Thank you.

They used to be messing with them.

Good afternoon, CEO Daniels.

How are you today?

Yes, sir.

Good.

Make sure you hit that button in front of you so that the red turns green.

Can you hear me now?

I can hear you now.

Good afternoon.

Good afternoon.

You have a PowerPoint queued up?

Yes.

We need some time to get that going.

Give me a few minutes.

Okay.

We'll give you an opportunity to introduce your team and have any opening statements if you would like.

Good afternoon through the chair, Tammy Daniels, Chief Executive Officer for the Detroit Land Bank.

I'm joined here to my left by our C O O C FO, Reginald Scott.

To my right is Carlina Toombs, who is our government liaison.

She'll be running the presentation.

And on Teams, we are joined by the rest of our executive team.

Robbie Lynn, who runs our planning and analysis department, Gabriel Guerrero, who leads our legal team, and John O'Hana, who leads our real estate sales and marketing team.

And I think it is not sharing.

We need sharing capabilities.

Oh you're your floor's yours.

Okay.

Good afternoon.

This um is our FY27 budget presentation.

Start off historically in 2014, the land bank was charged with helping to address the citywide bike crisis.

With more than a hundred thousand um vacant and abandoned properties, our goal was clear to eliminate blight, increase occupancy, and create real pathways to home ownership.

In the 12 years that we've been doing this work, we've made significant um resident first impact.

We have sold and gotten rehabbed over 13,000 vacant homes.

We've sold over 30,000 vacant lots that have been transformed into gardens, parks, community gatherings, and I'll note that 88.6% of those sales are to Detroiters.

And we have successfully sold 123 homes through our rehab and ready program with more on the way.

Currently, there are eight on our website, five of which are unsold, and they span districts one, two, four, five, and seven.

So in 2024, uh 82% of our buyers were Detroit residents.

So there is a repeated refrain that you know developers are coming in and they're you know benefiting from land bank programs, and that just is not accurate.

Detroiters are the ones who benefit most from our programming.

And um, what I'm most proud of is in uh November 2025, the uh Griswall Consulting Group found that the DLBA programs have generated more than two billion dollars and e increased home values for Detroiters.

That underscores the long-term and lasting and economic impact that we have brought to Detroit neighborhoods through our work.

Next slide.

And that pipeline breaks down with 283 in queue for demolition.

587 are occupied.

498 are sold in awaiting closing, and we simply have 750 structures left that in our sales pipeline from a height of over 40,000 to now we're down to 750.

Next slide.

Our structure sales.

So that's what everybody else because our inventory is now limited, our structure sales and the revenue that we generate from that is limited.

If you can look at the um the chart on the side, it shows our revenue through structure sales since 2016.

And right now we're projecting to generate five and a half, 5.6 million dollars, which is uh right at where we were at the very beginning of our program when we were launching many of these programs.

Um we were at a height in 2021 of 15.8 million, and now we're down to 5.6.

And so with the 750 houses that we currently have in our queue, we anticipate being able to um sell about 540 during this calendar year.

Um a few more may come online through the foreclosure process, but our inventory is depleted, and it and the goal is to keep it that way.

It's for you know, for us never to be at a place where we have 20, 30,000 structures in our inventory.

We want the city to be healthy, and a healthy city just does not have that level of inventory in private in public ownership.

And so now we turn our attention to you know, our the vast majority of our current inventory is vacant land.

We have about 57,000 pieces of vacant land.

And the last you know, several years, as we've gone through our strategic planning process, we started to think about like how do we dispose of that vacant land.

Um while next slide, the we will continue to operate most of our current programming because again, we still have structures that we need to sell, we still have occupied properties, we still have blighted structures in the neighborhood that are privately owned.

We will run all those programs.

We do need to think about how we pivot and reimagine operations to create better outcomes for residents through the use of this vacant land.

And so we proposed some improvements and some additional programming, and we're in consultation with our partners, but they they look at you know greater transparency in the purchasing process, um, all staff customer service training, um, home repair support for individuals who've purchased property through the land bank and expediting development for affordable housing development in the city.

Next slide.

I I wanted to highlight that we spend about seven million dollars a year in programs or benefits that that not only op that not only benefit the land bank, but they also benefit the city.

In particular, we spend about five million dollars, which is about 25 percent of our annual budget on maintenance operations that includes 2.3 million dollars for maintenance services, another million dollars in staffing for emergency maintenance, and 1.4 million dollars in lot maintenance that we pay to GSD.

Um, our IT system, we spend about a half million dollars annually in Salesforce licensing and um training.

Salesforce is like the underpending pending for so many operations across the city.

Many many city departments use Salesforce because it is a database that is built on all the properties in the city, and it is a useful tool to monitor different um activities across different departments, and so um currently we have about 235 non-DLBA employee licenses that are offered to city employees, their vendors, the um demolition department is an active user of Salesforce, and their vendors also have access to upload information regarding demolitions, and so that has proved to be a very useful tool for the city.

And then finally, our customer service and compliance.

We spent about 1.75 million.

Our customer call center took in about 67,000 inquiries in 2025.

Um, and we don't see that abating um anytime soon.

Our compliance team is monitoring 4700 properties, um, and we typically see about 1,200 of them achieve compliance on an annual basis with about a 14 to 15 percent failure rate for people who have purchased houses and unfortunately are not successful in rehabbing them.

And before I turn it over to our CFO, I just wanted to flag, you know, we have been working on ways that we can streamline customer service and and and service our residents and people more efficiently, and we have been working on our ARAI chatbot.

And that is going to launch soon.

We are hoping that we can get your collective feedback and your team's feedback between March 23rd and the 30th, which is like a seven-day period.

The plan is to send you and your teams an email link so that you can test it out.

You can, you know, ask it questions.

We want you to ask it as many questions as possible because we want to fill in and you know make corrections and make sure that when we roll it out to the public, it does what it's supposed to do, and it provides the information that it needs to provide.

So for that one week, we are asking that you know you and your teams, you know, try to break it.

Try to figure out the you know, find the gap so that we can fill them and correct them before we roll it out to the um public.

And the plan is to roll it out in in early April.

And now I'll turn it over to Mr.

Scott to talk about our FY27 budget.

Through the chair.

Good afternoon, council members.

Um, again, it's a pleasure to be before you to uh discuss our operations and our uh FY27 budget.

Before I move to FY27, of course, I want to speak of the current fiscal year that we're in and walk us from um last year when we sat at the table to this to this current period now and do forecasting for uh next year.

So if we look at um the chart that it that exists there, per our audited financial statements um June 30th, 2025, our fund balance, and this has been um in the years that I've been here, there's never been as much discussion about the fund balance that exists for the Detroit Land Bank Authority as it has been over this last year.

So I deemed it very important to take some time to kind of break that number down, and so that we can make sure that we're all comparing apples to apples, and we're all on the same page as far as um the DLBA its finances and its operations.

So the fund balance number listed there is six about sixty-four point two million dollars, is as of June 30th, 2025, as I stated in our audited financial statements.

But the first thing that I want to point out is that of that fund balance, at that time approximately 13.2 million dollars represented a book balance of all of the inventory, our property that is currently in our inventory.

So those number of parcels that uh Tammy mentioned that June 30th, that was the value of that that inventory.

So what that leaves is is the difference between the fund balance and then your cash and cash equivalents.

So the cash in cash equivalence from that point was roughly $51 million.

Of that $51 million through a board resolution of committing the fund balance, as we heard from this table and from any of you last year, that what is the land bank doing with that money to show its support for the city of Detroit and the operations and and and those type of initiatives.

So what the board had has done is of that fund balance, 20 million dollars has been committed to projects.

It's been committed and set aside, and those are gonna be home ownership projects and things that will benefit our residents and and utilize those funds um in a very effective manner.

And those have been set aside.

In addition to that, we've assigned portions of the fund balance, and simply what assigning means is that, and when I say we is this is through board resolution and action, but what I mean by assigning fund balance is that you have to identify and secure the funds for things and operations that you are planning.

And I can list and I have listed, I should say, those things in which we utilize and assign the fund balance for.

The first thing is that in all likelihood by the end of this fiscal year, in order to balance our budget for the current FY26 year, we will likely have to use about six million dollars of our fund balance to support operations.

Uh our subsidy this year was zero, so therefore, through uh changes that we made in programming in April of last year, coupled with our ability to continue to maintain and continue to provide those core services that we have been providing.

We are allocating probably six million dollars to balance for FY26.

In addition to that, we are eligible for five million dollars in reimbursable blight elimination grant dollars.

