okay.

Excellent.

Uh I think that's all the questions I have.

I I have another question, but it's not uh to not to this project.

I just I just have Ms.

Chabby, I want to know is it okay if I ask her at all?

If you can hold on to that, do we hold on to it?

Yes, so we go through the public hearing.

That's all the questions I have.

Thank you.

Appreciate you.

Thank you, Pro Tim.

Thank you, Mail Chair.

Any additional questions, comments?

Member Santiago Romero.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

No question.

Just want to say thank you uh for the work that you've done, uh, the research the year that it's taken uh to unearth uh the history and share it with us.

That's actually a lot of fun to learn and to hear.

Um we are in support.

Um I think the more that we can preserve Detroit's history the better.

Um and then I know there was some concerns around, I guess I do have a question.

There were concerns around if we make this historical, would it be more difficult for it to be developed in the future?

Um I think I misspoke on how many resources might be available for someone if this becomes historical.

Um so if you wouldn't mind just for clarity again.

Um if this was to become historical, um, would it be difficult to develop and would there be any resources if this was to become historical to develop the property?

So through the chair, the primary financial incentives that are available for historic buildings to be rehabilitated, um, are actually not incentives provided by the city, but incentives provided by the state.

So the state of Michigan has a historic tax credit program.

That historic tax credit program, which is a 25% dollar-for-dollar state tax credit for qualified rehabilitations of historic structures, in this case designated historic structures, um, would be made available.

It is a competitive program, but it is still a program that functions, and many projects in the city of Detroit have received that incentive.

Um, there is also a federal historic tax credit program, which is a 20% dollar-for-dollar federal tax credit for qualified rehabilitations.

In that case, a property needs to be listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

This building is not officially listed on the National Register, but as you may recall when I was going through the criteria, we've determined it eligible for listing in the National Register, and that would be uh a process that a future owner developer would go through with the State Historic Preservation Office in order to receive that 20% state, I mean federal tax credit.

And that's very common.

It's also very common to often layer those two incentives.

Otherwise, this building and the redevelopment of the site would be eligible for any other types of incentives that you see before you for other projects, whether historic or not historic.

Um those are the primary ones available for historic property.

In in to address your other part of the question, I mean, we all do know that factually what a property owner now has to go through when a property is designated, is an additional process of design review with the historic district commission and staff, and uh that is only for the exterior, not for the interior.

Wonderful.

Thank you through the chair.

Thank you.

Um, because I understand we have a lot of truths here, as you mentioned, development is hard.

Um, but also we can't go back in history.

We can only preserve what we have, and I think this is the opportunity that we have for that.

Um so don't want to make it harder to develop um and to bring new, um, but want to when we have preserve what we have and uh share raise that we can help.

So thank you for sharing those.

Um, but that is it for me.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you.

Uh Pro Tim Young.

Thank you, ma'am.

Chair, through the chair, I want to ask you, I think I asked you this already, and I probably I don't know if you can answer this or not.

I just want to ask you about this.

If we grant this, do you have an understanding of what this would do in terms of the neighborhood in terms of cost of living and all prices or taxes particularly?

I know you said about the tax credit, but do you know how much taxes would increase with this designation?

I don't think that this historic designation is going to impact a property tax value of the property.

What's going to impact the property tax value of the property is any future redevelopment of the entire block.

So it's really tied into a larger effort for what happens there versus just the designation of the football.

So it'd be more for the cost of development for the developers, not from the sense of the neighborhood or anything at all.

Yeah, I mean, we see you know a lot of activity in Corktown, and that's nothing.

I you know, what's gonna happen to this block is not going to be uh anything that's gonna trigger something different per se than what we already see as a whole in the entire community.

Thank you.

Thank you, I'm done.

All right, thank you.

We will now turn to public comment regarding the public hearing.

If there is anyone who'd like to make a public comment regarding the public hearing for the CPA building, please raise your hand.

Please raise your hand, whether joining us in person or virtually public comment will be cut off.

In three seconds.

Going once, going twice, going three times.

The collection of public comment has concluded.

Ms.

Gray, how many hands do we have raised virtually?

Madam Chair, we have 10 hands raised virtually.

All right, we're going to give everyone one minute for a public comment regarding the public hearing, and we'll get started with Mr.

Foster, who's here in the committee of the whole if you all can okay.

Thank you.

Good morning.

Um through the chair, just very briefly.

Um I don't take away from you guys this research or the benevolence that you guys try to do when it comes down to these things.

I'll take a word from anybody's work.

What I simply do is bring to your attention that the opinions of the work have to be more than just the 10,000 employees here.

It has to be more than just your opinion here.

The opinion and measurement of these works had to be measured by the 600,000 people here.

And so I think that's important to know.

So it's not to discredit any employee here.

Is to say that you have to have a broader audience to really measure your work.

Um in particular with this thing here.

I just like for you guys to watch batteries not included.

I think that's important for this committee to understand um how the community feels about these developments here and historical designations.

Thank you, Mr.

Foster.

We will turn to our virtual callers.

Who do we have first?

Our first virtual caller is iPhone.

iPhone, you have one minute for public comment.

I'm glad you're saving the building because it's a most interesting building I see in Detroit.

I love seeing it.

I go to the Gaelic League and I love looking at that building.

And if it was never developed, it should never be torn down.

It's a beautiful sculpture.

Much prettier than all the ugly rectangular things that people are building now.

More imagining I hope they'll learn from that.

Uh I I uh have a historical house that was built before 1900.

It's an apartment building on Peterborough.

And I was not uh I got a thing to go to Stephanie Chang's meeting two doors down at shipping company on Monday.

And I it it didn't say where it was or what the meeting was about.

I didn't go to it and later found out that on TV they were talking about a Chinatown being developed here.

Well, I knew they got a grant, but the the thank you.

The next caller.

Our next caller is Dan Austin.

Dan Austin, you have one minute for public comment.

Okay, thank you, Honorable Council.

Uh, my name is Dan Austin.

I'm a proud resident of aviation sub in District 7 and a former Corktown resident.

And for more than 20 years, I've been documenting Detroit's architectural history on historicdetroit.org and campaigned uh sometimes with a little success for the preservation of our city's historic places.

Um, in the interest of time, I I just ask that council look around, not just downtown, but in our neighborhoods.

I'm talking about the Shepherd and Lee Plaza and District 5, right across from the CPA, obviously of Michigan Central Station and the former DPS Book Depository.

These just a handful of examples of historic preservation that has received national praise and attention and a small sample of what wisdom, patience, and thoughtful development in our neighborhoods can give to our city.

You know, people want to be in cities with history and culture.

Um the CPA building deserves local protection regardless of whether the speculators asking too much money for it.

And I hope that it'll play a role.

Thank you.

The next caller.

Our next caller is Kathy Schneider.

Kathy Schneider, you have one minute for public comment.

Hi, this is Richard Nardo and Kathy Schneider.

We're a residents at 2572 Michigan Avenue, and we own the land where we're bringing back old Western Market.

We've been fighting for years about the history and trying to keep the CPA building in Michigan Central.

Kathy for 26 years has lived there, took the boards off 2572 Michigan, which is a historic treasure, as a historic commission knows.

We support the historic designation, and we need to move forward and continually keeping the buildings in Western Cork that have been neglected by the city in terms of giving us support to move forward.

So we need to move forward with those projects.

And if we have any luck, old Weston Marker will be a building with 14 uh commercial condos, and we will bring back the history of what Visic Avenue used to be, uh, which was where people shop before the mall.

So we again support the project.

Thank you so much.

Thank you.

The next caller.

Our next caller is Owner Papa.

Owner Papa, you have one minute for public comment.

Uh good afternoon.

And good morning.

And through the chair might be heard.

Good morning, yes.

Thank you.

Carolyn Hughes.

Um, it sounds like a great idea.

Um, but but I I had one question for the presenter.

Uh I would like to know.

She mentioned the artifacts and that Wayne State.

I remember a contract that came through.

I wanted to ask her who would own those artifacts that were found at that site or any site within Detroit.

And she said about resources could be for historical uh designations.

And I thought that's what we wanted for the uh rents in.

