Health and Safety Committee Dangerous Buildings Hearing - July 20, 2026
Health and Safety Committee Dangerous Buildings Hearing - July 20, 2026
The Detroit City Council Health and Safety Standing Committee held a dangerous buildings hearing on July 20, 2026, chaired by Councilmember Gabriela Santiago-Romero. The meeting began with an update on tree debris cleanup after the July 4th storm and then proceeded to administrative appeal hearings for over 40 properties on the dangerous buildings list. The committee voted on demolitions, withdrawals, and deferrals based on property owner follow-through and building conditions.
Tree Debris Cleanup Update
- Deputy Director Jarel Harris (General Services Department) reported that cleanup continues citywide after the July 4th storm knocked down hundreds of trees. Crews from GSD and DPW are working daily. Residents are asked to bundle debris, keep it separate from trash, and place at the curb, not in the street.
- The city will not issue tickets for storm-related debris. The most efficient way to report piles is through the Improve Detroit app; including comments about multiple piles on a block is helpful.
- Estimated completion in 10 days, assuming no additional storms. Crews visit 2–3 districts per day. Approximately 80–90 new requests are received daily.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Cindy Dara called in but was not a property owner; she was directed to general public comment or to contact staff later.
- Liz (neighbor) called regarding 13130 Maiden Street, expressing support for demolition. Since she was not the property owner, the hearing could not proceed on that property; it was ultimately ordered demolished when no owner called in.
- Clarissa Pritchett (daughter of deceased owners) called about 9874 Nottingham, which had been withdrawn. She confirmed they will board up windows and register the property as vacant.
Discussion Items
- Property Owner Hearings: BC (Dili Portel) guided each caller through either a withdrawal (property already fixed) or a demolition order. For properties where owners requested time to fix, the committee granted a deferral until the next hearing on September 14, 2026, with the requirement to send photos and pull permits.
- 5970 Proctor: Manager Ellie (Noble Stone Proctor LLC) initially considered demolition but then expressed interest in repair. The committee sent the property back to BC with a deadline of September 14. Councilmember Waters noted the property had many complaints from neighbors. Vice Chair requested verification of authority (management agreement) by email.
- 2125 Townsend: Owner Jason (Banyan Investments LLC) has a demolition contract and permit pending; the property was ordered demolished at the owner's request.
- Verification of Occupancy: Councilmember Waters raised concerns about how BC ensures no one is living in a property before demolition. BC explained inspectors do not enter buildings, but post notices; the demolition department does a final survey. LPD noted that people sometimes show up at hearings to claim occupancy, but the process does not guarantee detection of squatters.
Key Outcomes
- Block 10: All recommendations concurred (motions passed): 17523 Angland and 17917 Brush ordered demolished; 18843 Cherist and 11705 Cheyenne withdrawn.
- Block 11: All recommendations concurred: 9221 Jefferson, 1685 LaSalle, 19313 Lamont withdrawn; 10201 Lenark, 13130 Maiden, 12067 Mansfield ordered demolished; 17341 Mansfield, 7274 Nevada withdrawn; 9874 Nottingham withdrawn.
- Block 12: All recommendations concurred: 1970 Oakfield, 2021 Pelke, Plainview ordered demolished; 8467 Pearson withdrawn; 5970 Proctor sent back to BC; 12032 Rosa Parks Blvd Bldg 101 ordered demolished; 11718 Sanford, 14610 Schaefer withdrawn; 13535 School Cross ordered demolished; 14759 Mile withdrawn.
- Block 13: All recommendations concurred: 15071 7 Mile, 2657 Springle ordered demolished; 4755 C Burn, 1799 Sheridan, 18695 Schwasi, 16832 Stople, 14109 Strathmore withdrawn; 2125 Townsend ordered demolished; 5032 Townsend withdrawn; 13531 Teller ordered demolished.
- Block 14: All recommendations concurred: 19703 Wexford ordered demolished; 1000 Whitmore and 3647 Willis withdrawn.
- All demolition orders allow property owners to apply for a deferral through the Building Safety, Environmental and Engineering Department by meeting specific conditions (proof of ownership, paying fees, securing the building, paying taxes, obtaining permits).
Meeting Transcript
Health and safety standing standing committee for the purposes of our dangerous buildings hearings. May the clerk please call the roll. Yes, good afternoon. Councilmember Gabriela Santiago Romero. Good afternoon, present. Councilmember Denzel and Tom McCampbell. Good afternoon, President. Good afternoon. Councilmember Mary Waters. Madam Chair, we have quorum. Thank you, Madam Clerk. Given a quorum, we'll go into our session for today for our dangerous buildings hearings. I do want to thank and apologize to the administration for my rudeness. I asked for your help and then I forgot to call you in regarding our status of tree pickup and tree removal. I believe Mr. Doherty might be on with us from the administration. Do we still have anyone from GSD? Oh, I see we have, if you wouldn't mind setting your name and title uh for the public. Uh good afternoon, Madam Chair. Jarel Harris, Deputy Director, General Services Department. Thank you for joining us, Deputy. Again, I apologize for uh skipping over you for our our last session. But if you wouldn't mind giving us an update on where we are with removing trees around the city, we have heard um complaints. Um even in my neighborhood, we still have some some some piles of trees. So we'd love to know where we are in that process. Uh absolutely, and thank you for the opportunity to address uh the committee and to the general public. Uh so we uh general services um along with our partners at DPW Department of Public Works continue to uh pick up tree, tree debris, limbs, branches, uh different things that fell during the storm uh 4th of July weekend. Uh even though it was a short storm, it was extremely powerful. Uh it knocked down several hundred trees across the city. Uh lots of limbs came down, lots of branches came down, uh, lots of leaves and debris came down. Uh so we are still working our way through the city to pick up uh the debris that is out there. Uh we uh asked residents if they can to bundle what they can bundle and put on the curb side. Uh we recognize that some things are too big to bundle. Um, and so uh DPW will pick up what they can, and then the blight remediation team in general services will come through and also pick up what we can. Um we ask that uh residents try to keep debris separate from trash. Uh so if it could just be trees, limbs, branches, uh organic matter, uh yard debris uh separate from things that are truly just trash that needs to be disposed of that that's it helps us uh move through and pick up the things a little bit quicker. Um if you can put it at the curb side, that's also uh better. Uh try not to put it in the street if you can. If it's already in the street and too big for you to move, uh please don't you know try to hurt yourself or go, you know, strain be too strenuous with moving it. But if it can be placed on the curb, that will help us as well. Uh and so we are every day we're going out uh picking up piles and debris. Uh the best way to contact us or let us know that there's something to be picked up is to use the improved Detroit app. Uh that is the most accurate way to send information to us. Uh it gets into our system faster. Uh we can geolocate where the debris is uh and and route our vehicles out to pick it up um as quickly as we can. Um and DPW wanted to make sure that we let you know that we are not ticketing uh folks right now uh for any debris that came down during the storm. Uh so we don't want residents to be concerned about that. Uh but we are still working our way through. Uh this morning we got maybe another 80 or 90 requests that came in for uh pickup. So we know there's a lot of stuff still out there.
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