So we the blight elimination funding that is available is reimbursable, but we have to front those costs first, and those are going to result in a number of um affordable units being rehabbed and available.

So that funding that has been allocated through the State of Mission Blight Elimination Program is about $5 million.

But those funds have to be, like I said, set aside and assigned until those funds are reimbursed.

The next component is, as Tammy has laid out, the number of programs that we have to enhance, change andor create in order to sell vacant land.

We have to set aside some funds for new program development.

Because as we stated, there is a significant shift in our operations as well as cash flow, as well as receipt of funding, because we are moving from structure sales, which typically sell between a 30 and 90 day window, to vacant land sales.

And vacant land transactions are sales that do not happen as expeditiously as structure sales.

So there is cushion that is built here at the tune of about $3.5 million for that new program building and the timing of and the timing of those things.

That total is $14.5 million, coupled with the $20 million commitment.

So the combination of those two is about $34.5 million of funds that are there, but they are either committed or assigned for the above reasons that I just stated.

So when we look at the fund balance of the land bank as we move into FY27, the number of 16.5 is the amount of funds that we have that have not been assigned or committed and would be available for operations for our offset of our operational expenditures.

So that's right now, as of March 12th, where we what it looks like the land bank, where the land bank will end as of June 30th, 2026.

So I wanted to set that as a backdrop as we move into next slide, the review of what our plans are for our FY27 budget.

And as you see on the side, there are three things that impact our budget and that are risk to our budget that are things that have to be considered and have to be monitored.

And the first is our 550 statutory 550 revenue.

By law, the land bank is eligible for five years of 50 percent of the tax revenue collected for property sold.

Those funds are funds that for our operations we rely on heavily.

And now that we've shifted from structure revenue that we had received to now vacant land revenue, these funds are critically important to our operation.

The next thing is that our as you can see here, um, as Tammy pointed out, we're only at $5.6 million of structure revenue as of this quarter.

Last year we made $12 million in structure revenue.

So that number, as I had forecasted in number of years prior, is going down and has gone down significantly.

With only having $750 structures in our inventory and not a forecast of a lot of structures coming in, we anticipate that that number is going to decrease even further in FY27.

And then the other component of it that is a true risk for our budget is the fact that as we build these new programs, we are not we this is new programming, so we are not certain that the programs will generate in a timely manner the amount of revenue that we're projecting for vacant land sales.

So those those are the three significant risks that we face as we're analyzing our revenue to be received in FY27.

So with that, we have made, I would say, and I'm saying it very candidly, these are some aggressive projections on revenue, but we would like to see that our structure sales end up around six million dollars, and that is through the properties that we currently have and those that are moving through the pipeline.

Um as we might hit that in the early part of FY27, we do anticipate that we will have um a good summer, and our structure sales will be around um six million dollars.

We have to push our teams and we have to implement programs that will allow for us to generate hopefully four million dollars in vacant land sales for the upcoming year.

And then finally, we are hoping uh we've been working with the assessor's office, we've been working with the um OCFO, and we have been uh given assurances that the number of properties that are sold that have been sold by the land bank and moved on the assessor role so that taxes can actually be collected.

Um those numbers are accurate.

We have been working with the assessor's office to make sure that the property sold by the land bank actually end up on the assessors' roles, and we've been given assurances that those have so um my team, our controller and I, we will be reviewing um that data to make sure that as each property is sold, it does hit the assessor's role, and in the following year, we are eligible and to receive those five that 550 revenue.

So we're projecting um aggressive projection of about six million dollars in total 550 collection.

And what I want to point out that the 550 collection is three components it is the amount that is collected by the assessor, but it also is the amount that is collected for delinquent taxes by the county, but also when we when we as the land bank uh enter into uh land transactions and deals and there's the request to waive the 550, we charge that to the purchaser up front, and that is a small component of the 550 revenue that we receive because we want to make sure that all bases are covered for that um you know revenue.

And so, all in all, that brings us to a total revenue of about sixteen million dollars.

Now, as Tammy stated, we are continuing to run programs and our core service programs at full capacity.

We are not anticipating a huge or significant decrease in the capacity to serve because we don't want to get to this point and then not have proper staff or adequate staff in order to support residents.

So we do not have significant uh cuts as far as staffing or is concerned, but we do anticipate a just by some programs that do not run at that capacity that some of our costs are going to uh be reduced.

So we anticipate a budget of about 25.8 million dollars in expenditures with 16 million dollars generated from revenue, we will again have a revenue shortfall.

That shortfall right now, as we anticipated, is potentially going to be about 9.8 million dollars, almost 10 million dollars.

And as pointed out on the previous page, the spendable fund balance is somewhere around 16.

So we have in working with the um leadership in the CFO OCFO's office, we have identified that we will again allocate a significant portion of our remaining fund balance for FY27 operations.

Uh, we are not asking, we have not been given given an allocation of general fund subsidy for this year based on these facts.

We are anticipating on utilizing the um funds in our fund balance and um make up that shortfall for the next year.

However, the you know, as I said, the risk that exists, and and if you look at the bottom line number, that will leave us potentially this time next year with a fund balance spendable of about six and a half to seven million dollars.

Um and so it is our anticipation that as we look at operations for the FY28 that we will be uh working with the this body as well as the um OCFO to request a general fund subsidy in the following year, just as a forecast and just just to look to FY28 because we want to be able to continue these core services and these operations and continue to build the programming and with us utilizing our fund balance in this way over in FY26 and FY27, it takes us to that point where we will be coming back uh to this honorable body um requesting a subsidy maybe in FY28.

Um that concludes my financial presentation, but of course we are uh definitely uh here for questions, and I'll turn it back over uh to CEO Daniels.

Thank you for your time.

I have nothing further.

I'll open it to that question.

Okay, thank you so much.

Uh, we will start with questions, and I'm gonna start microphone down.

I'm sorry.

Oh, we're gonna start with uh member waters.

Member Waters.

He knows why I gave him that look.

It was coming, might as well be out of the way.

Better up.

Anyway, um, as I as I as I listen to um to you, uh the Detroit Land Bank is the most powerful land bank in the state of Michigan.

No other city has given their land bank this kind of power that we've given here at this level.

Even the folks at the state said we just can't believe it.

You guys would give them that kind of power.

That was a comment that came from them.

I I listened to some of your advertising during the holidays, and I don't know how many millions of dollars you spent on that that could probably go for uh home repairs.

Um of the blight removal is done by the city already, and you are still implementing uh new programs.

That is not the job of the land bank.

You originally were established to what clear title and put put properties back on the tax roll, but you guys have gotten off into a whole lot of things.

So um, I mean, you talked about a few things.

I'm gonna have to, you know, send you uh an email or something because it's too many questions for me, and I won't be able to get them all in.

Um, but you talked about the two million dollars home value.

At some point I want a better explanation of that because I'm not sure sure what that really means, the two billion dollars.

But here's what I want to know because this one is really a stickler with me.

You previously said that about 60 percent of your attorney's time is spent on um the noose's abatement program, and I don't think it's a program.

I still believe in my heart it should not be with the land bank, it needs to be back in with with BC so that we can monitor what's happening uh with our with our residents' private property.

So I want to know from you.

Um, how many private properties have you taken from our residents under the nuisance abatement program?

How many have you taken?

So through the chair.

I don't have that number.

Um, I can defer to Gabriel or um general counsel, Gabriel.

Do you have that number, Handy?

Thank you.

Thank you, Tammy, and through the chair, thank you, Member Waters for that question.

Um, the latest number I have, uh, Councilmember Waters is through the end of uh calendar year 2025.

So at the end of last calendar year, there were approximately 2,000 uh judgments that the third circuit court uh entered where it granted title um of a property to the land bank.

And what are you doing with those properties when you take them?

So through the chair, we have those assessed and we survey them and we put them back on the market and sell them so that they can be rehabbed and turned into homes for families to occupy, and we remove the blight from the neighborhood.

Do you know some people have just literally cried because their properties were taken from them?

I mean, literally, cried like babies.

I mean, I I just can't, I can I will never ever be able to understand us giving you that kind of power to go in and take private property from our residents.

I don't like it.

I never will like it.

I don't appreciate it.

Um so there's a way that I can figure out, and I'm trying, how we can reverse that decision.

That's what we're going to do.

Because that one, that one is a big big stickler for me.

Um that that was my my biggest issue right there.

How many homes um you you talked about what's left in your inventory?

You said uh 587 that's occupied, right?

Um then you have about 57,000 vacant land structures.

Um much of those vacant land structures gonna go for so through the chair, um, we have about 57,000 pieces of vacant lot, vacant properties, just empty lots.

