Detroit City Council Regular Session: Storm Response, DTE Oversight, and Tenant Protections – September 8, 2026
Detroit City Council Regular Session: September 8, 2026
The Detroit City Council convened on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, following a summer recess. The meeting opened with a tornado cleanup update from the mayor's office, followed by public testimony on tenant protections, and concluded with votes on an emergency declaration extension, suicide prevention resolutions, and a postponed land bank appointment.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Corktown Shuttle & Parking – Richard Noteau urged the council to initiate a low-speed vehicle shuttle in Corktown to address parking shortages during the Michigan Airborne renovation. He noted the cost-effectiveness compared to extending the QLine.
- Tenant Rights (Right to Renew with Good Cause) – Multiple speakers, including Ian Rosenthal (Jewish Community Action, Minneapolis), Sam Stroud (Detroit Tenants Union), Steven Fleming, and others, called on the council to pass a strong right-to-renew ordinance with good cause protections. They argued that no-cause evictions are a tool for landlord retaliation and that the city has home-rule authority to enact such protections despite the law department's opinion of state preemption. Several referenced an informational packet with alternative legal opinions.
- 375 West Grand Boulevard – Adrian Tines reported ongoing non-compliance by owner Keatus Muskinnis, including evictions of tenants reporting bed bugs, threats, and harassment. She urged council action and support for right to renew.
- DTE and Energy Alternatives – Caller Frank Hammer voiced support for public ownership of electric utilities, citing poor reliability and high rates. He referenced successful public utilities in other cities.
- Community Development & Homelessness – Joyce Moore (Virginia Park Community Coalition) requested inclusion of past applicants in new home repair grants and objected to TIF financing. Another caller (Bobby Johnson, Franklin Park Community Association) demanded a timeline for District 7 recreation center construction, maintenance of Orange Lawn/Evergreen, and investigation of a homeless shelter.
- Other – Callers also commented on the storm response, communication improvements, and support for Councilmember Waters' endorsement of Mike Rogers (Republican).
Discussion Items
- Storm Emergency Update and Executive Order Extension – Chief of Staff Bowser and department heads reported on the tornado that struck District 5 (and high winds in District 7). Key statistics: 115+ locations affected, 55 businesses damaged, 24 single-family properties impacted, 254 trees removed, 60 streets cleared. The mayor issued an emergency executive order on September 4, 2026, which requires council approval to extend beyond seven days. The council discussed the need for federal/state reimbursement, generator requirements in senior buildings (111 senior buildings; compliance status pending), DTE infrastructure hardening, and translation services in Spanish, French, Arabic, and Bengali. A motion to approve the emergency extension was later passed.
- DTE Reliability & Energy Diversification – Numerous council members (Pro Tem Coleman A. Young II, McCampbell, Callaway, Johnson, Benson, Santiago Romero, Miller) voiced frustration with repeated outages, inadequate credits ($42), and the need to hold DTE accountable. Councilmember Callaway and others pressed for a liaison from DTE to appear before council, and for studying municipal energy alternatives (e.g., Ann Arbor, Wyandotte). A motion by Councilmember Santiago Romero to LPD to report on other Michigan cities' energy models was approved.
- Land Bank Authority Appointment (Donna Givens Davison) – Councilmember Benson and others opposed the appointment due to prior public disparagement of council members. The administration (Paris Blessman) stated Ms. Givens is respectful and that conversations about language have occurred. A motion to postpone the vote for one week to allow research on the council's authority to remove appointees passed.
- Suicide Prevention Awareness Month – Councilmember Callaway presented a resolution recognizing September as Suicide Prevention Awareness Month and September 6–12 as Suicide Prevention Week. The resolution listed local mental health organizations and referenced the death of former Detroit Lion Alfonso Smith Jr. The resolution was approved in the name of the council.
Key Outcomes
- Emergency Declaration Extended – The council approved a resolution (waiver attached) to extend the mayor's emergency declaration from September 4, 2026, beyond the initial seven days, enabling pursuit of state and federal disaster funds. (Vote: unanimous on voice vote after placement on new business.)
