Detroit City Council Meeting: May 14, 2026 - Billinghurst Apartments Brownfield Plan and Public Comment

The meeting was called to order with a quorum present. Councilmembers Latitia Johnson and President Pro Tem Collin Young II were present; Councilmember Gabriel Santiago Romero was absent. The minutes from the previous meeting were approved. The majority of the session was devoted to public comment on a wide range of issues, followed by a public hearing on the Billinghurst Apartments Brownfield Plan.

Consent Calendar

• Approval of the meeting minutes (no objections).

Public Comments & Testimony

• First speaker (in-person): Criticized GLWA statements as deceptive and noted that a GLWA board member has not been a Michigan resident for nearly five years, questioning past decisions.
• Second speaker (in-person, veteran): Requested free or reduced bus fares for veterans; received commitment from a councilmember to share with the Veterans Affairs department.
• William M. Davis (virtual): Urged the city to keep more dollars in Detroit, provide promotion points for city workers, and give more benefits to Detroit-based businesses. Also suggested a past practice of comp time for shopping in the city.
• Carolyn Hughes (virtual): Criticized the reduction in price for a surplus property due to vandalism, argued that ARPA funds should be distributed to citizens, and called for more youth and senior programs.
• Betty Verner (virtual): Thanked Pro Tem Young for a Mother's Day event and provided information about the MI Choice Waiver program for seniors and disabled individuals.
• Caller (identified as Samsung SMG991U): Expressed disappointment at not knowing about the Mother's Day event, supported free bus rides for seniors, and requested restoration of the full Davison bus route to Van Dyke.
• Caller (Blackbag/Legendary Detroiter): Accused multiple public officials, including Council President Pro Tem Young, of cheating and corruption, referencing specific individuals and alleged mishandling of a suicide case.
• Nicole Johnson (virtual): Raised concerns about corruption in the city solar project and the Office of the Inspector General refusing to investigate fraud. Asked if the council would support land swaps for other property owners similar to those given to Perfecting Church.
• Marguerite Maddox (virtual): Requested that the city website be updated and agendas made available more reliably. Advocated for equitable distribution of affordable housing across all neighborhoods and for maintenance of alleyways and streetlights.
• Cicely McClellan (virtual): Criticized the GLWA lease agreement, arguing it was done by an emergency manager without legislative input, yields only $33 million annually instead of the $218 million estimated by a HopS Institute study, and harms Detroit's finances and affordability programs.
• Attorney Norrell Hemphill (virtual, We the People of Detroit): Called on the council to support funding for water assistance (noting only 4,710 households served vs. 60,000 in need) and to codify water affordability to ensure clean, safe, and affordable water as a human right.
• Nicole Johnson (virtual, second call): Expressed frustration with delays and poor communication regarding a development project on Connor Street, requested better maintenance (dust, trash, bus stops, garbage cans), and urged reopening of Maheras Park building for public use, noting frostbite risk within 15 minutes.
• Caller (ending 534): Raised concerns about corruption in the solar project and OIG inaction, questioned the legality of land swaps for Perfecting Church without equal treatment for others, and reported being removed from a committee meeting by security.
• Caller (user two): Complained about filthy transit centers, human feces, stolen wheelchairs being used on buses, drug sales in public, and lack of protection for renters facing retaliation.

Discussion Items

• Billinghurst Apartments Brownfield Plan Public Hearing (1025): The hearing was called to order. Cora Kepler (DBRA Senior Brownfield Program Manager) presented the plan, which uses tax increment financing (TIF) to reimburse eligible costs for redeveloping the historic Billinghurst Apartment Hotel at 69 W. Willis. The 1922 four-story building (vacant since a 1990s fire) will become a mixed-use residential building with 3,348 sq ft ground-floor commercial space and 31 residential units (30 one-bedroom, 1 studio). A two-to-three-story addition will add an elevator for ADA compliance, with two units featuring universal design. Surface parking will be provided on adjacent parcels. At least 20% of units (one studio and six one-bedroom) will be reserved for households earning ≤80% Area Median Income (AMI). Total project cost is $9.5 million, with a requested TIF reimbursement of approximately $1.33 million for housing rehabilitation, site preparation, and infrastructure. Eligible activities must commence within 18 months of approval and be completed within 3 years. The DBRA makes no advances; reimbursement comes solely from captured tax increment. The developer also seeks a PILOT (payment in lieu of taxes). The project is expected to create 40 temporary construction jobs and 2 permanent jobs. Developer Scott Lowell added that historic tax credits have been approved (Part 1 and Part 2) and the building will use geothermal heating/cooling. The units are targeted at 60–120% AMI, with an average rent target at 98% AMI. The public hearing was held with no questions from the council.
• 1020 Discussion (Michigan taxing jurisdictions regarding Billinghurst Apartments): Called to order and recessed without discussion.

Key Outcomes

• No votes were taken on the Billinghurst Apartments Brownfield Plan; the meeting recessed after the public hearing. The public comment period was closed. The council is expected to consider the Brownfield plan at a future session. The meeting remains recessed to the call of the chair.