Empty lots, right?

So um half of those are allocated as side lots or neighborhood lots with a sales price of 100 or 250 dollars.

They're earmarked for Detroiters at that price point.

I can't tell you what the rest of them are for, but at half of them are side lot and neighborhood lot eligible to be sold for 100 or 250 dollars a piece.

Yeah, you know, I'm just gonna say this.

There's so many people who say to me that they have a hard time getting a side lot from the land bank.

And I do I do email you sometimes, and and I do want to thank you for being responsive because you do that.

But I gotta tell you, I mean, I can't even go to grocery store sometimes without hearing about the land bank.

I want us to make a better effort for getting these side lots and these homes into the hands of Detroiters.

You know, our homeless population is growing by the day, and there has to be something uh that we can do uh to fix that.

And so um anyway, those are my comments, miss the president is gonna make me be quiet in a minute.

But we'll email you some additional questions, okay.

Thank you, yes, through the chair.

Thank you.

Umber Miller.

I'm glad I came after Mary Waters.

I wanted to say um regarding the land bank, I am still learning about the process.

I appreciate the opportunities spent with you guys regarding the touring and things that's going on in District 5.

Um, I look forward and I appreciate the phone calls being answered every time I have someone that have a lot issue, you have uh came back with the answer quickly, where I've been able to communicate with my residents.

Some and I tried to explain to them how the process works when it comes to the lots and why some things are not available, and a lot of it is not because you don't want to sell it, but because of other reasoning, and that goes to tie in with councilwoman at large waters.

I've been listening to her, because she's like a mentor when we're dealing with this nooses abatement, and to even hear today that 2,000 judgments has gone against residents.

I would like to know who are the entities that are making these nooses abasement calls because even in my neighborhood, there's gentlemen that write around looking for nuisance abatement issues, looking for people to be ticketed because of their roof, because of their siding, because of any neglect, even though some of these people may be 85 years old, near their home 40 years, even for me who was hospitalized for almost a year, didn't walk for three and a half years, not working.

My house had some issues, and they go around and pick people to sign to to put on quick flicks to send notifications for nuisance abatement.

This is a thing that developers are doing right now, and a tactic to remove certain people out of neighborhoods.

I would hope that the land bank would take a closer look at who the callers are because they should be providing resources, they should be giving out phone numbers to where how they can help instead of identifying certain properties that they want removed for their own selfish gain, and that is a lot of what's happening in Detroit.

So I'd like to sit down and get more information on your nuisance abatement program, how it actually works, how many times has the person been warned, and how do we get to this final taking up property to be fixed up and to resold?

Like, do they get a portion of their money back?

They they may have owned it for 30 years and something happened and they couldn't maintain it.

What is our role for council?

Is there a last-minute ditch effort for us to jump in before the property is taken?

Because there's people out there, I'm saying I've seen lists as being um uh active in a neighborhood.

I've seen these people say, let's find them.

And then I'll come down to the same hearings because I've come to city planning, I've come to HDC, and I hear people stand at the mic and say they should be glad we're here because we can afford to be here.

I have a recording.

We can afford to be here.

So basically everybody that's in Detroit who cannot afford to maintain them houses for whatever reason, they should be eliminated and should be gracious that rich wealthy people are moving into Detroit, which I support the neighborhood growing.

I love the beautification, and some people are some people are not right.

Don't get me wrong.

There's always two stories, but there are predators out here that are looking, and I've heard this word too many times.

Nooses abatement.

Just cat, it's like really a cavalier um conversation.

So I look forward to meeting with them and have my EA give uh schedule so I can now.

I have some things to address.

You have been gracious enough to give me information, so I want to get some feedback on those things and how we can end this program because President Um Waters is adamant about removing this land bank.

She has been vocal about it, and I often ask, let's sit down.

I want to learn, but to hear today that it is 2,000 judgments at the end of 2025.

And a lot of these are probably family owned.

These are legacy dwellings.

And some of them are probably some people that just aren't writing just trifling it, just don't want to handle their business.

So I get it.

We want to beautify our city.

We want our blocks to be beautiful, and we want to continue to support home ownership.

Thank you.

So through the chair, absolutely invite to a conversation where we'll walk you through the entire process from start to finish and how even after we take a judgment, if the owner reaches out and says, no, no, I'm I'm ready to take care of my property, we transfer title back to them.

Because our goal is not to take in property, it's for them to take care of the property.

Exactly.

But yes, we absolutely can have that conversation.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Approaching you.

Thank you.

Chairman, Ms.

President, uh hello everyone, good to see you.

Uh I I noticed you talked a little bit about the surplus and your surplus is dwindling.

I just want to say I know part of that reason is because we as city council took some of that money to be able to fund some of the projects that we have.

I know you didn't say that, but I remember doing that because I know we were able to get through the budget faster because of that.

So we we appreciate that aspect of what you've done, the financial management that you had.

I the biggest question that I that I have because I understand that I think it was 20 and 17.

You probably had about a hundred thousand properties.

What is that number now overall?

I know a lot of that is vacant land, but what is it over?

What is it?

What is the percentage of that reduction?

So we currently have about 59,000 pieces of property.

Okay.

57 with lots and a little over 2,000 with structures.

So you want me to do math in my hands.

No, no.

Even get a couple of capital.

If you're if you're not good at it, go ahead.

Through the chair, it is a is over a 50% reduction from when we started.

It was over 102,000 parcels of structures and land in our inventory.

So around 2016.

So a 50% reduction in nine years.

Yes.

Pretty much, right?

Give or take.

I I just want to say that's a big deal for a lot of these abandoned properties.

I think it's about two billion dollars worth of property value increases from that.

That's a big deal.

I think the issue that we need to be able to talk about, though, is what are we doing in terms of the notification process for the residents to be able to buy a lot of these lots?

When I go out there, the issue that I'm hearing is that they want to be able to buy the lot and they can't, and they don't know who it is.

And the thing about the land bank that's very interesting is that you have the ability to be able to sell that property below market value.

And the problem that I had, I know that before the land bank existed, they could only sell that property at market rate.

And so I just want to know what are we doing to be able to um what are we doing to be able to notify the residents about these lots?

And I know you talked about artificial intelligence and chatbots.

Thank you for understanding the assignment.

I appreciate it.

But I just want to know does it also include automatic automation process of being to let the residents know that these properties exist?

Do you have a street team that's going out there and talking to the presidents to let them know?

We need to go out of our way here.

The biggest room in the world is room for improvement.

We all can approve.

We just got to approve the process of the residents knowing and understanding that first right refusal means first writer refusal.

What are we doing to be able to address that?

So through the chair, we have launched um like SMS messaging.

So we reach out to anyone who has expressed an interest.

We also, you know, if we have contact information, we'll send out a text message to let them know that that lot is gonna become available.

Um we've also expanded our vacant land programming to make more side lots and more neighborhood lots available, and we should have a new inventory drop um early next month.

We are doing side law fairs, which we used to do constantly, but we're gonna be doing two sideline fairs going into the community so that people don't have to, you know, exclusively navigate um technology in order to be able to purchase.

So we'll be in the community doing silo fares.

We also do um monthly um community um coffee hours.

We go into the community on a monthly basis.

So last um this month we're gonna be at Paige's bookstore on the 23rd.

We'll have um we will have we've sent we we've sent you some information about it.

Um we will have the team out in the community, um, people who are handling vacant land, compliance sales, they'll be experts in the community at a local coffee shop, a bookstore where we will actually help people to navigate those, you know.

They want to purchase a lot, they want we will be out in the community, and then I do a monthly talking with Tammy on Instagram where we interface with the community as well.

So we are enhancing those um touch touch points with people.

We I mean we were running at the speed of sound trying to sell all that property as quickly as possible.

Um, and now as we pivot away, focus so you know exclusively on trying to sell structures, we can take a you know, take an opportunity to figure out how can we do this better, because you're right, room for improvement, we all have it.

So, yes, we are actively seeking ways where we can actually be more in the community and and find ways that we can help people to access um the vacant land and the vacant land opportunities around them as efficiently and as quickly as possible.

No, I think that's excellent.

I mean, just like uh what we're seeing with President President Tay's response was I think it's just the issue of the promotion.

And I don't know if I don't know if that's advertising, I don't know what that means, but I definitely think more people need I think the majority of the lots that you have sold has been to Detroit residents, for my understanding.

But I think people just need to be able to be more aware fundamentally, and I want to tell you a story that I'm gonna, and then I'm wrapping up.

But I just want to say there was a um a young lady who lived in a house who would take care of her lot across the street.

