Johnson present.

Councilmember Gabriela Santiago Romero.

Member Santiago Romero did indicate that she would not be present today.

Clerk was so notes.

Council President Pro Tempera Coman A.

Young the Second.

Thanks for putting that pro tempere on there here.

Madam Chair, you have a quorum present.

Thank you.

Having a quorum present, we are now in session.

And good morning, pro tempere.

Is there a motion to approve the minutes?

Vote to approve.

Hearing no objections, that action shall be taken.

We are going to move into general public comment.

If you are joining us and would like to make a general public comment, please raise your hand.

Public comment will be cut off at 1010 in two minutes.

Seeing no hands raised in the committee of the whole.

We have 15 hands raised.

All right, we're gonna give general public comment one minute 30 seconds.

We do have four public hearings on the agenda today.

If you will please set the clock, we will get started with our first virtual caller.

No first caller is Dr.

Denise Starnell.

Dr.

Denise Darnell, you have one minute, 30 seconds for general public comment.

Well, good morning.

Can I be heard?

Good morning, yes.

Okay, Dr.

Denise Darnell Brown here.

And member Angela Whitfield Callaway's just for two newsletter that came out this week.

There's a public safety fund day, Saturday, July 18th from 1 to 5 o'clock p.m.

at the Palmer Park Van Shell near the 12th precinct for the whole family.

It's open and free to the public.

Included as one of the activities will be gun safety tips, which I feel will prove to be beneficial and help people understand how to be responsible gun owners.

I also heard a caller earlier this week voiced concerns about blight and overgrown grass in her community.

I attended member Whitfield Callaway's center citywide blight patrol meeting in collaboration with the Detroit police held on June 29th at the Adams Buffalo Recreation Center.

She's requested an ordinance establishing the citizen neighborhood blight patrol.

So there'll be an opportunity for people to apply and sign up to be on patrol reporting blight in our city.

I know more information on this will be forthcoming, but in the meantime, people can use the improved Detroit app, which I found to be very effective to report on anything they have a concern with.

I showed my own grandson how he could report a broken street sign near his school, and the next day it was fixed.

Thank you very much.

God bless you all.

Thank you.

And God bless you.

And thank you for sharing that information.

We do try to get it out to residents so they are able to communicate any concerns they have within their area.

The next caller.

The next caller is Cunningham.

Cunningham, you have one minute, 30 seconds for general public comment.

Good morning, Mr.

Cunningham.

Hey, can you hear me?

We can.

Hello, good morning.

Everybody, under the sound of my voice.

Um Doug is still lackluster and needs improvement.

We're actually headed to the coolest terminal for a ceremony of the new cool ceremony.

Meeting Miss Rochella Hopkins Stewart.

Um she wanted to say a couple words and piggyback off of my public comment, if that is okay.

My number is 313 444-9114, 313-444-9114.

313 444, 9114.

That number was made so you can remember it.

I need a new vehicle, vehicle repair, bus tickets, bus tickets, and more bus tickets.

Bus tickets, bus tickets.

Did I say bus tickets?

East side, west side, north side, bus tickets.

Uh I got y'all laughing.

But I I really would appreciate some bus tickets.

Uh there's an entity that pays uh what gives me 400 worth of bus tickets, but I end up spending four to five hundred from donations purchasing more bus tickets.

So, any rate, thank you for listening.

And um, we gotta have a sense of urgency for those that take D Dot bus.

Y'all got cars.

I got cars.

Some folks don't.

Some folks are disabled.

Some folks.

Thank you.

And Mr.

Cunningham will have to ask Miss Rochella Stewart to reach out to the clerk's office if she'd like to make a general public comment because we do have a very tight agenda this morning.

All right, who do we have next?

The next caller is William M.

Davis.

William M.

Davis, you have one minute, 30 seconds for general public comment.

Uh, good morning.

Can I be heard?

Good morning, yes.

Okay, I like to start off by saying I think the city can and should do a better job of letting City Detroit retirees and actually current workers know the benefits of getting wills, getting trust, and getting their financial paperwork in order.