Um it's a historic building to us because it was the first um skyline created by the uh city of Detroit.

And it it seems to me that um the same energy should be held for the representative preservation of uh things that are important to um the citizen, as Mr.

Uh Foster mentioned to everybody.

Thank you.

Thank you.

The next caller.

Our next caller is caller ending in one two four.

Caller ending in one two four.

You have one minute for public comment.

Good morning, Manby Heard.

Good morning, yes.

Yeah.

Okay.

Um, of course, I support historic preservation.

Um, but what should protect this building from being destroyed later on?

Because the um uh historic shape fairgrounds it was released on the National Historic Registry, but the uh negligent last administration violated the charter and that council, uh, most of them uh uh let let that let the historic state fairgrounds get sold.

And as the lady mentioned, the uh some of the historic buildings destroyed.

Um, and then I've seen the historic commission let historic buildings be moved, maybe destroyed, and then they approved ruining what Cindy talked about.

I think they're mostly ugly too.

What I call Bakshi Bougie ugly.

So um, you know, I appreciate this work, but what what um guarantee is there that it's gonna be preserved and you know, a city like Paris.

Thank you.

The next caller.

Our next caller is Tahira Ahmad.

Good morning.

Uh I I also uh want to preserve beautiful buildings like this, but I want to suggest that we name this building after the Pottawa Tommy leader.

Uh Wabanzi, he was remembered for his prowess in battle and impact on the 19th century Indian policy.

Yeah, he openly opposed American expansion, yet understanding that it was a need to delegate peace.

So I think we need to I would love to keep it like it is, or expand uh and preserve it, but also name it after the indigenous people because it it has more importance, it's historical, and it keeps people understanding what who actually were here, the people who were here before American expansionism and preserve the Renaissance the same way and put Coleman Young mate.

The next caller.

Our next caller is William M.

Davis.

William M.

Davis, you have one minute for public comment.

Uh good morning, can I be heard?

Morning, yes.

Okay, in general, I'm in favor of historical designations.

However, I do have uh uh I think that more information is needed for the public and for it before this designation is given, as whether or not that would make whoever potentially acquired a building much more expensive to keep the historical destination and all the requirements associated with that.

Because sometimes when people buy like homes, especially with historical designation, is you know, it's more expensive to bring back, you know, to keep updated like with the leaded glass and the number of things that historical designation out.

So is there a study indicating whether or not it will be more or less expensive to do the bringing up the code and to make sure it's uh able to function and be a true delight to the city?

Thank you.

Thank you.

The next caller.

Our next caller is Blake Olmstead.

Blake Omstead, you have one minute for public comment.

Hi, thank you.

Can you hear me?

Yes.

Great.

Um, first I'm not related to Frederick Law Almstead.

I'm flattered, but I appreciate that.

Um my name is Blake Almstead.

I live in Corktown, um, a resident, also uh the president of the Corktown Historical Society, and um thrilled to see and hear a lot of the people on this call, um, whether Dan Austin or uh the different members of the Western market.

Not historically, it's not just historical relevance for the architecture, but uh the fabric of the memory, many, many people that have traveled through the city coming out of the train station in their first view was that building coming out of the train station across Roadsville Park.

Um so I'm thrilled to see this, the community really coming in support um of this designation because truly it's important to keep um our city um as what we try cherish and love uh bringing millions of guests in to see what's what's so special and how do we maintain this and preserve this for the future.

I thank you for your time and thank you so much again.

Thank you.

The next caller.

Our next caller is Bill Cheek.

Bill Cheeks, you have one minute for public comment regarding the public hearing.

I can you hear me and can we stop the clock?

I've just got a quick policy question before we start.

Uh you can only comment regarding the public hearing.

Okay.

Well, um, yeah, I I realize that.

I was velvet roll-burned when I joined the meeting at 1015 because I thought that was the time of the meeting.

And this bit about cutting off public comment while public comment is still going on and not allowing people uh is an outrageous policy.

So anybody that's late or has technical problems, they're not allowed to speak.

Okay, so you can speak regarding this or during this time regarding the public hearing.

That is the rules.

Um the open meetings act requires us to give the same amount equal time to all of the commenters.

If you had your hand raised earlier for um the general public comment, that was a separate section on the agenda.

Um, but if you have a comment during or uh regarding the public hearing, you may proceed.

If you have a general comment that you'd like to share with us, you can reach out to my office and share that with us, or you can also reach out to the clerk's office to share that, but we will give you the additional time, but you can only speak regarding the public hearing at this point.

Are you still there?

I am.

Yeah, sorry about that.

Um, yeah, I will reach out separately about the uh general public comment.

I wanted to speak.

Can you hear me?

Yes, we can hear you.

Uh okay.

Um yeah, I'll I'll uh I'll come out separately on the general public comment.

I wanted to speak in favor of the CPA building historic designation.

Um I think it's an important uh building to keep uh preserved in Corktown.

My principal question is um, is this gonna end up like the Illich's Madison Lennox demo where the owner just comes in at three o'clock in the morning on a Saturday and demolishes the building despite its historic designation, and then nobody pays any price for that.

All right, thank you.

Uh and just for the record, our office number is 313-224-4841, and we would be happy to receive your general public comment.

The next caller.

Our last caller is 45169.

45169, you have one minute for public comment regarding the public hearing.

Good morning.

I'm Chris Gongora, and on behalf of Preservation Detroit and as a Detroit resident, I support the creation of this historic district and the continued preservation of Detroit's historic architecture.

And uh special thanks to the Historic Designation Advisory Board for their research and exceptional work.

Thank you.

Thank you.

That now concludes public comment regarding the public hearing and to the historic designation advisory board.

I did hear um a few questions.

If you all would like to uh respond, we would appreciate it.

Through the chair.

Um I marked a few questions I heard, so please tell me if I leave one out.

Um there was a question regarding when archaeological artifacts are found.

Under what ownership are those artifacts.

Um it's it's a little bit of a uh mixed response from the standpoint of whether who the owner of the property is.

Um if it's city-owned property, it's city-owned artifacts.

The relationship with Wayne State University is that they care for those artifacts on behalf of the city.

That's how I understand that arrangement to be.

If artifacts are found on private property, I think it depends what the artifacts are.

If it's human remains, that becomes part of the public ownership, in this case the city dealing with it.

Um if it's you know, old bottles, if it's things that have to do with you know uh objects, I think it is of the uh right of the owner to hold on to those artifacts to put on future display, or but it's always usually a conversation with the city regardless.

I think it also depends on whether there's a project that has public subsidy or not.

Um so I am not the best person to ask that question, but that is how I know it to be.

Our colleagues over in HRD who deal with this a lot are the good uh the experts on this.

Um there was also a question about um what is to protect the building in the future from being demolished as the state fairground buildings were.

The difference here is that the state fairground buildings did not have City of Detroit historic district designation.

They did have national register designation.

There is a difference.

Um a lot of people often think that if a property is listed in the National Register of Historic Places that that protects it, it really does not.

It is purely honorific, um, even though we'd like to think it's received that federal level of historic designation that that means it's you know even more protected.

It's it's always incumbent on the local municipality to protect historic properties.

So municipalities all have very different types of historic preservation ordinances.

The city of Detroit is strong.

When a property is indeed designated in the way that we are asking for the CPA building with historic district designation, it does protect it.

Um the only uh time that a demolition will occur is if indeed the building is deemed dangerous.

Uh so right now the building is not dangerous, it is boarded, it is secured.

Um this designation would indeed protect it in terms of a future sale, et cetera.

And so uh that I think was the extent of that question.

The other one I noted, I think was Mr.

Davis.

Um needs more information would make it more expensive to rehab.

So as I stated earlier, um there are financial incentives that are available for the rehabilitation of historic properties that are not available for properties that are not designated historic.

So in this case, they are tax credits both at the federal and the state level.

Um developers have experience in using those tax credits.

Uh we have a lot of buildings throughout the city of Detroit, historic buildings that are designated that have been the recipient of those credits to uh be fully rehabilitated.

I think that was the primary question.

Is there anything I left out?

Uh I see Dr.