She ended up losing her house and living in a van, but she still took the time to take care of that lot from the house she used to live in.

And this is the type of dedication that people have to the neighborhood.

And so what I would expect from the land bank is that we have a government that loves the people as much as the people love this city.

And so I think we have to do everything we can give the shirt off our back to be able to let people know that these properties are available and to make it buy them at below market rate.

I think that is critical because I remember time before the land bank existed, not only were those properties empty, but they sold them at market rate.

Are you talking about 20 grand, 30 grand?

You know, and that's some people's salaries here in the city of Detroit.

So I think that's important to be able to emphasize.

So thank you for that, uh, Director Daniels.

Mr.

President, I am done.

Thank you.

Member Callaway.

Um, thank you, Mr.

Chair.

I don't have any questions.

Thank you.

Um, Member Santiago Romero.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

Through you, I do have a few.

And I am grateful for your staff's time working with my team for any issues that do come up in district six.

Um, and it's been mentioned before, it does seem like there is a reckoning happening right now with the land bank and what we do moving forward.

I think it's okay to work yourself out of a job.

I think it's a good problem to have that we have less properties now.

Um, and it does seem like there might be a new direction that we need to move forward in.

Um, I want to make sure that's one that's helpful for everyone.

Um, but before I get to um that question of a potential new direction, I do have a question around you and the DBA seem to do very similar work.

Wondering why we don't bring these efforts together, um, if that's I'm gonna assume it's structural rates, it's set up in this way.

But if you do similar work, and if it's confusing already to the public, if it's the land bank at the DBA, why are we not combining efforts and working together to sell move land property around?

So through the chair, um I recognize that the confusion I'm sure a part of it is the Detroit Building Authority, the DBA and the DLBA, like the acronyms confuse people.

Um, but the distinction is that the um the DBA sells commercial property and the land bank is exclusively exclusively residential.

Um I don't know how that was determined.

I was not a part of those conversations.

Um but um, you know, that is the administration's and and your um opportunity to figure out how we can do things more effectively and efficiently.

Through the chair, that's what I figured.

I figured it was because of policy, because of structure, because of how things are rolled out, but again, we are in a new place right now, and if we're having these honest conversations, um, and if we're talking with the status partners and looking at power and shifting and changing what these agreements look like, it's just a flag for us to maybe have these conversations at the same time, or if it's possible to combine these efforts, because why not bring it into an umbrella?

And you could still do you know, residential, and they can still do commercial, but if it's under an umbrella, um maybe that'll be a little easier.

Um, Mr.

Presidents, I think there's more information that can be shared around this question.

Um I would love to hear from LPD, uh, because I just saw the hand be raised.

Mr.

Whitaker.

Well, when the land bank was stood up, the biggest problem with residential property was clearing the title.

Not so much of a problem with commercial property because the owners of commercial property because of the value of the property.

Finding who the owner is is not a bigger problem, but with residential property, that was a major problem, and the land bank has the ability to clear title.

And the DLBA and the uh DB DBA doesn't have that authority, and so that's probably a lot of distinctions, but that's the primary one.

Through the chair, thank you.

Thank you, uh, Mr.

Whitaker.

Understanding these things, um again, just can we revisit these conversations?

And it is around power and and who's given what to do.

Um, but I I think these are conversations that we should be having um at the administration level with the state as well to try to figure out some of uh this new revamp of what this work looks like.

To that point, um, my second question is gonna be continued conversation, just a pin on that we can continue this offline.

But my next question is um it was very surprising to see the land bank as a part of a multifamily housing project um in Longview, and just wondering uh, are you planning to do more of these projects with HRD, with planning?

I guess how did this come to be?

Um, because it it looks like now you're going into developments, and again, it was to clear title to help get properties out, but now we're going into developments.

Just talk a little bit about that.

So, through the chair, um, the Longview Project was um actually an expansion of of the work we were already doing, so we were already doing development on a um smaller scale with individual um rehabs of residential property.

So our rehab and ready team had already started, they were doing residential, they were doing duplexes and quads.

Um we do have in our inventory a small uh small number of larger um structures, so the long view properties were in our inventory.

Um there was an opportunity to get blight elimination dollars um to support rehabbing.

That was how that came about.

We were trying to get blight elimination dollars to support the rehab of the building so that it could be used for affordable housing for transitional housing, um, something that would support the city and its and its needs, and that is how that project came to be.

Um thank you.

Um and last question my for my last two questions.

Are you looking to do any development then?

Um, or when it comes when opportunities like these arise, if it's in your inventory, you will take on the opportunity.

But are you looking to do any more developments?

So we we don't seek out developments, we seek out opportunities to activate properties in our inventory or um to leverage our our our um available resources to make things better for the city.

So, yeah, we that that is how those projects come to us.

There's a grant, there's some property, you can put the two together and make something good come from it.

That's that's really how it came to be.

Okay, understood.

Thank you.

Um, I have more questions that we will send over uh via me memo, but thank you.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

Thank you.

Uh member Johnson.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair, and good afternoon.

Um, first, a couple of statements.

I have often said that a vacant property does no good to anyone.

Not to the city, not to the owner, not to the neighbors.

Um, and so when we talk about the nuisance abatement program, I really wanted to hear you highlight the fact that the focus is on vacant properties, not on occupied properties.

Vacant structures in the city of Detroit, if they continue to sit vacant, they will become decayed, they will continue to lose value, and likely we, the city of Detroit, would then put some dollars into demolishing the property.

So when we talk about the nuisance abatement program, I just like for people to understand what that's all about.

I have continued to say across the street from me, you will not find a property that sits vacant in Gross Point for any length of time.

The city code says that a property cannot sit vacant for more than six months.

We see properties that sit vacant for 10 years, and they just continue to decay.

Um and will continue to as it relates to the property on Longview.

On Longview, there is nothing happening.

I have tried to connect developers to vacant land in that area.

It hasn't happened yet, but I'm still working on it.

And so I look forward to having that conversation with you all if the developer is still interested.

But I think it's important for us to view things from the residents' perspective.

I know that there are residents who see projects and things happening in other parts of District 4 and they think that's my only focus.

I tell people all the time if you identify a developer, somebody somebody that's interested in improving the community, it could be a resident.

Um, if they want to build one house, if they want to rehab one property, come talk to me and I will walk you through that process because it takes for so many people to really make an impact in any particular area, um, whether in district four or any other district.

Um, and so I welcome everybody to have those conversations, and I'm willing to walk people through the process.

Uh certainly appreciate and look forward to the mayor's um shift in focus around the land bank.

I remember uh there was something that we talked about in the planning and economic development committee, which was the policies that the land bank has relative to sales, and there is a policy that specifically speaks to Detroit residents or a Detroit entity.

I believe the mayor is going to make sure that Detroit residents are prioritized in sales.

That is what I've heard, and I'm looking forward to that.

I know a lot of residents have indicated that you know there are times when they have been interested in property and land or structures, but they feel like they get overlooked.

Um so when you talk about communication, the chat bot, what have you, um, I'm I'm not sure, but I think it takes multiple touches for residents to hear what's going on, um, let alone understanding what's happening and identifying an opportunity for them to take part, right?

Uh so I appreciate the uh talks with Tammy, the um side lot uh engagement in the districts.

Uh and so my first question is kind of relative to that.

One of the things we hear frequently is about how an individual might um call in or however they inquire about a property.

Um, and the thought is it's always been communicated that if you put an inquiry on a property that you will be notified when that property goes to sale.

That doesn't seem to be happening.

Um, and and what I hear people say is because this person left the land bank, um, they were working with a particular individual, and then when the property miraculously sold and they had no knowledge of it, I have no understanding as to how that happens, right?

Because you have a system that's in place that's not dependent upon the person that's sitting at the desk who puts that information into the system.

How can you ensure residents that your informational system is continuous, that that information that's put in still indicates that they have an inquiry on the property and that they will actually be notified when the property goes up for sale.

There shouldn't be a finite amount of time or anything, but I've heard that multiple times, so it sounds like there is a challenge there.

So I'm through the chair.

Uh with regard to inquiries, I will say that not new.

I I have heard it, but um it's always around um residents not understanding that the land bank does so much communication via email text, so they'll get emails that they haven't they end up in their junk mailbox or they didn't get the email notifying them.

Um and so that is where this new SMS text messaging feature is geared toward like filling the gap where they don't have to go look in their email.

They'll get a text message to say that the lot that you inquired about is now available, or the house you inquired about is now available.

But yes, so much of what we were doing because we were operating at such volume and scale require automation, and people would miss out on those communications because they were expecting a phone call and we sent an email.