Uh, I know the city used to do a whole lot more when I first started when you was a baby and Colin before Coleman was born.

Uh with his dad.

Um, because you know the city used to offer classes, you know, that help people, you know, plan for retirement, plan for this, plan for a whole lot of stuff that they don't do anymore.

I think that would be very beneficial.

Also, I think it'd be very beneficial if the city could explore an option of how they could do more to get the insurance costs down because you know, automobiles and homeowners insurance is extremely high in the city.

Uh, in fact, I think because the auto insurance is so high, we probably have 20 or 30,000 or more people that actually live in the city, but use outside addresses so they don't get the vote in the city, and the city does not get the benefit of the numbers that we really should have.

And hopefully y'all could explore this and explore other ways to help residents and city of Detroit retirees.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Great idea.

Or thank you for reminding us that it used to happen here.

The next caller.

The next caller is phone number ending in 169.

Caller ending in 169.

You have a one minute, 30 seconds for general public comment.

Hello, can you guys hear me?

Yes.

Great.

My name is Jay.

Um black people, brown people, white people, yellow people, everybody.

Thank you for praying for Brother Cunningham.

Don't just thank him, bank him.

Every month, everyone must read the Willie Lynch letter is a 1712 speech outlining psychological control techniques for enslaved populations.

Do scholars widely recognize recognize it as a modern fabrication.

It explores themes of breaking the female to influence offspring and creating division among amongst enslaved people to ensure long-term control.

Thank you for listening.

Yes, you hearing this now.

Thank you.

Thank you.

The next caller.

The next caller is Black Bag.

Black Bag, you have one minute, 30 seconds for general public comment.

Hello, uh Letitia Johnson.

I didn't spoke to you.

I didn't try to appeal to the whole city council, the mayor, previous mayor.

Now I gotta turn up.

I cannot consciously allow this little lady to go, little my friend, go through another summer with this false tag of suicide, bogus tag of suicide hanging over her mother's head.

So I told you I was one of the coldest.

I told all y'all that.

Now Angela Whitfield Callaway didn't abridge my right to freedom of speech.

She done put me out of the comedian the whole room.

Then you got that Daniel Baxter that said to me.

And I guess she thought I was a punk.

I'm nothing like that.

I told y'all I was young blood from the Bruce and Projects in 1980.

I wasn't lying.

I told y'all I was real from the backseat of that black limousine at the age of 17.

And it's the truth.

And I did at the age of 15, live in Palmer Woods, Michigan.

1905 or more drive.

I'm the truth.

I'm a detroit legend.

Thank you.

The next caller.

The next caller is Betty A.

Verner.

Betty A.

Vernon, you have one minute, 30 seconds for general public comment.

Good morning, Madam Chair and Tall within the sound of my voice.

I'm Betty A.

Barner, the president of the Soda Elsewhere Black Association.

Still uh looking for support for our think accorder, asking the council when um Mr.

Dabbitt and his sons come to the council in support of opening up a mini market in our area.

I'm hoping that the council will support so his uh vision can become a reality.

ASAP.

We are a food desert, uh, and we are in need of this uh mini market.

We are in need of monies to uh redevelop our think accorder.

I'm asking the administration and the council to work together to find monies for our think accorder.

We're in need uh of support for our uh August 1st arise Detroit event.

We're still in need of a barber.

We uh will be giving away uh school supplies, hygiene products.

It's gonna be a family fun event.

There's gonna be all types of resources for the Metro Detroit area.

Everyone is welcome.

We will be grilling a bouncy house, there's snow cones, popcorns, family fund games.

Uh it's going to be a remarkable event.

So I'm hoping all will come out, and I would love to share my thank you.

And before we proceed to the next caller, I'd like to call the 1020 public hearing to order and recess it to the call of the chair.

And Aaron, who do we have next?

Our next caller is Jadante Smith.

Jadante Smith, you have one minute 30 seconds for general public comment.

So uh I learned that there is a uh candidate forum with only four candidate uh slots available.

