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July 20-26, 2016
michiganchronicle.com
Volume 79 – Number 45
Wait…there’s an NAACP in the Grosse Pointes? Seriously? By Keith A. Owens Senior Editor
Greg Bowens, the newly elected president of the newly created Grosse Pointe/ Harper Woods NAACP, has become amusingly accustomed to that reaction. Even though the organization is nearly a year old. His vice president, John Clark, a retired white Detroit police officer who served on the force for more than 30 years beginning in 1971, has also experienced his share of raised eyebrows. But more importantly, both men have experienced a significant amount of support from fellow Grosse Pointers who are beginning to recognize the importance of diversity and inclusion in an area that doesn’t exactly enjoy a reputation for either. “I attended the Black Caucus sponsored by the Michigan Senate back in June, and there were a number of chapters from throughout the state there. We all had to go around and introduce ourselves,
Construction is moving along swiftly at Little Caesar's Hockey Arena. Should there have been more community input? – Photos by Alisha Dixon
Community benefits ordinance under construction Council struggles to define best approach
By Keith A. Owens and Sidnee King Simply stated, there has to be a better way to get there from here. A significant portion of that pathway goes through the elected members of Detroit City Council, whose job it already is to intercede and advocate on behalf of their constituents. Much of the reason why voters rightfully decided to return to a mostly district model for their City Council as opposed to the complete at-large model that Detroit struggled under for years is that districts are supposed to make councilmembers more easily and directly accountable. So adding a separate, brand new decision-making body, which is what the proposed community benefits ordinance would do, takes the decision-making responsibility off the shoulders of the people we elected to do this work. It places it in the hands of yet another group of citizens who, no matter how well-intentioned they may be, are simply another layer of bureaucracy where one should not be needed.
COMMENTARY Greg Bowens being sworn in last fall as the President of the Grosse Pointe/ Harper Woods NAACP right? So I stand up in my blue blazer and club tie and say ‘Hi, I’m John Clark from the new chapter in Grosse Pointes/Harper Woods. And it’s like, ‘you’ve got a chapter in Grosse Pointe/ Harper Woods?” said Clark, adding that after the initial shock, he received a warm welcome. One of the first to sign up as a member, Clark confessed that his son describes his
See NAACP page A-4
WHAT’S INSIDE
In short, city council’s job is to represent the citizens with elected leaders whom the citizens have designated as qualified to get the job done. If, for some reason, it becomes apparent that they aren’t so qualified, adding yet another group of non-elected citizens to balance the ship isn’t the best way to achieve the goal. Either hold those councilmembers accountable or elect new councilmembers. Secondly, as currently written, the proposed ordinance has some notable shortcomings, not the least of
which is its apparent intention to exclude members of City Council from having any say-so in negotiating the Community Benefits Agreement with the developer, or in choosing members of that committee. To exclude the city's elected representatives from participating in such significant decisions that affect so many of their constituents is problematic at best. None of this is to say, however, that the sentiments that gave rise to the call for a community bene-
See ORDINANCE page A-4
Detroit's demolition program reaches No. 10,000 By Alisha Dixon
Spotlight: Idris Elba (Page A-1) Idris Elba is poised to join the ranks of icons such as Denzel Washington, Morgan Freeman and Samuel L. Jackson. His next project is the highly anticipated “The Dark Tower.”
On Tuesday, 14097 Marlowe on Detroit’s west side was the site of the City of Detroit’s 10,000th demolition of blighted properties. When Mayor Mike Duggan took office in 2014, he promised residents that he would address the city’s blight with an aggressive demolition and city improvement project. “We have made real progress in the past twoand-a-half years and improved the quality of life for residents in a lot of neighborhoods, but we still have lots of work to do,” Duggan said. “But 10,000 demolitions is a great start, and we are not going to let up one bit.” In 2014, the mayor said, there were over 40,000 vacant properties that could not be salvaged and were hazardous to the community because they were often the sites of crime.
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Duggan said. “We would not have come this far without their support.”
Prior to 2014, the mayor said, there was a
The mayor said he wants residents to know the project is about improving the city, not just about demolishing vacant properties. “The reason we are tearing down is to rebuild,” he said.
Mayor Duggan makes remarks before demoltion of another abandoned home. Photo: City of Detroit projected 30-year time frame to tear down the city’s 40,000 blighted properties. Since he has taken office, he has been committed to increasing the rate of blight removal efforts in the city. Currently, the rate of demolitions is 150 properties
per week with a total of 5,000 this year and the goal of 6,000 for 2017. The average cost for each demolition is just under $12,500. The City of Detroit received over $250 billion from the United States Treasury Department and the
Michigan State Housing Development Authority to fund the blight removal project. “We are fortunate to have great partners at the Treasury Department and at MSHDA who recognize the impact our blight removal efforts are having,”
In addition to demolitions, the mayor said, “Property auctions, nuisance abatement agreements and community partner sales have led to more than 1,400 properties being renovated in neighborhoods across the city. More than 4,600 vacant side lots have been sold to neighbors and put back to use. And aggressive anti-foreclosure efforts have kept tens of thousands of families from losing their homes and having them become vacant.” Residents can check the progress of the city’s demolition project at http://detroitmi.gov/demolition.