Or they got an email, but it went to the this email address, and they have a new email address.

And so we are trying to level that up to you know, cell phones seem to be attached to people's hips at all times.

That is a better way of communicating with people so that they could know real time that okay, that property that you're interested in is now available.

So a follow-up to that.

Um I know that there are some chat bots or text messages where you can ask a question for them to reply with a Y or an N, yes or no, um, if they have received the text message or um something that not only says this message went out to you, but that you received it and you responded to it.

If you can look into that to add that, and and then you have a way of saying, okay, we sent the text message out, we did get a response from you, but then we never heard from you again, or if we didn't get a response from you, then a customer service representative can then attempt to call them.

That's we will investigate that.

That that's a great um great suggestion.

Okay, perfect.

Thank you.

Um the other thing I want to ask about is uh it was indicated that 20 million has been committed, 20 million of the fund balance has been committed.

Can you share a little bit more details around where those dollars are committed?

Are they specific projects?

Yes, so through the chair.

The 20 million dollar uh commitment was definitely is definitely for uh community-based or home ownership-based uh initiatives and programs, and a portion of that, the large portion of it as uh earmarked was that has been earmarked has been the long view uh at a and that initially as of last year's audit, it was like 15 million dollars that we anticipated would be the cost of that uh renovation.

There were other um we have a finish line program that had been funded by no more than $50,000 annually, and so that program really had not gotten legs because of the small amount of investment in it.

So what uh was selected or was to take another 1.5 million dollars of that those funds and beef up the finish line program so that it can have impact and greater impact to those purchasers or those purchasing properties.

The additional three and a half million dollars was left as earmarked for home ownership initiatives.

So as the land bank, we have not made those decisions, but it is leaving that money there and working with council and working with the mayor and the leadership of this of the city to decide what is the best way to utilize those funds.

But it is in response to the question of last year.

What is the land bank would doing with all of that money?

So this is a demonstration of the land bank's commitment to the residents of the city of Detroit by committing or allocating those funds for those types of initiatives and those types of projects.

So that's what the 20 million dollar commitment in detail identifies.

Uh appreciate that.

Um, realistically, that 15 million that's earmarked for Longview could be allocated in other ways because I believe you all are seeking um development partners as well as um some grant funding for that particular project.

Yes, yes, we will continue our team, the property rehab team um is working to make sure that the 15 million dollars is um is feasible, like that you don't want to just spend it, so we're making sure that the estimates as as they come in and as they're scoping it out that it is a feasional feasible uh rehabilitation project that makes sense to allocate that and the result of that because what we want is a number of uh state of the art efficient affordable units, and if it's better to activate other aspects of our inventory or utilize those funds in another way, please know Tammy and I are not making that decision, but it would be a decision uh that would be uh made by our board, like our board of directors in consultation with counts and and the and the uh leadership of the city.

And if it's better to activate other aspects of our inventory or utilize those funds in another way, please know Tammy and I are not making that decision, but it would be a decision uh that would be uh made by our board, like our board of directors in consultation with counts and and the and the uh leadership of the city.

So thank you for that, and I don't want to get in trouble by the chair, but it can you all give a little bit more information about that Longview project, um specifically AMI that you're targeting, how you're looking to utilize the building.

So through the chair, um our the the plan was for us to rehab the um property and then partner with a nonprofit uh organization that focused on um homelessness or um the need for affordable housing that that was their focus that we would partner with them and transfer that property.

That was the the plan.

Um but as like Mr.

Scott said, you know, we continue to do our due diligence, and if there is a better use of those dollars, you know they can be reallocated.

I think that's the best of use of those dollars.

So um continue with the plan.

All right, thank you.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Thank you.

Member McCampbell.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair, and good morning to you all.

Uh good to see you.

I know we have um had quite a few conversations about uh the activity in District 7 and and the issues there.

Um and uh I just have a question, I have a couple of questions, but thinking about one, just underlying the aspect around that my colleagues have brought up around the responsiveness and uh information that we're getting back to residents.

I would say that's something that I've heard quite a bit of getting the accurate information on what's going on with the parcels, how they can buy them, and also getting that updated info on what is happening once that process starts.

So just want to underscore that as well.

And and my question is as we are as we see the numbers that definitely want to see those thankful to see those numbers dip of the structures that are now um in operation, right?

And and things are happening there that once was in the land bank, and we're now dealing with vacant land.

A constant thing that has come up is around community organizations and such wanting to activate that vacant land in the neighborhoods, whether it is a block club saying that they want to have a place for seniors to just sit and relax or a pocket park or such.

So just want to to ask a question around how much of your sales or transfers or how much of that work is happening with those community organizations in the city.

So through um through the chair, I I I can't say like the number of deals, but I will say that regularly and often we have those deals come through where we're dealing with a community group who wants to do exactly what you described, pocket parks, um our um neighborhood beautification and our CAT program, as well as our CP um discount, all are geared toward those types of projects and they are discounted so that we can support that.

We have one of the the vacant land um policies that we implemented at the end of last year was to streamline that process to make it easier for um neighborhood groups, um nonprofits, community organizations to activate you know, small scale um re you know, recreational efforts on land and to be able to buy them as quickly as they could buy a side lot as opposed to having to go through the more um rigorous process that it had been historically.

So I would say in April, early May, you should see the rollout where you'll be able to actually buy those parcels online through just like you could a side lot or a neighborhood lot, which is the more streamlined, easier process.

Gotcha.

Thank you for that, and and definitely looking forward to seeing that because you know we get it quite often of folks wanting to uh and and like you said, it goes into that neighborhood beautification, is it's residents, is Detroiters that are taking that initially to say we want to see something happen um with this as well.

Uh also wanted to, you know, I think this is a question around.

I was before I say the state uh the question, I would say as there has been conversation of how the land bank looks moving forward, what is the um function of it?

I know it exists uh an initial to stabilize our neighborhoods and get the um that property, the vast amount of property back into folks' hands.

Um and seeing now as it came up with the my colleague bringing up the building authority and other ways.

Uh I'm think I'm going into, and we had this combo.

I know you all are like for the rehab and um ready program had a focus or have a focus in Russell Woods and Narn Park that's now no longer in District 7, some uh district five now.

So just want to think about, and you know, I I've we don't see a lot of things off the end of the when they think about development or when thinking about improve our neighborhoods happen in district seven, and that's what I want to focus on.

Um so I just wanted to think about your plans in that way with the vast amount of vacant land or parcels are available in district seven.

What you all thoughts are um on your program in there.

Well, through the chair, I would first like to flag that we do have a rehab and ready, we have at least one rehab and ready house that currently that we've done in district seven.

So we are operating in district seven on that program.

Um but we are working with our partners at the city, um, the planning department, HRD, um, we take their lead in terms of strategy and planning with the city.

So we follow their lead where they want to see, you know, uh uh a city resource, a park, or the Joe Lewis Greenway, we are supportive of that.

So we we follow their lead on that.

And our deals um if they are not side lot or neighborhood lot or a cat project, they absolut the city absolutely um gives an opinion about projects that um that come to us for purchase, like people wanting to buy property for uh a project, we get their um input and feedback.

So we follow the lead of the city, and we will continue to do that to make sure that we're all operating in lockstep.

Thank you, and I'll definitely have those questions for the appropriate departments when they come before us.

I I but I would just say um, and as you all are having those convos of what the parcels that you have available um to you know, I we we have we have thriving neighborhoods in D7 and places where folks really want to see their neighborhoods really uplifted.

I know you see that with the cause and the communications that you get into the land bank.

So um we'll be pushing for that to be a priority.

So thank you all.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

All right, thank you.

Member Callaway, I know you do have questions.

Thank you.

I didn't think I would have questions, but I do now.

Um thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Um, and good afternoon, everyone.

Fifteen million dollars.

Um, how many units did you say for the um Longview?

So the chair, the um the there are two apartment buildings, two apartment buildings that sit next to each other, they're each 20 units apiece.

The goal is to um the goal was to combine them to 30 units because they were mostly studios and one bedrooms to make some of the units larger so that they would be um more um they would be useful for larger size families.

It's interesting.

Um, how do you choose which properties you are going to rehab, renovate, invest 15 million dollars in?

So in this particular instance, um that those properties that those two properties were chosen because they were um in our inventory, and we were pursuing blight elimination dollars um to support the rehab of the building and create some affordable housing, and those two um provided the best opportunity to um not only rehab those two buildings, but we own quite a few um pieces of vacant land so that we could actually come convert a whole block and beautify a whole block.