Uh District 9 uh State House, District 11 State House, uh, District 3 State Senate, and I think District 1 State Senate, and it's held conveniently by East Community Network, uh, which is located in District 4 and run to my knowledge by Donna Gavis Davidson, who is recently become a um well, she's a board member of the Detroit uh land bank authority, which is doing a terrible job at cutting property uh all around.

Also, like I can say in District 5, I have a uh a hole in the ground, a sinkhole.

Um, what's a big giant pothole, and I reported in C click fix.

Nothing has been done about it besides the C V trait, putting two um, not even cones.

They put two uh like they put like caution tape around it instead of fixing the hole, there's a giant hole in the ground.

There's just they're just putting a circle around to let people know how to drive in it.

Uh also like you say, Crest and Anderson for District 11 State Rep.

Uh, and you guys have a wonderful day.

Thank you.

You as well.

The next caller.

The next caller, I believe, has already gone.

It's legendary Detroiter.

That's correct.

We have heard from Mr.

Crowley.

The next caller is Cindy Dara.

Cindy Dara, you have one minute 30 seconds for general public comment.

Yeah, um, I'm uh would like to know you got on your agenda today.

You're spending you spent over a million dollars for eight houses for a solar farm, I think.

And now you're selling those eight houses and eight more, 16 houses for 180,000 to a developer after you've already paid over a million for just half of those houses.

I don't understand the math.

Uh so uh are you hearing me?

Hello?

Yes, okay.

So I guess this is on Margaret.

I asked to live over on Monica.

So it's a Libernois, and if if it's anywhere closer there, boy, that guy's getting a good deal.

Now I also uh have asked you about, I don't know, I can't see the time up, but I ask you uh about why they're taking a tax capture off the another education millage that if we don't pass, we don't get any state money uh in the city.

Well, that is a state law.

I finally found out yesterday by calling the board of education.

None of you guys would ever answer my question.

And it's a state law.

The only people that don't have to get a tax capture if the city doesn't choose to, they don't have to adopt the state law of the thank you.

The next caller.

The next caller is you matter.

You matter, you have one minute 30 seconds for general public comment.

Good morning.

Miss Warwick, are you there?

May I be heard?

Yes.

Okay.

So I've got questions too about this uh selling these properties over on Margarita, East Robinwood, uh, when the city just in their uh lazy solar plan.

Um uh purchased all this other property.

Are these some of these the same property?

I'm trying to find the information.

I would like to know.

Also, Miss Johnson, what's your excuse for cutting me off at public comment the other day?

What is the alleged rule that I violated?

You know, Mr.

Connors used to say everything is everything, and it is uh a bunch of stuff related.

And I called your chief of staff, and I tried to talk to him the other day at that evening community meeting, and he just ran away from me.

So, what what what rule did I violate?

Give me the specific rule in writing that I can refer to when you cut my public comment off.

And these properties that you want to sell for 180,000, did they have anything to do with uh let's get some more property allegedly for solar that was done back in 2024?

And frankly, y'all didn't tell us the whole story, or uh Miss Trisha Stein or Mr.

What's his face?

Uh you know, uh y'all you didn't tell us the whole story about getting the renewable energy credits, which motivated it, and why do some people get solar up uh housing upgrades and the rest of us don't?

There was no community of benefits agreement.

Can I please get an answer?

Thank you.

The next caller.

Oh, the next four.

I'm sorry, Aaron.

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

We can now proceed to the next caller.

The next caller is Tahira Ahmad.

Tahira Ahmad, you have one minute 30 seconds for general public comment.

Yes, good morning.

Uh uh, thank you for the time.

Uh, I'd like to make a comment about the latest uh uh apparently it is a lynching of uh a young brother named Nolan Wells, who was 19 years old, uh was uh killed uh recently in Mississippi.

There was another case of a lynching here in Michigan, and uh I want to uh bring some attention to this because it it seems that even black people seem uh here in Michigan uh want to uh put your head in the sand.