Chapman has her hand raised, but those were the questions that I noted.

Dr.

Chapman.

Yeah, there was one other um question that came up, um, and that was dealing with the reaching out to the larger um commute, the larger community of the city of Detroit.

This is the second, I just want to let the um let folks know this is the second public hearing being held.

We have one in the community itself.

So we do try to ensure, and there's always two public hearings that are held.

One in which our board um basically um organize and reach out, and then this public hearing.

So it gives we hopefully to give an opportunity for as many people to respond and to react to a proposed um historic designation, and those are posted in advance so that people who may have an interest in that particular um proposed historic district can weigh in via by coming in in person, sending an email, um calling in.

So I just wanted to, I know that was one of the questions that came up, so I just wanted to address that and very quickly the Renaissance.

We did get a um request for a designation for the Renaissance Center, as you well know through the chair, um, as you were aware last year.

And um because of a variety of reasons, um the council decided not to move forward with it based upon um the factors of of ownership and what was going on at the time.

So just to let the public know that as well.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you.

Um and I do just have a follow-up question.

Um I'm wondering if the historic designation advisory board evaluates nationally historic properties to consider putting a local um historic designation on those properties.

So through the chair, in response to your question, um the way we work with our ordinance is that either a member of the council, one of you may make the suggestion for something to be studied by our office, um, or members of the public, submit to the city clerk's office a suggestion for a property uh to be considered by our office and evaluated for local historic uh district designation.

So sometimes those buildings may already be listed on the national register, and sometimes they're not.

Um sometimes our discussions with someone who is coming to us asking for assistance for local historic designation.

If we know that the reason that property owner is looking for historic designation, is because they want a certain type of tax incentive.

We may say to them, prioritize the national register right now, or you already have this uh designation in the national register, so you can go ahead and proceed.

Um, and we don't need to work on a local right now as you're you know, but can maybe do it later on.

So it's it's a case-by-case basis.

We certainly are aware of all the properties in the city of Detroit that have national register um of historic places designation, and in fact, our office just recently made a public map available for those properties, and at our next HDAB meeting, which I think is March 12th, we'll actually be giving a demonstration tutorial on how to use that map for the public.

Excellent.

Thank you.

Vice Chair Santiago Romero.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Just to your question, um, our office is working on an ordinance to um use that opportunity to evaluate and to uh potentially preserve um any demolitions in the future.

Um so you see the opportunity, we did too, and we're working to see um if we can pass an ordinance that would allow for that process.

Um, so be on the lookout for that soon.

Thank you.

All right, thank you.

Colleagues, any additional questions, comments, concerns.

If not, is there a motion on line item five?

Uh motion to send to forma with the recommendation to approve.

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

Hearing no objections, that action shall be taken.

Thank you all so much.

Thank you.

That now closes out the 1020 hearing.

I'd like to call back to order the 1030 discussion.

The 1030 discussion is about the community benefits ordinance.

This is the biannual report.

We have a number of individuals that are joining us virtually for this discussion.

As you are promoted as panelists, if you would please uh turn your camera on and introduce yourself for the record.

If you are meant to be a panelist and would like to raise your hand, that makes it a lot easier for us to promote you.

Please introduce yourself as you see yourself on the screen.

Sure, and good morning, honorable body, Edwina King, Planning and Development Department.

Good morning.

Good morning, honorable body, Aaron Goodman of the Planning and Development Department.

Morning.

Good morning, Bruce Goldman from the Law Department.

Morning.

Good morning, uh Director Nikita Eastley with Creeel.

Good morning.

Good morning, supervising assistant court counsel Brian Co.

with also with the city of Detroit Law Department.

Good morning.

Brittany Haskew.

Good morning, Derek Hair, D G C.

Morning.

Jose Lemas.

Uh through the chair, um Director Mathis is on.

Uh she is having camera issues, but she did want to acknowledge that she's here.

Okay.

Director Mathis, if you could just introduce yourself for the record, please.

Even if we can't see you, we'd like to hear from you.

Madam Chair, if they could please raise their hand, I don't see them on the Zoom.

I believe Ms.

King was indicating that she was already here.

I'm not sure.

And I'm not sure who is going to get us started.

And we can have any others who are planning to join to just raise their hand as we get to the opportunity for them to speak.

Good morning.

My apologies.

Um, we were having difficulty with my camera, but I am here.

Good morning, madam chair.

Good morning, this honorable body.

Uh, I am Jay Mathis, the new director for the Civil Rights Inclusion and Opportunity Department.

It is a privilege to be before you all today to discuss uh second quarter and third quarter community business ordinances updates and reports.

And um thank you.

And if I may have permission to allow Jordan Numbers from CRIO on here to share her screen for this presentation.

Yes.

Thank you.

All right, the floor is yours, and we can see your screen.

Thank you.

Uh so I would like to initially uh this is just uh the first page of the presentation, and one of the things that the incentive compliance team does is that they monitor the community benefits ordinances.

So uh Jordan, if you can go to the next slide, please.

And just a brief overview of that dynamic team.

Um, we have Nikita Easley Esquire, who is the director of compliance.

We have Ariel Hughes, who is the compliance manager, Alyssa Jarngan, who's a compliance analyst, Diamond Parham, who is the inclusion analyst, and Renard Richmond, who's the construction and infrastructure industry engagement manager.

Next slide, please.

So we currently have 14 projects that are bound by the community benefits ordinances.

I'll go through those projects briefly.

Herman Kiefer Development, Michigan Central, Michigan and Church Street, District Detroit, Fisher Body 21, Hudson's Detroit, the Book Tower and Development at Cadillac Square, Stillantis, Detroit Pistons Practice Facility and Headquarters, Lafayette West, Midtown, West Wiggle, Weigel, the Mid, Future of Health, Hotel at Water Square, and DCFC, which is a soccer stadium.

So with the total of all of those projects, excluding the new stadium, we have a total of 620 commitments.

There are 490 commitments completed or on track.

There are 120 that have not started yet.

There's one project off track, which is a Herman Kiefer, which what we would love to discuss more of uh after the presentation.

Should you have any questions?

There's one new project entering the monitoring stage this summer, and that is going to be the soccer stadium, DCFC, and that one will have an additional 51 commitments.

If we can go to the next slide, please.

Thank you.

So just a brief overview of the monitoring process that's completed by my incentives and compliance team.

So CREO meets weekly with PDD Law and other relevant city departments to discuss and monitor the community benefits developments.

This form requires the developer to provide specific updates on all commitments.

CREO also accepts complaints and comments related to developments bound by the community benefits ordinances.

If we can go to the next slide, please.

So through the chair at this time, I request permission to allow Director Easley to continue with the complaints and inquiries presentation.

You have the floor.

And through the chair.

So there are a few ways that someone can submit an inquiry or complaint regarding the CBO process.

The first way is via an online smart sheet form.

Once we receive that form, CREO, that is, we work with the city staff to resolve any issue related in that inquiry or complaint.

That response is then sent back to the resident, and we also send a copy to the NAC.

And along with that communication, we let the NAC know about their ability to request a formal investigation through the enforcement committee.

Next slide, please.

So this is a second way.

So if the NAC receives a has a complaint about a CBO and they want a formal investigation by the enforcement committee, then the enforcement committee will be convened.

And that committee is comprised of corporate counsel, CREO, LPD, the planning department, and a NAC representative.

So within 21 days of receiving that formal request from the NAC, the enforcement committee must complete that investigation and submit findings to the NAC regarding the developer's compliance and how to get the developer back on track.

Next slide, please.

If the NAC disagrees with those findings, then the NAC may send notice to the enforcement committee, and then the enforcement committee has 14 days to respond.

If there is further disagreement, then the NAC can petition the city clerk to have a hearing before council, and then council will then decide if a hearing needs to be had to determine if the enforcement committee has made reasonable efforts to hold the developer in compliance.

So those are just some of the ways to submit a complaint, or if someone has a question about the CBO process.

We do get questions about the process.

So those are just the ways that someone can submit a complaint or inquiry.

The next 14 slides are just brief summaries of the projects, but for the sake of time, I can just go over Herman Kiefer, and then we can answer any questions that the honorable body might have.