Okay, and then at the end of the day, who owns the building?

Will this will it convert to the city's ownership?

Are you gonna sell it to someone else, a developer?

What is the rate going to be?

Market rate?

So through the chair, it was the the goal was to create affordable housing.

Um we had not um determined who we were gonna sell it to, but we were the plan was to RFP it to issue an RFP for some money to bid on it, and and with the caveat that it must be used for you know a purpose that was um consistent with the goal of you know affordable housing or providing supportive services for um homeless people that was the idea.

Okay, and if you can also provide a list of any properties like per district so we can see what's in our districts with respect to what properties are owned by the Detroit land bank vacant vacant and those that have um structures on them.

And then my last question is the blight elimination grant funding.

I had not heard about that before.

Um, and you said you're gonna and I see that it's five million dollars.

Where did that come from?

And you said you're gonna use it for affordable units.

Where would those affordable units be?

Have you identified those, or are you building them from the ground up?

Are you rehabbing structures that are already on Detroit Land Bank property?

So part of that money was initially earmarked for the long view properties, but when we got the initial um estimates back, we knew that it was far beyond that that money.

So we redeployed those dollars um into houses and duplexes and quads around the city.

So um there are approximately five houses, um four duplexes, and I think three quads that we have used that money to rehab across the city, and again, with the goal being for those to be used for some um temporary um supportive housing, affordable housing.

Okay, all right, just like to see some transitional housing for homeless youth.

Um who are and youth who are perhaps aging out of foster care and have nowhere to go.

That's I I'm getting a lot of calls about that population, lots.

So we could do some good um for that population, and um if you could please provide that list.

I'd like to see what's in district two, because I know folks are listening, and that's where some of these questions came from.

Um why while I didn't think I had any, but I ended up having some.

So thank you so much, and I'll make sure I get other questions to you, but I would like to see the inventory that's in district two.

Thank you so much, Mr.

Chair.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Quick burning question, a quick burning question.

Yeah, well, okay.

Um so I want to make two motions.

First motion is to put the nuisance abatement program in executive session.

That's my motion.

Colleagues, there is a motion to place the nuisance abatement program with the Detroit Land Bank Authority into executive session.

Any objections?

See none, then action shall be taken.

My second motion is for LPD, and we'll follow up with a memo, and that is to tell us how the original um, and I believe it was done by council at the time.

I don't know who else was a part of it.

How did this originate?

Who gave the land bank authority to create the news abatement program?

We'll we'll need to know that.

That's my motion.

There's a motion on the floor, colleagues.

Any objections?

See none, then action shall be taken.

Then my final comment is that I just want to remind people that we are co-equal branches of government.

City councilman, mayor's office, and to hear a colleague to sit up and say, We're gonna wait for the mayor to uh to do this, you know, make changes with the land, but it is our responsibility too.

It is, and I cannot believe people are willing to give up power to to the executive branch and not take any power for ourselves.

That is our responsibility to I get the telephone calls.

I am the one that's at the supermarket or the gas station wherever I am.

People are crying out for help from this body.

That bothers me, and it probably further that's the reason that we have not seen it in movement yet on the IGA and a government agreement.

Oh, we're waiting for the mayor to do it.

Well, I'm not waiting for the mayor to do it, it's our responsibility.

Thank you, Mr.

Chairman.

Thank you.

For the record, the IGA is actually with the mayor and the government and the state, not not with council.

We're not involved, but the MOU involves the mayor and council and the state.

We just had a meeting as well.

So just want to make that clear.

But in terms of direction, you're absolutely right.

Coal branches, co-equal branches of government.

You're absolutely right.

But I'm going to ask my question.

I'm gonna ask my question.

You had a chance, you had a chance to come back.

I just need to ask my question, and then we're gonna know you're gonna say what you said.

I'm sorry.

Um you need to vote on her um I thought we did.

I'm sorry.

My apologies.

We did not vote on there's a motion on the floor.

What can you restate your motion, please?

Make sure we I thought I did the one for LPD, yeah.

The um when the when the nooses abatement program was created, I like to know how it was created.

Um that is my motion.

We will follow up uh with the memo.

Okay.

There's a motion on the floor, colleagues.

Any objections?

See none, then action shall be taken.

Just a point of clarity.

Uh clarification.

We're wondering who said we're gonna wait for the mayor's administration.

We'll hash that out later on.

Okay.

I don't think anyone else said that, but okay, thank you.

Yes, ma'am.

Yes, ma'am.

All right, so my question, um let's talk brightmore.

So we know there was 800 vacant lots that were uh released uh in Brightmore uh following uh the holds H O L D S that were on those particular properties.

I want to get an update.

Where where do what is that 800?

What is that number look like in terms of availability?

How many of them went to Detroiters?

I know maybe asking you a lot of questions you may or may not have, but y'all gotta know.

I'm gonna be asking about Brightmore because we've been talking about this for quite some time.

Uh the reason I asked this question is because we're talking about re uh revisioning of the entire neighborhood.

And my fear is that we would open up um all of these vacant lots, and you have speculators coming in and just swooping in and taking up the land, or you have neighbors, honestly, who just want to kind of keep it just vacant.

And I'm folks in the community have said that they're looking for development, but development done the right way.

We're working on um uh programming that will help upskill and provide residents of the neighborhood opportunities that uh would allow them to stay in that neighborhood once you know development takes place.

Um we've got to get them ready because if we don't get them ready, then they end up getting moved out and rolled over.

And we're trying to protect them from doing that.

Um so if you talk to us about the uh eight hundred vacant parcels, where do we stand, how many of those parcels have gone to Detroiters, and how are we ensuring that uh the remaining parcels do not become uh in the hands uh do not fall in the hands of speculators who just sit on them waiting for a payday.

So through the chair, I'm gonna turn it over to my colleague Rob Lynn, who manages our um inventory to talk about the 800 properties and the release.

Robbie, can you chime in on this?

Of course.

Um to the chair, uh thank you for this question.

Um as I believe your office is aware we did do a you know large scale offering and outreach event late last year.

We also closed our transfer of other properties to the water department earlier this year to um help advance some of their work.

Uh I would be uh happy to share with your office a summary of the outcome of those uh lots that we offered so that you can uh understand which ones were sold through which um uh programs and uh uh uh you know also to talk more about long-term future therapy.

All right, just give us the give us a ballpark though.

What out of the 800, how many moved?

How many?

I I don't have that off the top of my head.

I'm I'm sorry.

Uh I I I will uh I can share something uh this week though, certainly.

All right, just keep in mind when when we talking, Brightmore is top of frame, right?

Top of frame in my mind, always we'll do.

Um especially with me asking these questions every time we get together, always having an update is extremely important.

Uh so if we don't have the numbers, what are we doing to ensure the speculators are not going to converge on those properties and uh make them unavailable for you know true development as they sit and wait for a payday?

What are we doing?

Because that that was something that I expressed from the very beginning uh as we rolled out uh the opportunities because we want to make sure the folks in the neighborhood have the opportunities, but we don't want folks to just sit on these vacant properties and not doing anything with them.

So uh to the chair, uh I would say that all of the lots that were made available at that time were through our side lot and neighborhood lot programs, so those are only selled only sold to um local homeowners.

We also uh had a temporary, you know, um moratorium on any lots to be sold through our um uh uh uh application-based programs uh that recently did um expire.

Uh and I will um defer to our projects team to uh uh discuss any other uh applications they may have received uh since that time.

Okay.

Is that team available?

Because again, I'm I'm looking for safeguards.

We gotta protect our folks.

Uh two other chair, I I will uh do this research and respond uh in writing.

Uh uh, did you take addition to the other work I uh shared her earlier?

Okay.

Um member Johnson, we may end up having another discussion about these properties in your committee because I'm very concerned.

Um again, if we're talking about move we have a Brightmore framework project, we've got a major uh GSI project that's happening there.

We you know pull the neighbors together for two years uh talking about what they want to see.

Of course, they want to see development, but they also want to ensure that they're not pushed out and we're working as hard as we can, and we gotta work in concert uh for the folks who live in that neighborhood.

Uh I absolutely want to see it develop.

We have no commercial corridor over there, strong, it's not strong at all.

We have a lot of vacancy.

We've got uh poverty that is at a high level, so we've got to be working in concert um on all different levels, spinning all those plates and keeping them spinning, but that means that we've got to stay in constant communication as well.

So I am looking forward to that particular information and seeing how are we uh with that uh amount of land, uh making sure that we're safeguarding it uh for the folks who live in that community.

Absolutely.

We will provide that information to you, short order.

Okay.