We need to have public service announcements, we need to have public town hall meetings, we need to protect our children and our young men and women.

And I I would like to find out is Detroit have anything that they can do or have been doing to bring awareness to this very crucial issue.

This is not only uh physical uh um danger to our people, but to our people in general.

If this is psychological terrorism, every time we see a lynching and nothing is done about it.

Uh it this is uh uh terrorism for our people in our community, and I like to see more done uh uh about that here in Detroit.

Let's be sensitive about this so we can stop it before it gets worse.

It's getting worse now, and also uh just to clarify.

Um uh pro tem uh Coleman Young.

I said that you initially voted against the property tax reform orders, which is true initially.

Thank you.

The next caller.

The next caller is Marguerite Maddox and Scarlet, Miss Marguerite Maddox and Scarlet.

Good morning.

You have the floor for general public comment.

Good morning, Miss Marguerite Maddox and Scarlet.

Aaron, are you showing Ms.

Maddox unmuted?

Yes, madam chair.

I'm showing Ms.

Maddox as unmuted.

Okay.

Let's come back to Miss Maddox.

Do we have any additional callers?

Yes.

The next caller is phone number ending in 534.

I believe she just spoke.

I already spoke, but I would like an answer, please.

The next caller is Beverly Kendall Walker.

Beverly Kendall Walker.

You have one minute, 30 seconds for general public comment.

Good morning, Councilor members.

I'm calling in support of the rezoning of 1140 Connor, which is part of the can you hear me?

We can now.

I was just gonna make sure the time was started.

Go ahead.

You may proceed.

Which is part of the uh Coleman International Airport property to be rezoned from a R3 to a B4 or other use that will suit the purpose of what is being intended.

So I'm calling to let you know that I do support the aviation institute of maintenance project to build a workforce development in aviation in this community.

Definitely in support of the Friends of Detroit City Airport, which has been around since 1990.

We do support the rezoning of this particular project.

Thanks.

God bless.

Thank you.

The next caller.

The next caller is Samsung S M G991U.

Caller, you have one minute 30 seconds for general public comment.

Good morning, Maddie Heard.

Good morning, yes.

You know what?

I find out sometime I get on later, whatever.

But it's really interesting to really listen to city council to find out what's going on in the city.

And the elections and all the nine yards.

Now, how do I use that uh click fix C click fix?

Can you tell me how to use the C click fix?

Can I be heard?

Can you hear me?

Yes, we can hear you.

I'd like for you to conclude your public comment and we'll respond to you.

Okay, because I got a lot of I mean I have been trying to get trees cut down, which I'm so afraid this one is gonna fall on people's houses and stuff and uh streets over here, district three, 48212.

We need a lot of work done over here.

I mean, I've been really advocating for since actually probably like 2000 and maybe six, seven, for a lot of stuff to be done.

So I'm gonna get on that C click fix so you tell me how to do it so I can get a lot of things, trees and stuff because I mean, because they're gonna fall in the street, and there's no need to wait for it to fall on nobody's house.

And I'm afraid because it's a new baby in this one house.

So because even uh former deputy mayor bedison, he went around with me.

Keanu Sessant went around with me.

I mean I'm gonna show it everybody around here, you know what we needed.

Thank you, Miss Riley.

I will ask for the district three department of neighborhoods to connect with you.

It may be something that is easier to show you uh the process than to explain it.

Um so I will certainly ask for the dons to reach out and walk you through the process.

Thank you for calling in.

Uh, before we proceed to the next caller, I'd like to call the 10:30 public hearing to order and recess it to the call of the chair.

And who do we have next?

Our final caller is Marguerite Maddox and Scarlet.

Miss Marguerite Maddox and Scarlet.

Good morning.

You have the floor for general public comment.

Good morning.

Yes.

Hear you hear me okay?

Yes, ma'am.

Okay.

Umorra.

This really and the heat.

Do not look at the other county.

We'll be on the elevator.

A cross.

Did she put the right apartment building?

Need to find away to make sure the elevator is looking.

All day and every day.

What happened to me last week?