So the only project that we marked off track was Herman Kiefer, and they were marked off track for four commitments.

One dealing with the land bank properties, another dealing with not really working with Detroit-based contractors and not submitting proper forms regarding the EO, another dealing with uh not setting up the resource center, and then not creating a skilled trades program.

We have put the project on a compliance plan.

We've been in contact with the developer, so we do hope to have more updates in the coming months as we release the next round of our biannual reports.

And at this time, we will welcome any questions that you all might have.

Thank you for the presentation.

Is there anyone who's available to give general updates in regards to the other CBOs?

I have questions about some of the others, but I was just curious to know.

We should have yes, we should have some people to answer through the chair, yes.

Okay, no presentation.

You're just answering questions.

We can answer questions.

We can go through the the other 13 slides with all of the different projects.

Particular, yeah, I I would suggest that.

That's um what we've done in the past, but um perhaps breezing through those that may have already been completed that are in compliance, um, and maybe you know, giving a little bit more information about those that may be off track.

Okay, the only one that was off track through the chair, the only one that was off track was Herman Kiefer.

Okay.

Okay, and I would you may proceed.

Through the chair, yes.

I would like to add that uh we did send our bi-annual submissions to the developers in order for them to submit their most recent status updates uh for their commitments, and those forms are due February 28th.

So we will have um status updates in our next reports, which will be coming, which will be published um in the next few months.

So you'll have updated information as well.

Okay, thank you.

Um else providing an update or is everyone else here for to be able to answer questions.

Madam Chair, uh, through the chair, uh we have partners here to answer questions on any other uh questions that you may have regarding the properties.

Uh the mid, I believe that there may be if you want to discuss the mid.

I can briefly give an update on that, and the jet team is here as well to discuss the status of the mid.

Um anything with guard regarding the affordable housing.

We have HRD here and law department here, uh, the community land trust and future of health.

I know that there may be some issues about that.

Um particularly the community land trust.

My understanding is in the past that you had some questions about that.

So we do have Barry Blackwell here from the future of health to discuss that.

Okay, thank you.

So we will move to uh comments, colleagues, questions, comments, or concerns.

All right, I will kick it off.

Um, so I do want to, since we have the Herman Kiefer slide still up, um, I believe there is a court process going on with this particular developer.

Is that correct?

Through the chair, that's correct.

And uh we cannot speak regarding the the the court process now.

What we can attest to is their compliance on this end and what uh steps that my team has been taking to bring them back into compliance.

We put them on a compliance plan uh just recently, two weeks ago, the members of that department they uh performed the impromptu site visit to verify what Herman Kiefer had indicated had been uh done and with how they have been in compliance, and then to also see which ways that they need to be coming to compliance to put them on that plan.

So they have received recently a compliance plan, uh, particularly regarding the financial disclosures.

If you have any additional questions, I would like to direct them to the office of law that the law department that is on here.

Okay, and um whomever can respond.

So my questions regarding the Herman Kiefer project is relative to the status of the development.

I know the old Herman Kiefer Hospital was part of the um the development project.

Um, and I I have driven past it numerous times and I've not seen any activity.

Um I also recognize I believe that there were a number of vacant lots that were part of the development project.

So if someone can give us an update on the status of the development, um I believe there were some properties that were rehabilitated.

Um I'm not sure how many of the total properties that were provided to the developer have gone through that process, but um would just like to hear the status of the development itself.

Um I believe there was a school as well that was a part of the development project.

So I would like to if it's something that's outside of the court process and the court proceedings, if if you all have information that you can share with us.

Madam Chair Bruce Coleman from the law department.

Uh, with regard to the litigation, the city is not actually uh in litigation.

That's the land bank.

The Herman Kiefer project is composed of two components.

One is the hospital complex as well as the schools, their tools, two school sites, uh as well, but the um the residential properties and all of the vacant lots are subject to a land bank agreement.

The developer put those into bankruptcy in New York.

We brought them here.

Um, and that is ongoing litigation uh between the land bank and the developers' entities.

Uh the uh the Kerman Kiefer complex, that is uh subject to a development agreement, but also is in breach.

Uh and um, but the developer currently at present um is in possession and does have control of the properties.

Uh then we're most most likely to be trading proposals on how to go forward.

Okay, thank you.

And can you share if there is a timeline?

How much time are we providing additional time for um either a development plan to be implemented or for them to make some progress on that, or um when we will look to receive the property back?

Those um negotiations are ongoing at present and um proposals are going back and forth.

So uh I'm hope hopefully imminently uh we'll have some path forward one way or the other.

Okay, thank you.

Um my next question is in regards to District Detroit.

So I understand just from having been a member on this committee and having received the update for District Detroit, where there was a caveat that was put within the development agreement that does not start the clock until they receive financing for their development projects.

Is there anything that we are doing to help move the process along for development to start?

I understand that the UMCI uh building will make some progress this spring.

That to me is almost separate, although it's it's part of the development project.

Is there anything that we are doing anything that we're able to do to move these projects further to make some progress?

Through the chair, um, with regarding to monitoring install projects, CREO doesn't monitor when a developer decides to start their project or construction on a project.

However, the CBA commitments are typically tied to when the construction bit begins or specific dates or milestone or time frame that we're provided.

Uh we defer to the developer generally when the project starts, but CREO only monitors or kind of steps in based on the timeline that's in the agreement.

Um the Jets team, I defer to the Jets team to answer any additional questions about the when they start projects.

Thank you.

And that that question could be to the law department or um the jobs and economy team.

Yeah, through the chair Brian Co.

with the law department, you are correct that uh the district Detroit uh community benefits uh project, which consisted at the time of 10 developments, one of which now you've identified as as you know essentially being constructed by the University of Michigan and not these developers, so it is not receiving tax abatements.

Um when those were negotiated, there were different staged benefits that that would start at different times because there was a recognition that you know the the 10 different projects would start at different times uh and you know would trigger benefits or or developments surrounding those projects.

Um I I am not aware of any specific hurdles uh that the city can clear to allow the projects to move forward.

Um the developer or the between Olympia and related, I believe they own all the parcels in question, and the headwinds have largely been financial because you know, since a couple of years ago when these uh the project as a whole was proposed to the city, you know, interest rates have have been high uh and are are still coming down uh and you know general construction costs are rising as well.

So um without having the developers here, my my inclination uh is that they are they are just trying to financially put the project together um and and we'll proceed as each individual building uh is viable.

Thank you for that.

I do just want to note that part of the uh district Detroit development was a transformational brown field, and transformational brown fields were capped.

I know the state has taken some action on that, um, but I my perception is it utilized some transformational brown field resources that are being held at bay, and there could have been other developers who utilize them to do development projects.

So I would love to have some additional discussion to understand how we can move this development project forward, um, just to make sure that we are seeing progress, um, recognize the the financial challenges, but there are 10 properties that are a part of this development project, so it would be great to see one or two of them start to make some progress.

So thank you for that.

I did have an opportunity to meet with Henry Ford in regards to the future of health.

But I'm not sure if Mr.

Blackwell is a panelist.

But if he is not, if we can uh give him access um to provide any additional updates that he may have relative to the community land trust um and how that project is going and access to funds for the project to continue to proceed.

Ms.

King.

Yes, through the chair, um, part of a conversation that I had earlier with Mr.

Blackwell uh this week, he stated that he would attend in person.

Um if he is not there in person, I'm in the process of texting him right now to see if he can appear virtually.

But he did inform me that he was gonna attend today's meeting in person.

So okay, thank you.

He is not here in person.

So with that, I will um just see if my colleagues have any questions, comments, or concerns.

Vice Chair Santiago Romero.

Thank you, madam chair, through you to our panel.

Uh, good morning.

My first question um is around the projects that still have not started commitments.

Um, I believe the mid has not started not a one commitment.

So just wondering um if we can know why.

I know it was mentioned that um it depends on the project itself and if it starts or not.

So just wanted to hear some updates on this project and why we haven't seen any of the commitments started.

Thank you, Vice Chair Santiago Romero for that question.

So, with regards to the status of the mid, a representative for the developer has indicated that work hasn't been done on the project for the first quarter of 2025.

