Detroit City Council Standing Committee Meeting – March 19, 2026

The Detroit City Council Standing Committee convened on March 19, 2026, with Councilmember Letitia Johnson presiding. Despite the absence of Council President Pro Tempore Komene Young, a quorum was present. The meeting addressed public comments, updates on pending memoranda, and several contracts and resolutions. The committee approved contracts for accessibility upgrades, salt mining lease extension, and loan servicing, as well as a resolution urging the promotion of the housing choice voucher homeownership program. Two agenda items were held for further information.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Miss Riley expressed frustration with the Detroit Land Bank Authority regarding a property she had maintained since 1999, stating that the land bank was harassing her and planning to remove her belongings. She asked the council to intervene.
• William M. Davis supported lowering the threshold for the Community Benefits Ordinance and advocated for clawing back incentives from developers who fail to meet agreements, citing the Hudson’s building project as an example.
• Betty A. Varner, president of the Soto Elsewhere Black Association, promoted the MI Choice waiver program for in-home care, urging those not eligible for Medicaid to contact the Detroit Area Agency on Aging.
• Cunningham spoke about his experiences with homelessness and depression, described his advocacy work distributing supplies at bus stops, and requested prayers for upcoming transit advocacy training in Pittsburgh.
• Ruben Crowley accused city officials of lying about findings on voter fraud allegations and demanded reimbursement for property repairs, stating he had spent money to replace items stripped from his house. He warned that he would take further action.
• Tyson Gersh opposed the Northern Landing Project, arguing that nearby residents did not want the project while supporters from outside the area were financially incentivized by the city. He criticized the community engagement process as broken.
• Owner Papa inquired about whether housing choice vouchers (Section 8) can be used for homeownership, criticized the 36th District Court for not holding non-compliant landlords accountable, and expressed concerns that CDBG funds have not benefited the Aviation Subdivision, alleging gentrification.

Unfinished Business

• 5.1 – Status of Councilmember Letitia Johnson’s memorandum requesting a resolution on the housing choice voucher homeownership option. The item was received and filed.
• 5.2 – Status of Councilmember Mary Waters’ memorandum regarding the nuisance abatement suit for the Leland House apartments. Law Department representative Graham Anderson reported that mediation occurred the previous day but no outcome was yet available. The item was brought back in two weeks.
• 5.3 – Status of Councilmember Letitia Johnson’s memorandum regarding the Hance Farms LLC purchase agreement. John Trung of the Housing Revitalization Department stated that additional information from the Law Department was needed. The item was brought back in two weeks.
• 5.4 – Status of the Civil Rights Inclusion and Opportunity Department’s Community Benefits Ordinance annual report for Future of Health. The report was received and filed. Chair Johnson noted progress on the community land trust (CLT), which had received land and financial resources.

New Business

• 6.1 – Contract No. 6006558-A2 (100% ARPA funding), Amendment No. 2 for development of public facility rehabilitation and accessibility upgrades at Stafford House. The amendment extends the contract period to June 30, 2026, and increases funds by $77,267.50. The funds were reprogrammed from other projects completed under budget. The item was sent to formal session with a recommendation to approve.
• 6.2 – Lease Amendment No. 2 with the Detroit Salt Company (Contract No. 6007474-A2) to extend and expand rights to mine salt from city-owned properties. The amendment extends the lease through December 31, 2055, and will generate approximately $8.9 million in revenue over 30 years through lease payments and salt sales. Representatives answered questions about mining methods and surface impact. The item was sent to formal session with a recommendation to approve.
• 6.3 – Replacement contract with Revella Inc. (Contract No. 6007575) for loan servicing and collection of the HOME investor loan portfolio using 100% CDBG funds. The contract period runs through June 30, 2027, with a total amount of $240,138. The previous contractor, Mino Lending Solutions, requested the transfer to focus on lending. The item was sent to formal session with a recommendation to approve.
• 6.4 – Resolution urging the Detroit Housing Commission to promote the housing choice voucher homeownership program. The item was sent to formal session with a recommendation to approve.

Key Outcomes

• Contracts 6.1, 6.2, 6.3 and resolution 6.4 were approved by the committee and sent to the formal council session with a recommendation to approve.
• Items 5.2 and 5.3 were referred back and will be brought up again in two weeks.
• Chair Johnson advised Miss Riley to seek representation from United Community Advocacy Coalition (UCAC) regarding her land bank issue.
• Chair Johnson stated that the housing choice voucher is Section 8 and has been eligible for homeownership, and that the Detroit Housing Commission determines whether to allow the program.
• Chair Johnson noted that her Chief of Staff, Gary Gray, had visited Ruben Crowley’s property and assisted with his concerns.