- Suicide Prevention Resolution Adopted – Resolution recognizing September as Suicide Prevention Awareness Month and Suicide Prevention Week (September 6–12) was approved.
- Land Bank Appointment Postponed – The appointment of Donna Givens Davison to the Detroit Land Bank Authority was postponed for one week pending legal research on removal authority.
- Motion on Energy Alternatives – Council directed LPD to research and report on how other Michigan municipalities (Wyandotte, Ann Arbor) have created their own energy infrastructure, to explore reducing reliance on DTE.
- Motion on Forestry Funding – Council directed the administration to identify a replacement of $1 million spent from the forestry budget on storm cleanup, to ensure the original purpose (improving tree maintenance) is preserved.
- Motion on Council Appointment Removal Authority – Council directed LPD and the Law Department to research and report on the city council's authority to unapprove mayoral appointments for cause.
- Various Committee Reports Approved – The council approved multiple items from standing committees, including brownfield and commercial rehabilitation plans for the Code Two redevelopment project, and cancellation of committee meetings for the Congressional Black Caucus.
Meeting Transcript
The kids a clap in as they were coming in, one of our charter schools in District One, whether you're Detroit Public School, traditional public or charter, they are all of our students, all of our kids, and we gotta do what we can to love on. So bear with me today. Give me a little bit of grace, if you will. I'm probably gonna be a little rusty as we go through the motions as well. So just letting you know in advance. Um head not to heart, as they say. Um the regular session of the Madam Clerk, will you please call the role? The regular session of today's. I told you the regular session of today, Tuesday, September 8, 2026 will come to order. Uh, Madam Clerk, will you please call the role? Councilmember Scott Benson. Scott Vincent. Councilman Letitia Johnson, present. Councilman Magin Cell McCampbell. Present. Councilman Renata Miller. Councilmember Gabby Santiago Mero. Present. Councilmember Mary Walters, present. Councilmember NCW Callaway. Council President Pro Tim Coleman A. Young II. And Council President James Tate. Here. You have a quorum president, Mr. President. Thank you. We have a quorum present, which means we're now back in session again. Welcome back, colleagues. Welcome back to the community as well. We are going to have a brief um communication from the mayor's office. Chief of Staff Bowser will be coming by to give. I want just an update on where we stand with the storm cleanup. As we know, uh we've had a tornado touchdown for the first time since 1997 here in the city of Detroit in District 5. Um, and we're going to go through, we're going to provide uh Chief of Staff Bowser an opportunity to provide that update to the body to the public uh very momentarily. And as we begin now the collection of public comment cards, uh, for those who would like to speak, please raise your hand. Uh if you're in person, if you like to speak, if you have not gotten one of those uh uh communication cards, I see a hand up front. We have not gotten a communication. If you haven't gotten a card to provide your name and information on it, uh please raise your hand and someone from the team will come by and provide that to you. Uh we will be cutting off the collection of public comment cards very shortly. If you're at home, conversely, raise your hand so we can put you in the queue as well. Okay. Uh, we will now go to this morning's invocation and providing this morning's invocation. Uh, we have none other uh joining us that joining us, we have none other than student minister Troy Mohammed, local representative of the honorable Minister Lewis Firecon and the leader of the Mohammed's mosque number one, located in City Council District number one at 1916 Evergreen Road. Uh, Detroit holds a very special place in the history of the Nation of Islam as the city where the movement began nearly a century ago. Uh, student minister Mohammed uh also has a very personal and powerful story. After experiencing significant challenges as a young man and serving 13 years in prison, he transformed his life and has since dedicated himself to helping others find a better pathway. We rightfully recognize that our certified uh community violence intervention organizations and of course our law enforcement officials uh for their their very important role that they play in reducing gun violence, but they're those people doing very critical work every day uh outside of those entities and student minister Troy Mohammed is absolutely one of them. Uh, through his leadership, uh young youth outreach, excuse me, uh violence intervention and gladiator school of motivation and training. Uh, he reaches people at some of their most difficult moments in their lives.
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