Uh the project is currently paused while the developer reevaluates some items is what he indicated to our team.

We should know more by the next week.

Our bio report will be released in a few months, and we can provide an update once we provide uh once we are provided further information in that report.

I will also defer to the Jets team.

They may have more insight on as on the mid.

I'm not able to see everyone who's on the screen.

I'm not sure if Ms.

Haskew is there representing the Jet team or if there's someone else.

I know um through the chair, Brandon Lockhart, senior advisor and jobs and economy team.

Uh, no, we do not have Jose with us who is the lead on this project, so I can try to gather some additional information on this, but I can't really speak to this project in greater detail.

Okay.

Through the chair, thank you.

Okay.

Um, and uh my my my final-up question is is similar to the other projects that have uh the not started commitments.

Um, when reading the report, it really does look like this ties into the development itself, um, where they are along the project.

Um, just wondering if you all know of any commitments that have not been started for any other reason um that we believe will be a problem, or are we simply waiting for the commitments to get started um based on the developers and where they are with their projects?

And before you all respond, can you please stop the screen share?

Then we'll be able to see everyone.

Thank you.

Anyone through the chair through the chair, uh Member Santoga Romero, is your question about um all of the projects that have not been started or just the mid?

Uh through the chair, all of them.

Um assuming that folks here know if there's anything that is daunting of why any of these commitments have not been started.

Um, but if there's not, then my question is can we assume it is that these commitments have not been started because of where they the developer is in their project?

As we just mentioned, the mid has not been started, so they're not going to work on those commitments.

Is it the same then for the other commitments that have not been started?

It really is tied based on where the developer is on their project.

And through the chair, based on our assessment and um other people can weigh in on this, it seems that that is the case.

It is around what the developer is is able to do.

Um being that some of the constructions are done in phases.

So one phase may be done, but then another commitment is around phase two, but phase two hasn't started yet.

Thank you.

But I'll defer to some of the other on the call.

Thank you.

That that that seems right.

I just would like to put that on the record, confirm that also for the public as they're watching and as you're looking, um, and and hoping that we are getting benefits from these major projects uh that are receiving uh support from the city.

Um I madam chair, my only other remaining comments right now um are really to thank Sam and Chase uh as well for being members of the EDTF and looking forward to their recommendations.

After reading these reports, um I'm gonna be honest, a lot of these benefits for me are not benefits, they're givens.

Um, you know, as projects are uh are happening in the city, um, investing in housing or boarding of properties or eliminating blight elimination or creating work um for detroiters seems to just have that that should just be the norm of our work.

Um and as we're discussing how we can update the CBO process, I'm just wondering if it is just a given that you support us in our job creation and eliminating blights and not having be a part of this um commitments, it is just how we do development here in the city.

Um I wonder if we can have a list of of other benefits that we know are commonly asked for of residents like housing um or supporting us in in creating other housing opportunities.

I'm not sure.

Um, but I I I say this as we're having these discussions because we've gone through a few CBO processes in district six.

Um, and I'm seeing a lot of stress on residents, um, a lot of in fighting um and and the results um ended up looking very similar.

Um just excited that we're having these conversations so that we don't just keep repeating the same thing um and that we're just more efficient um and effective in our work and how we do development here in the city and how we work with our residents.

Um thank you all.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you.

Any reflection?

I know uh, yes, Ms.

King, I know you've been involved.

No, thank thank you.

And through the chair, and thank you, uh, Councilmember Santiago Romero as well as EDTF uh for your recommendations.

Um just a couple of things on the front end, but we also um here at PDD invite the opportunity uh to further discuss um the if it's a participation in this uh work group or task force or however uh this honorable body sees fit um regarding any potential amendments.

Uh one of the things that we do um do once the NAC is seated, we do have an orientation uh with the members of the NAC, and we talk about uh different things because let me actually let me go back to get to this point.

Uh so as someone who was here literally from ground zero when the ordinance was first um enacted and even uh navigating the amendments, things have changed significantly uh related to the CBO since 2017.

Um one of the things that we at PDD do uh once the NAC is seated, we have an orientation with all of the members, and during that orientation, we do talk about things that are um benefits that are not only commonly axed or requested via different processes, but also talking about things that are uh required, whether it's an executive order or some other form of statutory uh requirement.

Uh so what I will commit to is getting that list to this honorable body of some commonly um axed or commonly requested uh benefits, but again, also do invite the opportunity uh to further discuss um uh any potential changes uh that are recommended by this body.

So through the chair, thank you.

Uh, and I really deeply appreciate your work and for listening uh to us as we talk about this process and how we can make it easier.

Um, and those are suggestions that that came from the EDTF uh that came from really our residents and from us.

So thank you for your for running with that.

Um, and yeah, looking forward to continuing discussions and really grateful that you that you do implement the suggestions because I I do think it makes a change.

Um, and then from there we just continue to to to retool um what our process is um to make it easier for development in the future.

So thank you.

Thank you, madam chair.

Thank you.

Yes, through the chair to address Vice Chair Santiago Ramirez question.

And I think Miss Wina addressed a lot of it already.

But with regards to the NACs, in addition to improving our reporting process, we're also planning to do more engagement with the neighborhood advisory councils for each development.

I personally attended the first meeting of this year with Future of Health.

And I understand how committed and I wanted to understand have that NAC understand how committed we are to working in collaboration and not working in silo.

So to open up those lines of communication, how we'll do so moving forward and how we're actively going to work with them and making sure that we attend all of their meetings and that we're very responsive to them because I personally, as a Detroit native and a generational legacy native, I understand you know the people who have been here for generations and generations, and we want to ensure that they're still able to participate and be treated as residents and enjoy all of the new benefits uh that these multi-million dollar and billion dollar projects are bringing to our city.

So we want to make sure that everyone feels included and that it's not an exclusive excluded um during this new process.

And um also some of the things that we've implemented is number one, we're gonna be listening a lot more, having a lot more conversations with the NAC and the community and being responsive on a timely basis.

I repeat that timely basis uh to inquiries and complaints, uh making sure that we are equitable across the board and that we're doing it officially across the board with each developer.

Each developer will be treated the same way now that you know with under my leadership with CREO.

And one thing that we've implemented as well is a process that we've never had before, but a process of drafting a closeout um for each case for each uh property.

We haven't had that in the past, where that we identify what what the process will be, and we close out the properties so we know that there's nothing left to be done on that commitment, and I will be happy to share updates with you once we finalize that process in the next two months.

Excellent.

And I know we we are jotting down many names for the uh work group.

Um Ms.

King, did you have something additional you wanted to share?

Yes, um, just uh very briefly related to the question regarding the community land trust.

We do have Lem Cartman uh from Henry Ford future Henry Ford Health uh that's on the call and he could speak uh to your inquiry.

Okay, thank you, Mr.

Cartman.

Hello.

Can everyone hear me?

Good afternoon.

We can hear you.

We can't see you, but we can hear you.

Okay, great, great, great.

Yeah, just wanted to say I'm here, I'm listening in, and Barry was not able to make it to today's meeting.

And so any inquiries, I'm just gonna write down and just bring it back to our team, and we can follow up on that.

So just hear all ears, just want to listen to any inquiries, any questions, any specifics that that uh we might want to answer any more details on.

Okay, all right.

We appreciate it.

Thank you so much.

Yes, thank you.

Pro Tim Young.

Thank you, Madame Chair.

Uh Director Mathis, congratulations on uh the positions, pretty big.

Hello, everybody.

Um, I just wanted to ask really quickly from the uh economic standpoint.

I just want to know when you're having these NAC programs or have these NAG events.

Do you talk about what the economic benefit of these projects would be?

Do you talk about how small business development would take place?

Do you talk about the uh growth of small business jobs, the growth of small businesses in the community?

Uh, do you talk about you know how that money uh the how the taxpayer dollar money would be spent in terms of more services?

So we're gonna receive this amount of taxpayer money, estimate it, you know, this is gonna create this amount of number of jobs, gonna have this amount of number of wages, it's gonna bounce throughout the community this many times.

You know what I'm saying?