You didn't nothing happen.

Luckily, luckily the micro.

Please make sure that the vote in the eight eight.

Make sure that the use the light.

Go to me.

Um thank you, Miss Maddox, and we are going to be sure we reach out to BC.

I know last week, I believe, if not the week prior, you mentioned the elevators in your building, and uh we were sharing that information with BC to make sure the elevators are inspected and uh they are addressed to get them back online.

Um I'll have someone reach out to you in regards to where the pot hole is so we can get that to DPW.

All right, thank you so much.

That now concludes our general public comment, and before we proceed to any responses, I'd like to call the 1035 public hearing to order and re says it to the call of the chair.

All right.

Uh Pro Tim, did you have any responses to anyone's questions?

I just want to share with Miss Warwick.

I do understand that you did have a lengthy conversation with my chief of staff.

I will um identify the specific rule that speaks to ensuring that public comment during public hearings are pertinent to the public hearing discussion.

And I will get that to you.

Thank you so much for calling in.

All right.

We are now going to go back to the 1020 public hearing.

I'd like to call it back to order.

The 1020 public hearing is to establish an obsolete property rehabilitation district on behalf of 8547 West Werner LLC in the area of 8547 Werner.

In accordance with Public Act 146 of 2000.

And who do we have joining us for the 1020 public hearing?

Justice Cook, Housing and Revitalization Department.

Good morning.

And when you see yourself on the screen, please introduce yourself.

Introduce yourself for the record as my team continues to port the uh additional individuals over.

I'm trying to share my video.

Oh, there we go.

Uh good morning.

Good morning.

My name is Aaron Rosenaus with Uniland Corporation.

I am the representative construction manager on behalf of the developer.

Supporting.

Good morning.

Good morning.

This is Bobby Lewis, Lewis Holdings Development.

I am the developer on this program.

Good morning.

Are we expecting anyone else?

I'm designed architect for the development.

Good morning.

Good morning.

All right.

It looks like we have just about everyone here.

If there's anyone else who joins us, they can introduce themselves if they uh need to speak.

Uh who would like to get us started?

I will.

Thank you.

To the chair, 8547 West Virginia LLC is requesting an obsolete property.

We have Litation District in the area of 8547 Vina.

The legislative body of a local qualified governmental unit may establish a district on its own initiative upon written request filed by an owner.

The DGC president to answer any additional questions.

Thank you.

Thank you.

And good morning, madam chair.

May I share my screen, please?

Good morning, yes.

Thank you.

Great.

Okay.

So today, 8547 West Werner, led by Bobby Lewis, is requesting the establishment of a PA146 obsolete property rehabilitation district.

PA 146 was enacted by the state of Michigan to promote the redevelopment of obsolete commercial and or commercial housing properties.

Per state statute, the value of building improvements receives a 100% property tax exemption from local mills, with the exception of DPS operating and state education tax.

The exemption may be approved for up to 12 years.

There is no reduction to the existing property taxes, and the incentive benefits are not generated until after the completion of construction.

On June 8th, 2026, the Assessor's Office for the City of Detroit provided a letter confirming this project's eligibility for the PA 146 Oprah District.

This project is located at 8605 West Werner in the Spring Wells neighborhood, which was formerly 8547 West Werner prior to a uh parcel combination, hence the name of the project 8547 West Werner.

Uh this project is located in Council District 6.

8547 West Werner is a 1.6 million dollar mixed-use rehabilitation project.

Upon completion, 7200 square feet will be reactivated to provide 3100 square feet of residential space inclusive of four two-bedroom units, all priced at an average of 60 to 70% AMI.

In addition to this, there will be 3,600 square feet of commercial space on the ground floor.

The DGC has conducted its evaluation of the project.

As part of our evaluation, we ensure that every project meets specific policy objectives.

Projects should provide strategic benefits that align with the city's goals and initiatives, economic benefits that create opportunities for Detroit residents and businesses, and generate fiscal benefits for the city.

Projects should also meet the but for requirement, indicating that financially the project could not proceed without the incentive.