I do want to know that my team did say that we received the uh information about the Pages Bookstore uh event that's taking place.

So thank you for that in advance.

Um the last question I have is, and I thought Pro Tim was gonna give me credit for this one.

You know, the reason why you all are moving in that chat bot direction is because I asked to move in that chat bot direction.

He ain't give me credit for that, but that's all right.

That's all right.

Um I want to talk about, I mean, the chat bots are good, right?

I I shop locally, um, but also at times use you know these online services that have chat bots, and sometimes you get to the point where it becomes circular, it becomes circular, uh helpful, useful, but then circular.

Do you for the chat bots that you all are looking to utilize at some point if you reach uh the end of the road and you still have more questions?

The are are you then is that person then routed to an actual human who can respond to their question, whether it's live or uh a message being provided and someone get back to them.

How does that work?

So through the chair, um, yes.

So during um office hours, you always have the option to connect to a customer service rep who can talk to you through it.

Um, there also is the um feature where you can put an inquiry in and say, you know, I need more information about 123 Main Street and make an inquiry and it will generate populated sales for us, and a team member will reach back out to them about it.

So, no, the chat bot is not the end, it's just an opportunity, uh another method um to communicate.

Okay.

And so I know you indicated you wanted us to kind of kick the tires on the chat model, but you know, we're in budget during April.

So what's the time frame that works better for us to actually do more of the heavy work?

Because you know, I know you say you want to roll it out with April 2nd, I think beginning of April.

We can push back the the um the live link that we provide to after budget to give you guys an opportunity because yeah, we do want you to kick the tires, break the break it if possible so we can fix it.

So, yes, um so essentially send it to us well in advance, and that will give us an opportunity.

I mean, if you give it to us right before like a week before you're looking to roll it out, it's gonna be very difficult for us to do that.

So if you provide it to us within the next week or so that gives us time to send it to you on the 23rd, and maybe we just leave it open for a little longer beyond the budget here.

Okay.

Okay.

Thank you.

Colleagues, any additional motions on the floor?

And I will just say before I ask that before I get a response to that.

We'll now open up for the collection of public comments.

If there's anyone from the public who would like to speak, please raise your hand now.

I see one individual in the committee of the whole.

Anyone else going once, going twice?

We're gonna close collection of public comments, both online as well as in person.

All right, um, Mr.

Corley.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

Um, it's obvious that the model that's currently before youth and land bank is unsustainable.

Um based on the numbers that's that's given shared with you today.

They have basically a year to operate.

Um, and so you may want to put in a closing resolution asking the administration to work with city council of what the future model looks like.

If some of the um activities that's in the land bank is going to shift back to the city, what does that look like?

I I suspect that HRD housing remodelization department does not have the budget to carry on some of the activities that the land bank is currently doing.

And so, and I suggest that you hear from the administration what their thoughts are, or what the model looks like moving forward, and then come up with estimates.

Because at some point, either the money's gonna be paid for through our department like the HRD, or you continue to the land bank.

Maybe it could be a bifurcation, you know, of some of the things that the landmaker continue to do, like new abatement.

It appears as though news and abatement could be more um what I want to say, could be more effective coming through the land bank because of the powers that they have through the state.

So maybe they continue to do that.

But if there's other things, you know, um we have to to ownership and um you know these things that are laid out in the MOU, which is going to expire, right in a year.

And the city council, no doubt, is expecting the land bank to continue a lot of programs that's in the MOU, but that's at a cost.

And so that's just my suggestion that you may want to put in the closing resolution to hear from the administration to work with city council.

What is the future model?

And if some of it is gonna stay with the land bank, what does that number look like?

What budgetarily does what does that look like?

If it's gonna come back to the city, what does it look?

What does that look like?

You know, what what department it's gonna go into, most likely HRD, maybe some of it PDD, maybe BC, I don't know.

So that's just my humble suggestion uh moving forward because if if you if council and citizens are appreciative of a lot of the activity that is going on in the land bank, it's gonna take money, right?

To maintain those services moving forward, and so that all needs to be laid out because if the land bank, I'm gonna say this and I'm done.

If the land bank um can only survive another year, but you want to maintain you know a lot of services that they're still providing, you gotta know what that number looks like so that in the next budget process, council working with the mayor can decide what you want to do moving forward.

Thank you, Mr.

Corley.

Anyone want to take Mr.

Corley up on that recommendation suggestion as a motion?

Motion uh can you state that motion, please, just to make sure you motion um to ask the administration to project um I will just say future sales, property sales, land sales um that are currently in the land bank's inventory um from my fight from a financial perspective, uh, if it comes in-house to just essentially lay out I will I'll ask for a five-year plan for land and property sales that are currently in the land bank's inventory, HRD or PNDD.

All right, and I'm sure you're gonna follow up with the written memo.

So all of the the wording will be uh rectified at that point, but I think we got the just there's a motion on the floor, colleagues, with the discussion uh pro Tim Yo.

Yeah, I just wanted to ask um about this.

Does that it not not not to take away from um member Johnson's motion, because I support it, but I just want to know would that also be supported with uh with a dashboard or digital um or uh distributed digital ledger technology so we can like actually be able to trace it.

So through the cherry.

I don't think that's yours.

Okay.

I don't think that's yours.

I think that's something that we need to that's something that we would ask in addition to.

So maybe you you want to well, well, the reason why the reason why I wanted to ask because I didn't know they already had they've had plans to do that, or they already have a dashboard, and we're just not looking at it.

Because from what I've seen from my conversation, was you you have things that you're doing, I just either didn't know, I wasn't aware, or you were in the process of doing it and you haven't got there for whatever reason.

So I just want to know if you have a dashboard, where can people go?

If not, you'll do you plan on having one, or there's an impediment why you didn't have one.

I that may not be appropriate to address a little different than this than this motion though.

Because I thought, because I thought because it was the 15-year plan that would be associated with that.

That's what I thought.

Maybe I was out of pocket.

Yeah, if they have a if they're using a dashboard right now, I think that's different than the question about a five-year forecast.

Oh, okay.

Okay, that's looking at the we can uh peer off to that after we did this particular motion.

But I see Dr.

Powers is has raised her hand.

Yeah, I think I'm in trouble.

What did I do this time?

No, no.

Yeah, I I was just going to say it was getting off the motion.

Okay.

Okay.

I think I misunderstood.

I I withdraw.

Okay.

Colleagues, there's a motion on the floor.

Discussion.

Uh, with further discussion, Member McCall.

Uh, could I join you on that?

Is it appropriate to adjoin on that?

Absolutely.

All right, thank you.

We have a motion on the floor that's supported by Member McCampbell.

And uh Member Santiago Romero.

And Member Santiago Romero.

Any objections, colleagues?

See none, that action shall be taken.

All right, CEO Daniels, final words, anything you want to add.

Um, I don't have anything to add at this time.

I thank you for your time and um consideration.

And if you have any questions, um please feel free to send those to us.

We will respond to the memos that we have gotten as expeditiously as possible and get those answers to you as quickly as possible.

All right, thank you so much.

Thank you.

Appreciate you all.

Thank you for the work that you do.

All right.

We shall now go to public comment.

Our last public comment of the day.

As I mentioned before, gonna say it again.

This is an abbreviated version of public comment.

We will have a major uh full public comment available for the entire budget taking place on March 30th.

Right now, abbreviate abbreviated public comment.

Everyone gets one minute.

Let's get that clock up, too.

If you're ready to let's get that clock up, team.

All right.

I've got Ruben James Crowley Jr.

Ruben James Crowley Jr.

going once going twice.

Going three times.

Okay.

Ruben James Crowley Jr.

The floor is yours.

Lady.

Right here.

If that's the seat that she's giving you.

Your time shall begin now.

Well, why don't you have me sit down first, Joker?

All right.

James Junior, I'm tired of playing games with all the y'all.

Oh, y'all cheated in.

Janice's been cheating in elections for years.

Y'all know it.

Absolutely ballot fraud.

And I gave it to 47.

He getting ready to come in here and get all y'all together.

Hopefully.

Soon.

Now I want to talk about the alumni Naughty.

That's the University of Michigan graduates in key positions.

All throughout the state of Michigan, the county of Wayne, and the city of Detroit.

Key financial positions.

The CFO for the Detroit Police Department is the University of Michigan graduate.

The Attorney General for the state of Michigan.

University of Michigan graduate.

And the CEO from the land bank.

And I could go on and on and on.

I've been investigating this now.

Thank you so much.

Five years.

We shall now transition to our online comments.

Team who's our first caller.

Uh first caller, Mr.