It's gonna it's gonna have spitoff jobs with these small businesses related to that, the custodial jobs, the janitorial jobs, uniform jobs, etc.

etc.

etc.

Do you have do you have those discussions at all in terms of what the economic impact is going to be in the community?

Director Mathis.

Thank you for that through the chair.

Thank you for that question, and thank you for the warm welcome.

Um, pro Tim Pure Young.

What I will do, I've only attended one, and I'm still becoming acclimated with the NAC meetings in the process.

So I would ask for your permission to defer this question to it looks like Brandon Lockhart.

Sure.

Like some other people are interested in doing this.

I'll ask your permission to defer them to the other hands on the screen.

Thank you.

Mr.

Lockhart or Mr.

Head.

Yeah, I thought that was Mr.

Head up there.

I know he can answer it.

Go ahead, Mr.

Lockhart.

I'm sorry, I'm not I'm not hating on you, Mr.

Lockhart.

Go ahead.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

There's no problem.

Um, through the chair, I would say uh a key part of the CBO process.

Uh during meeting three, the DGC actually goes through a butt for analysis with the community members and with the NAC that really walks them through the economic impact of the project or said project, talks about the incentive request.

It talks about um increased spending, it talks about you know the wraparound services and how much you know additional funds are gonna go to city uh services.

So it is definitely something that we talk about, and even so beforehand where we're meeting with developers and getting them prepared to go through this process and we talk about community engagement, they get a really good understanding of what community members are gonna be looking for throughout this process.

Uh, we don't typically just go into a CBO process without engaging with the community prior to it.

Right.

I mean, no, no, and I and I appreciate that, and that's what you're supposed to do, but I would just talk about just in terms of the community.

I mean, I think when you're doing the community, I'm I'm sure that's what you're telling me as well, but just the community in terms of what they can expect from this, you know.

Go ahead.

I'm sorry.

Sorry.

Yeah, through the chair.

There is a very in-depth analysis that we're happy to provide you examples of what we've shared in the past, but it it goes down to how much money is going to the general fund, what was this property previously creating in taxes, what's it gonna create moving forward with the property taxes are likely to be, um, what income taxes are gonna look like.

So it is a full analysis of what you could expect.

I don't know if there's artificial intelligence, I don't know if there's a spatial analysis to be able to create data one so that people can understand what this is gonna do, but secondly, predictive analytics so you can know what's gonna potentially in the future, but also I mean, it's probably through recommendation engines as well, so people can have recommendations of what they would need in the community that they might not think of.

For example, if you're in it, if you're in a community, you're going through a community benefits process and it has um a high asthma rate, it has uh a poor environmental quality.

You might be able to use artificial intelligence to recommend, you know, um carbon capture or carbon removal removal technology or other such things of that nature to be able to mitigate that problem.

I I don't know if you're doing that or not, but I would say if if you are great, if not, I would suggest that there's something there so that because there's gonna be things that people are really needing of the community that they want that they may or may not be able to think of or potentially ask just because they're going through so many things and trying to do so many things in the community, and so I think it's helpful if we have that helpmate there with them to kind of help them through that process, and also so we're not putting everything on your team to be able to come up with and recommend as well.

And I also think it'd be nice if you have a cost breakdown of what that is, so people understand what the costs are for this, what it adds to the project, and it also uh it also breaks down why there's more um tax discounts needed because of the costs that are associated with this that hit that butt for exemption.

So that's more of a statement.

But my uh my last question I wanted to ask you.

I just wanted to ask about the process uh for Creo.

Is there a certain number of fines that a business gets before there's a cutoff point that's attached to that?

Or is it just based on the egregious behavior in which they act based on their relationship?

You ask them a couple times, they're clearly not going along with this, they're clearly bad actors.

Is there just a is there is it like a three strikes throughout baseball rule with this, or is it just based on their previous behavior?

Through the chair, um, in terms of fines, we only find or have a workforce contribution for those who don't satisfy the the executive order.

I don't mean that 51%.

But the goal is always to work with the developer, yeah.

Um, and to get them to be compliant until they're not.

Because the majority, no, no, no, no, that's a good thing, because the majority of them are you know good, uh hot, honest, hardworking developers don't want to do the right thing.

But you know, you always got you know, there's there's there's one in every crowd, there's one in every party, you know what I'm saying?

You know, who who doesn't want to go along with it for whatever reason, you know, there's always there's always one cop who thinks he's Robocop, you know, or whatever.

And so what I'm saying is, are you saying to me that the only penalties that you have are uh fines and that's it, or is it something where it has to be there has to be is it like a standard where it has to be so egregious that you decide to cut off this project.

We only monitor through the chair, I'm sorry, and and thank you for that question.

We only monitor the agreements.

It is not up to Creole to pull a project.

Okay.

Um I think that's where the NAC engagement comes in and and talking with the community members and finding out what is what is going on.

We get the status updates biannually.

So then you sent that annual uh submission form the end of January.

We're gonna get the the answers in two days.

We do our investigation for two months, and then we're gonna submit those reports.

So once we look at those reports and we verify the information that's been submitted, uh, we'll follow up with the NAC, we'll talk with the the various departments that we work with, and then we go from there.

But it's not up to Creole to pull a project.

We can recommend certain things.

We can put a developer on a compliance plan.

Um, but we're we're happy to to work with your office on any other uh additional recommendations that you might have with that process, especially as we're developing our closeout process and different things.

No, right, I appreciate it.

I uh I'm assuming it's if if it's something that uh it's either uh I think I would think maybe that'd be the law department that that would fall under.

You know, you know, or you know, I I I would assume in terms of the actual termination of the contract for breach of violation.

But I I I but I don't know if we have anybody from the law department here to be able to speak to that.

Uh is it if if if they can speed that that's what I'm assuming.

I'm assuming it's either it's the law department, maybe the OIG, but I don't think so.

I think primarily that would be the law department.

Uh for monitoring the projects, we leave that to uh HRD and um uh the jet team.

If law gets called in uh in the event of a breach, uh we certainly provide the legal backup and and assistance.

Right, but but is there a certain department that oversees that termination process, or is that just something that comes, you know from obviously everything comes from the executive on down.

I'm just saying, i is there a certain department that handles that if it's something egregious, I'll tell you I know it's extremely rare, but if it's just something that's just egregious, and this person is just not cooperating with this agreement at all.

Is there a is there a cutoff point with that where we just cut our losses?

Uh well, in my experience, and I I've been with the city for because I'm assuming the the community business room is legally binding, so the enforcement process for community benefits is laid out in the ordinance as passed by city council.

Okay.

If there's an enforcement committee, then there's if that they don't get um satisfactory resolution, the developer appears in front of city council.

Okay, okay.

I got it.

Thank you.

I appreciate it.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mayor.

I'm done.

Thank you.

Um, and I do just want to add that as we look at evaluating the process and making suggested amendments to the community benefits ordinance.

I just want to remind everyone that many of the residents who are appointed to the NACS, they're not developers.

They're not developers.

They may not know the language.

Um, they may not have the full understanding of doing development that is very difficult in the city of Detroit.

And so I think the process moves very quickly for them, um, which I think does a disservice to them.

Um, and so if there is any way for us to address that, I understand we don't want to hold up the development project, but there has to be a way for us to work more closely with them to give them the the tools, the resources that they need in order for them to be um wildly successful uh as NAC members and feel that they are personally fulfilled fulfilled and that they're responding to the questions and concerns that come from the community as it relates to these development projects.

So I want to thank you all.

I especially want to thank Director Mathis and Director Easley.

Uh you all did an excellent job, noting that you have been um with Creole for two months.

Uh, and it it appeared to me as though everyone stepped back and allowed you all to step forward and you did that.

So we appreciate you for doing that.

And before I wrap up, before I go to you, Mr.

Head, I did want to see if Mr.

Kimani Jeffries had something that he wanted to add to the conversation.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

I appreciate the time.

I'll be very quick.

Just wanted to note that the mid project came up in the discussion.

I do want to note that they are they do need the passage of the sixth general tax amendment in order to be viable.

And that is because they have a PD and the PD PD's lapse after three years.

So we have been in discussions with them some time ago.

