Скачать или смотреть Detroit Land Bank Authority: Power, Accountability, and the Fight for Equitable Land Use

On January 23, 2025, Public Comment will focus on the ongoing debate surrounding the Detroit Land Bank Authority (DLBA) and its impact on the city’s residents and governance. The DLBA, created in 2008 and significantly expanded in 2014, manages thousands of vacant lots and foreclosed properties through programs like Auction, Own It Now, and the Side Lot Program. While proponents like Council Member Scott Benson argue the DLBA has been instrumental in returning over 60,000 parcels to productive use, critics highlight systemic issues, including slow demolitions, lack of transparency, and prioritization of private investors over Detroit residents. Recent debates within the Detroit City Council revealed the council’s limited power to amend the three-year agreement proposed by Mayor Duggan’s administration, leaving members to vote either yes or no on the contract renewal. Council Member Latisha Johnson expressed frustration, stating that the inability to influence key changes left the council feeling powerless. The DLBA operates as a quasi-city department, but with little accountability to Detroiters, fueling demands for reform from residents and council members alike.

Community concerns about the DLBA were front and center during a recent City Council meeting, where residents criticized the agency for prioritizing outside developers while local neighbors were left maintaining abandoned lots. Council President Mary Sheffield and Council Member Mary Waters proposed significant changes, including transferring some DLBA operations to the city’s Housing and Revitalization Department and revising the Occupied Buy Back Program to better protect vulnerable Detroiters. Waters emphasized that homes are often sold without notifying residents who could benefit from buy-back opportunities. Meanwhile, activists like those from Detroiters for Tax Justice suggested structural reforms, such as shortening the renewal term for DLBA agreements and giving the City Council a role in appointing board members. Council members remain divided on whether to push for amendments now or wait until Duggan’s term ends in 2026, leaving critical questions about the DLBA’s future unanswered. As the city grapples with these tensions, Public Comment will explore what’s at stake for Detroit’s residents, governance, and the fight for equitable land use.