President is Betty A.

Varner.

Miss Betty A.

Varner, thank you for joining us.

You have one minute, general public comment.

Hey, good afternoon to all within the sound of my voice.

This is Betty A.

Varner, president of DeSoda Elsewhere Black Association.

Just advocating for consideration to add monies to the budget for us organizations who have to go in front or go to BC to have a land use hearing to help us pay that $1,500 fee, or the administration could please consider waiving that fee for the organizations who are doing the great work in their area to improve their community.

Also, we need help and monies for our Fink Accorder, and there are other uh corridors throughout the city of Detroit that need attention and help.

So please allocate money for our quarters.

And also, of course, I'm going to speak specifically about my Fink A quarter.

We have worked with the last administration.

There's been some wonderful ideas, but we need money.

Thank you for this time and God bless you all.

Thank you as well, Ms.

Ferner.

Next caller, please.

Next caller is Darren McCleskey.

All right, Darren McCleskey, the floor is yours.

You have a minute.

General public comment.

Good evening, Council.

Okay, I'll have to be quick.

Um, anywhere else in the state, it's not illegal to have a vacant house.

You all have a house that can be vacant.

I would encourage the city to also prosecute those who scrap and do property crimes.

Umatement.

I mean, come on.

There's you guys have been doing eminent domain for solar.

I don't understand why there's such a opposition to it.

There's side lots that even been taken by solar.

Uh below market, yeah.

A bunch of those below market sales were used in the price comparisons to come up with evaluation to take people's property.

Lastly, the Raphael surplus must go to the owner.

That is the Wayne County auction.

People can claim the access.

I I look up the case 25-CV-10307 in federal court.

Um, there's a class action lawsuit against the land bank right now to take those proceeds, which could really hit the budget if there's only one year left.

And then how was an app created?

Duggan himself is a prosecutor.

He's listed as the plaintiff on all these next caller, please.

Next caller is named iPhone.

IPhone, the floor is yours.

You have a minute.

General public comment.

Caller, are you there?

Let's put that caller at the end of the queue and go to the next, please.

Next caller is Dante Smith.

Mr.

Smith, the floor is yours.

You have a minute, general public comment.

Good afternoon, Moby Hurt.

Yes, sir.

I was gonna say uh Crown Enterprises is not followed their initial zoning uh that they asked for in district three, 3405 Gay Lord.

I finally got the property swap deal that they had for that property.

So Scott Benson is taking money from uh the president of Chronos, Todd Goss, um the owner Matthew Maroon, um, and several other people affiliated, like uh Philip Tanean, the lawyer for Connor Enterprises.

And so uh we'll just keep bringing up for it.

Seems like the Maroon family is running the show, like you uh President James Tate, you take a money from the room family.

Uh Mary Sheffield's taking money from the rural family, Renata Miller's taking money from the family, or Scott Benson again, even though he's not a city council member anymore.

Also, uh Fred Durhaw take away from the rural family.

It seems like they are doing what they want to do.

They're trying to expand to the bill to the Bel Air Center.

Um, and that is also unfair.

Uh, and also we need to hold uh slum lord business owners like uh George Capolano's accountable as well.

Thank you so much.

Next caller, please.

Caller is owner, Papa.

Caller, the floor is yours.

You have one minute.

General public comment.

Uh good afternoon to the chairman.

Yes.

Thank you, Carolyn Hughes.

Um, yes, I I had questions for the land bank, and it would have been nice for the people who pay their salaries or help pay the salaries or help support these departments, had a chance to ask questions of the people that we pay.

Uh uh I think that uh the land bank and the nooses abatement program is a is a farce, a lie and illegal.

The uh attorney general sent Miss Councilwoman Waters a letter and stated that the nooses abatement was only supposed to be for surplus property, not people who are living in their property, not people who are in their uh domains.

They are not supposed to be involved in that, and and then just including them in Noosa's abatement is as is an atrocity.

But I'll tell you what, if you want to include them, have them go out and check all of the senior citizen buildings and all of the apartment buildings and have them do that work, and then that might be helpful, but not doing uh residence that is illegal.

Next caller, please.

Uh next caller is named resident.

All right, caller, the floor is yours.

You have a minute.

General public comment.

Good afternoon, may I be heard?

Yes, ma'am.

Yeah, too bad.

Too bad, President Tate, we only get a minute for such a big deal.

Uh, I think actually, new members, especially uh should hold a meeting and hear from uh the public about the land bank, maybe send out this excerpt to people and ask for comment.

Um, just some corrections.

Uh the I and even Charity Dean used to work for the land bank surprise that when Mary Shaffield is president, let the people go and weren't there to speak and respond.

Uh, as uh uh Brenda Jones did as president as I recall.

Um, the land bank, the reason people say they favor developers over residents, it's actually the city favoring developers over residents when they hold the lats for development and they don't give them to the public.

So that's what I don't care how many people they sell it to.

That's what people are talking about about favoring the developers.

Yes, the land bank has sold commercial structures.

They sold one on Oakland Avenue in Detroit, and 253 Marshton is uh commercial.

And thank you so much.

Next caller, please.

Next caller is here.

I'm on caller, the floor is yours.

General public comment.

Representing the Black Legacy Coalition.

Uh, we was formed because the Museum of African American history had the um illegal uh happy slave exhibit with Thomas Jefferson, and we were formed to demand community representation on the board of directors.

Barclays is being disingenuous uh regarding his hesitation to sponsor a traveling exhibits, uh, as he said to member Callaway.

They sponsored the Thomas Jefferson traveling exhibit, uh happy slave exhibit, and the willing child rape victim of a Thomas Jefferson exhibit.

This was the false narrative that they pushed in our community.

So we decided to uh demand that the uh Charles H.

Wright Museum have community representation on the board of directors where we can have a vote on the board of directors, not some little uh slight uh appeal to the board of directors.

We want to have voting power.

Thank you.

Next caller, please.

Next caller is William M.

Davis.

Mr.

William M.

Davis, the floor is yours.

You have one minute, general public comment.

Uh good afternoon.

Could I be heard?

Yes, sir.

Okay, first off, I think that city council and all city departments should help to encourage people to join the Charles Wright Museum.

Uh secondly, as it relates to the land bank, you know, I don't think that the land bank should be doing nuisance abatements on people on properties that people are living in.

Uh third, yeah, I think that the city of Detroit general fund could save millions of dollars if the land bank got rid of uh all the side lots and and lots and in the blocks that uh that they hold it because it costs us to cut the grass and maintain that.

And this and the land bank is one of the biggest uh they have more nuisance abatements that they should be uh her responsible for.

So hopefully we can get some improvements in the land bank and hopefully we can encourage more people to utilize uh the Charles Wright Museum.

It's an excellent facility.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next caller, please.

Uh this will be the last caller.

I'm gonna go back to iPhone, sir.

All right, iPhone, the floor is yours.

You have one minute general public comment.

IPhone, are you there?

Going once.

IPhone, are you there going twice?

IPhone, are you there going three times?

Unfortunately, we're gonna have to move on if you would like to provide your comments to the clerk's office.

It will be placed on to public record.

Uh before we adjourn, colleagues, uh like to turn the floor over to Mr.

Corley or and Mr.

Whittaker if you have anything you want to provide to the body.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

So um tomorrow we have five budget hearings.

So try to get your rest as best as you can.

And then the other day that we have five is actually the last day, and that's the March the 30th.

We have the public hearing on that day.

Um, so thankfully the other days uh beyond tomorrow will be just either four budget hearings or maybe three.

So that's good to know.

And um keep doing what you're doing.

Appreciate it.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Just want to let everyone know that our first budget hearing will begin at 10 a.m.

tomorrow.

That is a board of zoning appeals.

We'll then go to the public lighting department, public lighting authority, uh, then uh media services, uh Detroit Wayne, excuse me, Detroit Water and Sewage Department as well, and the library department.

Uh Detroit Public Library.

With that being said, colleagues, is there a motion to adjourn?

Um, before we uh before the motion to adjourn, Member McCampbell.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Not to end on a somber note, but I just wanted to, while we were in the budget hearings today, there was a um uh government who ran into the temple Israel synagogue in West Bloomfield.

Um, and this is the largest reform synagogue in the country.

So I'm sure we have many Detroiters who go there for worship.

So just wanted to send my prayers out to those folks.

And and as we see the more and more attacks on uh faith institutions, um, making sure that folks stay vigilant.

So thank you.

Thank you so much.

Thank you.

Colleagues, is there a motion to adjourn?

Roger see no objections that action shall be taken.

This meeting is adjourned.