And essentially, the sixth general text amendment has language that removes that lapsed language because it's become very problematic in recent times.

So just wanted to note that.

And then also I just wanted to say that LBD has been having good discussions with uh the new administration, the CREO team.

So we look forward to continuing that and also just being a um you know more in depth in the process going forward, specifically as relates to uh tracking and monitoring, and then also as it relates to um weekly or monthly meetings pertaining to as LPD is a part of the enforcement committee.

Thank you so much, Mr.

Jeffrey.

Mr.

Head, was there something you wanted to add?

Um yes, thank you, madam chair, just very briefly.

As my colleague, Ms.

King has indicated that HRD is willing to assist as as you go along with modifying the CBO agreement.

I just wanted to add that the DEGC is also willing to assist.

Thank you.

We appreciate that.

And Director Mathis.

Yes, I just want to um thank this Honorable honorable body for allow through the chair and uh Madam Chair for a lot for your grace and patience doing my um my first hearing.

Uh we will follow up on some of the issues that you asked us about in your raised.

Uh, we will have them in the update reports to you.

I'll ensure that you're not just receiving those updates when it's time to report, but that you're receiving individual updates as well.

So that's something that we can commit to.

I will work with my team and explore other options regarding the NAC and working with them.

Um, as you stated, some pretty good, you had really good points about working with them in detail and in depth more.

So um we will explore those options and you will receive updates on the regular as we have them.

And thank you all, this honorable body for allowing me to be in front of you today and any follow-up questions feel pretty so please direct them to me.

Thank you so much, and we look forward to your leadership.

Thank you.

Attorney Goldman.

Sure, yes, uh, I would like to say uh I have been involved with um a number of enforcement activities, including some when enforcement committee has been formed, and uh have the utmost respect for the NAC members and the enforcement committee.

Uh and we have so far as I know, uh resolved everything before it has come risen to the level of uh having to be in front of city council.

So I believe the process does work and seems to be working fairly well.

Thank you for that, Attorney Goldman.

I actually have constituents who would disagree.

Um, and I know the plan and development department knows very well who I'm referring to.

Um, and so as it relates to the Stellantis uh NAC, there have been several concerns that have been raised as it relates to enforcement.

Um, even the enforcement committee in that process um seems to be rather obscure.

And and I'm trying to figure out how do I provide support to ensure that what the NAC intended in their CBA was actually what we delivered as a city.

Um so you know, I don't know if it's language that's within the agreement that can be interpreted one way or another, and you know, it's interpreted differently than the NAC members specifically uh believed it sh it was conveyed or or based on their discussions, it was prior to me becoming the elected official for this area.

So I'm not really certain about the discussions that took place during um the NAC meeting.

So uh I do think there is certainly room for improvement.

Um, and certainly look forward to the work group uh being pulled together and having these conversations on how we actually improve not only the ordinance but the process, the process, the experience that the residents have because we do all of this for the betterment of the community that this development project is in.

And so I think that it's very important for us to have these conversations since we've had a number of NACs that have been created that have gone through this process.

I think every time after the NAC has been created and we move forward, I hear rumblings about the process.

So I think now is a great time for us to create this work group.

We will look to maybe invite some NAC members to be part of the work group as well so they can help inform how the process worked for them.

So I appreciate you, Attorney Goldman, and I believe Pro Tim Young has um something additional he'd like to add.

Pro Tim.

Thank you, ma'am, Chair.

Thank you for your patience, your leadership.

Uh Mr.

Mr.

Goldman, yeah, I I I just want to say I I appreciate you know your your leadership in terms of doing that and getting that thing together.

I would just I wasn't trying to question your skills or ability.

I just want to know, you know, who would do that so I I can understand who's coming at me and who would potentially be in front of City Council, but I appreciate your skills and leadership for me not having to have that experience.

Uh but uh that's just what I want to know.

And I just wanted to ask um Mr.

Hid, uh, my man Hunter Grant, I wanted to ask you, sir.

Um do you want to talk about the process of um tax abatements or discounts?

And then secondly, do you talk about the economic impact of that?

And then thirdly, do you also do you also talk about or do you have analysis within DEGC in terms of what the impact will be in terms of reducing income inequality, reducing poverty, um the socio uh economic aspect of that, the micro microeconomic, the macroeconomic aspect of that, the gross domestic product impact of this, um, in terms of the income potential increases of the entire city based on this and the services that the city would be able to receive, and do you have that breakdown in a per dollar amount?

So for every dollar that we have, we get back that we have in a tax discount, this amount of money comes back.

You understand what I'm saying?

Is there is there I know that's kind of grandular when I'm saying, but do we have breakdowns of that of the racial aspect, of the gender aspect, of the culture, of the social aspect of what this project means to the city of Detroit?

Because I think if we break all that down, I think people can kind of understand why they would have this, and it's easier for me as an elected official, your president pro-temperate, to be able to talk to people about this afterwards.

If you can answer all that in 30 seconds, I appreciate it.

Uh you took the words right out of my mouth, Pro Tim.

Uh Mr.

Head.

Thank you, madam chair.

Uh, through the chair to Pro Tim Young.

As my colleague uh on the JET team uh Brandon indicated that we do an in-depth analysis.

And and to your point, and just really quickly, I can give you an example, the hotel at Water Square.

Uh that was one where we gave an in-depth analysis.

We we talked about the direct impact.

We talked about the uh indirect impacts, we talked about the impact on travel to the city of Detroit, how that would impact the overall economy of not only Detroit, but the metropolitan area and all the residual effects.

So we do kind of uh in a nutshell, kind of uh on the cusp of the things that you're asking about with certain projects, we do discuss that.

So that's my answer in 30 seconds.

Thank you.

Oh no, no, I I I I appreciate that.

I was just joking.

I I think he's gonna take that seriously.

Uh thank you so much.

I I appreciate that.

And I also just wanted to say I know that the district of Detroit is using a tremendous amount of union labor on their projects, and I know there's a lot of um uh unions that are being used in these projects.

I think it's also important for us to be able to highlight that.

It also highlight what that means for the community economically speaking.

And so I just want to say that.

Thank you, Mandel Chair.

I am done.

Thank you.

And as we begin to wrap this up, um, because we do have uh additional items on the agenda.

Ms.

King, uh, if there's something you wanted to just share very briefly, and then we're going to close out the discussion.

Oh, yes, absolutely.

Um, and just very briefly, um, Ryan English Barnhill from uh District Detroit was on the call um to answer your previous question.

That's all I wanted to share.

Thank thank you.

And and I can certainly reach out to her and would love to have a a sit-down conversation with her to understand how we help to uh make some progress within uh their projects.

Attorney Goldman would like to have the last word.

Perhaps it's probably best to ask the last word.

I just wanted to say that the law department is um eager to assist the the uh with improving the the ordinance.

Um so looking forward to working with you on that.

We appreciate it.

Thank you all.

Thank you so very much.

This has been a great conversation.

I know we will have additional conversations in the um coming future.

Um we will certainly reach out to many of you to be part of the work group as we look at how we improve the community benefits ordinance.

So thank you all so much.

Enjoy the afternoon.

Thank you.

All right, colleagues.

This now closes out the 1030 discussion.

And we are going to move back to the agenda under unfinished business, beginning with line item 7.1, status of council member Letitia Johnson, submitting memorandum relative to Hans Farms LLC purchase agreement.

Is there a motion to discuss?

Motion.

Discussion.

Thank you, Member Santiago Romero.

Uh do we have John Trung available just very briefly?

I did receive a response from the Detroit Land Bank Authority, but just wanted to find out whether or not Mr.

Trung was available.

Good afternoon.

Yep, good morning through the chair.

This is John Trump for Housing Revitalization Department.

Um I only caught part of a comment as now I was getting ported over.

I I actually withheld the question because I assumed you were being ported over.

Um I I did receive a response back from the Detroit Land Bank Authority relative to the purchase agreement between Hans Farms and the DLBA.

I was curious to know if there was an agreement with the city and Hans Farms.

Uh through the chair to the chair.

Um I'm not aware of any purchase agreements or any active agreements with uh Hans Farms or any uh subsidiaries.