8547 West Werner demonstrates strategic benefits by providing new affordable units with the developer committing to all four of the units between 60 to 70% AMI for the life of the abatement.

8547 West Werner also eliminates a blighted building, uh reactivates a vacant building and provides a community amenity.

8547 West Werner demonstrates economic benefits by creating 10 temporary construction jobs and creating one permanent uh full-time job.

Uh it also provides space for two new local businesses.

8547 West Werner generates a 12-year benefit of 62,868, which is approximately $5,239 per year.

Through the DGC underwriting review, we have determined that the project meets the but for requirements due to the fact that uh the developer would not be able to cover their debt service payments without this incentive.

Through the DGC's analysis, we have determined that the existing annual taxes on the property are approximately $9,87.

Upon completion of the development project, the new unabated property taxes are estimated to increase to 27,985.

With the abatement applied, the total annual property taxes would be reduced to $15,185.

This concludes my portion of the presentation.

Thank you all.

Thank you.

Thank you, Alton.

Once again, my name is Bobby Lewis, and on behalf of my entire team, it is our privilege to come before this honorable body to seek approval of this district and establishment of Oprah tax abatement at 848547 West Verner.

Next slide, please.

So this is a picture of the back of the building.

This is going to be south of the main street of West Werner.

Joe Screenway will be the backyard of this particular building.

I do want to point out even though most of the access uh in terms of parking will be on street parking.

We are able to, with this building footprint, have four um parking spaces in the back of the building.

One of those parking spaces will be dedicated to uh um ban accessibility.

Also want to point out that there are two entry doors to the rear of the building.

Uh, you'll see them to the bottom of your screen.

Our intent is to also have those doors be accessible by uh push button entry for um accessibility.

And I just want to point out before I go on to the next slide.

The we're gonna open this space up to outdoor um cooking area, walking spaces, and I did really think it'll be uh uh an improvement to that area and a value to the community when it comes to market.

Next slide, please.

So these next couple of slides uh talking specifically to accessibility and universal design.

I'm gonna turn it over to our architect as he'll be able to take you through them a lot quicker than I can.

Luis, please introduce yourself.

Yes, how are you?

In order to be your volume is very low.

I'm I'm not sure if anyone else can hear you.

Can you hear me now?

Is it better?

It's getting better each moment.

Yeah.

Let me give me a second.

Um about now, is it better?

If you can just record Alton, is that low enough to um it's it's low on our end as well.

So if you can just get close to um wherever your speaker is and just speak a little loudly.

Yes.

Uh so uh just to discuss and following what Bobby was saying.

We are we are definitely um uh including and adding accessibility from the alley.

Now, to remind the console is that uh that uh Joe Louis Greenway will go on the back.

Uh we are uh exempt uh from uh from having an elevator uh the the units it's only four units so we do not have a uh an elevator to the upper level of the residential but we do have accessibility of the all the commercial spaces through this ADA access.

But as we have been discussing uh we are doing good faith so there would be features of universal design added to the units to make sure that uh there's uh grab bars and other things when it's necessary for people we with uh with uh that we can uh service uh with this with this elements so uh the design really encourages to have open spaces uh and the two what it requires for us to uh follow those universal design elements uh so to continue with the sustainability efforts on the back we are changing current hard surfaces that exist in the backyard for permeable areas and definitely designated uh trash and and collectible uh energy star rated appliances and and the windows all the windows that would be added and new would be uh as this energy start and we are upgrading the whole envelope of the of the building to have a better R value uh and uh so we are encouraged to to give as much as we can a better uh sustainable building uh at the end of this of this construction next slide uh I think uh that would be my side and uh Aaron be taking over thank you thank you very much again this is Aaron Rosenhaus with uh Uniland Corporation uh really um primarily on the construction side um I'll allow uh Bobby to comment on any of the uh jobs created by for future tenants but uh we should create about ten construction jobs from this during the construction period Rosenhouse yes if I may ent interrupt you for a moment I do need to recess to the call of the chair okay