Okay, thank you for that.

The reason I ask is because um my team alerted me to a uh prime movie um called land grab.

And I watched it maybe a few weeks ago, and in the movie, I'm not sure what Charlie Beckham's title was at the time, but he presented to Mike Score and John Hands a certificate of compliance, I believe, um, for their exceptional work in revitalizing the the land that had been acquired.

It was indicated in the film that there were I believe 2,000 lots, but the information that I received from the land bank said that it was less than 300 lots.

So I'm just on a quest to find out if there was another agreement that was in place between them and um anyone within the city, so I can understand how we how they ended up with 2,000 lots that were improved according to the film, um, but the agreement that we received did not indicate that many lots were provided.

Any reflection?

Um I know you've been around for some time.

Yeah, through the chair, I I was you know, vaguely remembering, you know, that I was an attendee at that event.

There were a couple hundred lots.

I know that original agreement, and I don't want to speak on misspeak on the specifics, but you know, there are the demolition requirements as well as the planning requirements, and I believe that presentation and that event was held around as part of the certificate completion for that.

Um I can certainly um you know work and try to find the archives on that original agreement and see what I can find and share with you.

Okay, thank you.

It looks like we have someone else here additionally from the Detroit Land Bank Authority.

John O'Hana.

Yes, good afternoon.

Uh through the chair, John O'Hana, on behalf of the Detroit Land Bank Authority, and I also have my colleague Doug Parker as well.

Good afternoon.

I'm not sure if you heard my question.

Um I did.

Okay.

Feel free to respond.

I'm not and you please feel free to cut me off at any time if I'm giving too much background.

I I can share some background that I'm aware of.

So that this original agreement, the original Hance Agreement goes back to 2013.

And it was under the Bing administration.

And at that time, that agreement had, I'm gonna say a part two to it.

It allowed a second option, it extended a second option to Hans for another 180 acres in the city.

So in fast forward and in 20 in that time period, rather, uh but between the 2013 original agreement to 2019, a lot of properties were transferred under the Duggan administration to the Detroit Land Bank.

And so they would have been captured under this option agreement, I'll say.

John, I'm not, I don't have I don't I'm not familiar with it, but it's my understanding that two agreements were born.

The um an agreement with the Detroit Land Bank Authority and an agreement with the City of Detroit.

The one with the Detroit Land Bank Authority ended up scaling back tremendously.

It it a lot of the terms were um passed on into the new agreement, but there were some terms that were scaled back.

So for example, the footprint was um significantly scaled back in uh in the new agreement that the city had negotiated for the DLBA and the um oh and there was no third option.

So it it terminated any additional options that were available to Hans, and then it also released some Hance um properties or properties that the Hans had an option on to the uh expansion for the benefit of the expansion of the FCA project.

So I I hope I got all of that um right.

And so what that allowed Hance to do is the list, the exhibit of um addresses were there were there was it was a large exhibit of addresses, but they were only allowed to option up to a certain number of properties.

So I'm wondering if that answers one of the questions that you had posed, which was um there's reference to I believe you said 2000.

I don't know what the actual exhibit shows, but they were they exercised, I think on 78 or 79 structures and Doug, please correct me if I'm wrong.

And then I can't remember how many couple few hundred vacant lots.

Does that answer your question?

So it it just um reaffirms the information that was shared with me.

It sounds like there is potentially another agreement that is out there that I'm trying to understand and trying to get my hands on because there were certainly more than 300 lots that were provided, and this the um the film was from I'm not sure if it was 2017, 18, 19, um, but it was some time ago.

Um, and I understand I did receive a message that Attorney Goldman might have additional information um from the city for the um agreement.

Attorney Goldman.

To the chair.

Uh at present there is no um agreement with uh Hance or Hans Farms or any of the Hans entities for additional properties.

Um about the film, um interestingly, the uh uh producers of that um ran out of money for post-production, and that money was provided by Mr.

Hance.

Um and you hopefully you saw I I had a small very small part.

Um so I do appear in uh full disclosure, but no, there's uh presently none.

Uh the numbers that were in that film did not reflect the amendments that were done uh in connection with the uh renegotiation for with with the um FCA or Stellantis project.

So uh there were significant acreages involved with the initial transfers, there was significant acreage involved with the subsequent transfer, but um not the 80 acres that would have been um had the terms of the original agreement been adhered to.

So Attorney Goldman, I believe at the conclusion of the film it indicated one acre um in East Village.

I'm just really trying to understand what they received and how they received it.

Um and so I I would like to uh move on with our agenda.

So I am going to ask for a two-week bring back so we can have some offline conversation so I get a better understanding of what was actually provided to them.

Um, what part of any agreement they may have exercised so I understand what they own uh and what they're responsible for and what they have done.

So um I appreciate you all sharing that additional information and just look forward to having continual conversations with you all.

All right, thank you.

And we'll get you that information in anticipation of the bring back.

I appreciate it.

Thank you so much.

Colleagues, is there a motion to bring line item 7.1 back in two weeks?

Oh, sure.

Hearing no objections, that action shall be taken.

Line item 7.2, status of council member Scott Benson submitting memorandum regarding the M4 Green Buffer Text Amendment, timeline and process.

There's a request for a two-week bring back.

Is there a motion?

Motion.

There's a motion to bring line item 7.2 back in two weeks.

Hearing no objections, that action shall be taken.

Line item 7.3, status of council president, James Tate, submitted memorandum requesting Graham River Corridor update with follow-up questions.

There is a request to receive and file.

I understand council president has had multiple conversations in regards to this item.

Is there a motion?

Motion.

There's a motion to receive and file line item 7.3.

Hearing no objections, that action shall be taken.

Line item 7.4, status of the civil rights inclusion and opportunity department.

This is the community benefits ordinance by annual report.

Is there a motion to receive and file?

Motion.

Hearing no objections, that action shall be taken.

Line item seven point.

Did I say four?

That was seven point four.

Line item seven point five is the status of the civil rights inclusion and opportunity department.

This is the community benefits ordinance biannual report for the future of health.

Is there a motion to actually bring this line item back in one week?

No, sir.

Hearing no objections, that action shall be taken.

I'd just like to get a response back from Henry Ford in regards to the questions that were raised earlier.

Line item 7.6 status of the economic growth corporation.

Submit a memorandum relative to December 2025 update on the status of business business activity in the Grand River Corridor.

This was accompanying line item 7.3.

Is there a motion to receive and file line item 7.6?

Motion.

Hearing no objections, that action shall be taken.

Moving on to new business.

Line item 8.1.

Line item 8.1 is property sale at 12829 Linwood.

The planning and development department has received an offer from Sterling Brown Jr.

to purchase the real property at 12829 Linwood for the purchase price of 4,480.

Is there a motion to approve or discuss?

Motion to approve.

There's a motion to approve line item 8.1 and sent to formal with the recommendation to approve.

Hearing no objections, that action shall be taken.

Line item 8.2 is the property sale at 18079 con it.

This is relative to one of our public commenters.

So he I provided him my phone number.

He doesn't need it.

So this is the planning and development department has received an offer from George Ibrahim for the real property at 18079 Conan.

To purchase the property for $5,400.

Is there a motion to approve or discuss?

Motion to approve.

There's a motion to send line item 8.2 to formal with a recommendation to approve.

Hearing no objections, that action shall be taken.

Line item 8.3.

Councilmember Letitia Johnson submitted memorandum requesting the legislative policy division to draft the resolution regarding the housing choice voucher ownership option.

Is there a motion to refer line item 8.3 to the legislative policy division and bring back in two weeks?

Motion.

Hearing no objections, that action shall be taken.

And line item 8.4.

Submitting memorandum relative to the NAP, the nuisance abatement program suit request, Leland House Apartments.

Motion.

Hearing no objections, that action shall be taken.

That now brings us to member reports.

Pro Tim Young.

David Port.

Thank you.

Vice Chair Santiago Romero.

No report.

Thank you.

All right.

Thank you, colleagues.

Um and I just would like to say that I have no report either.

Thank you.

If there is nothing further to come before us without objection, we shall stand adjourned.