No one buying homes in Detroit, even as low as $500. (Atlanta: 2009, rental)

[pirate_lafitte]

I just read an article from Yahoo!News. Detroit was having a house auction. Minimum bid as $500. Still, only a fraction of the homes were bought. Not surprising that housing are going that low, but even when bids for homes go that low and still few people want the home says something about the economy, Detroit, both, or some other factors.

Detroit house auction flops for urban wasteland - Yahoo! News

[canudigit]

As a homeowner and also the owner of rental property (although not in Detroit), I can see why these properties don't sell. Anything is worth only what someone is willing to pay for it, and who wants to buy a dilapidated house in a dangerous neighborhood and attempt to fix it up, only to have their plumbing, fixtures, furnace, etc., stolen the minute they install it? Who would buy them to use for rental properties, when no decent prospective tenant in their right mind would ever want to live there? That's why I'm not sold on the idea that this is entirely about the economy in Detroit, bad as it is. Even in good times, these kinds of houses don't sell, for the above reasons. The best thing to do, IMHO, would be to demolish them and try to do something about turning the neighborhoods where they stood around. However, that is a bit of pipe dream, considering that all of that takes money and initiative. If someone could ever make it happen, they would be pretty amazing, wouldn't they?

[enigmaingr]

I agree. Most of the people buying these houses are speculators from out of state and even a few from overseas. They for the most part do not know what they are getting into.

The best solution would be to demolish the houses and establish a land bank. Developers could get title for the land from the city upon submitting acceptable plans. In the meantime, there would be a few less places for drug dealers, users, pimps and prostitutes to hang out in.

[pirate_lafitte]

Originally Posted by enigmaingr

I agree. Most of the people buying these houses are speculators from out of state and even a few from overseas. They for the most part do not know what they are getting into.

The best solution would be to demolish the houses and establish a land bank. Developers could get title for the land from the city upon submitting acceptable plans. In the meantime, there would be a few less places for drug dealers, users, pimps and prostitutes to hang out in.

My honest opinion about the drug users, get them treatment. People drink too much and if they are in their own homes no one goes to jail. They can get treatment too. Drug users often hang out at crackhouses. Treatment is better for them, rather than trying to "get rid of them".
Demolishing homes, well, my input: If the home is beyond salvaging, then by all means, demolish it. If the home can still be lived in, keep it. My worry is about the people who need places to live. If homes are abandoned, but still in okay condition, why not use it for someone's first home, or a home for someone who needs it. I know Detroit needs alot of work, but the plans I often hear of rarely have citizens as part of the deal. There needs to be a plan where the citizens of that city are part of the deal. If the citizens are not part of the deal, then what good are any plans for the city of Detroit?

[MTUCache]

Originally Posted by pirate_lafitte

...the plans I often hear of rarely have citizens as part of the deal. There needs to be a plan where the citizens of that city are part of the deal. If the citizens are not part of the deal, then what good are any plans for the city of Detroit?

Unfortunately, that's a pretty common mindset.

Those who have ideas for how to "fix" Detroit usually have a solution in mind that either contains, relocates, or completely ignores the people who live there now. They'd like to see a completely new, different population there using the resources and creating a new culture.

I admit, I fall into this category as well. When I see a "fixed" Detroit, I think about the things that I would like to see there, for me (and people like me). I don't give a whole lot of thought to the people who live there, because frankly, they're not people who would be living in a city where I would want to live.... harsh, but true.

If we're going to see a solution, one that provides for affluent, young, white suburbanites moving back into the city, you're going to have to contain and separate those areas from where the rest of Detroit lives... because although those kids would like to live in a vibrant, downtown, "cool" area, they don't want to be hanging out around the people live there now.

Of course, that's the problem with making any area "nice"... if there's a reason for it being desirable, you're probably going to need some money to get near it.

[pirate_lafitte]

Originally Posted by MTUCache

Unfortunately, that's a pretty common mindset.

Those who have ideas for how to "fix" Detroit usually have a solution in mind that either contains, relocates, or completely ignores the people who live there now. They'd like to see a completely new, different population there using the resources and creating a new culture.

I admit, I fall into this category as well. When I see a "fixed" Detroit, I think about the things that I would like to see there, for me (and people like me). I don't give a whole lot of thought to the people who live there, because frankly, they're not people who would be living in a city where I would want to live.... harsh, but true.

If we're going to see a solution, one that provides for affluent, young, white suburbanites moving back into the city, you're going to have to contain and separate those areas from where the rest of Detroit lives... because although those kids would like to live in a vibrant, downtown, "cool" area, they don't want to be hanging out around the people live there now.

Of course, that's the problem with making any area "nice"... if there's a reason for it being desirable, you're probably going to need some money to get near it.

That is part of Detroit's problem. A new, completely different population isn't going to help the citizens for many reason, mainly this reason: How will new citizens help Detroit if the people already there are not part of the deal? Unless the people are being empowered, what good is a new population? Of course, many people don't think about that. I think about the people who live there because a city is about the people who live there. If the people who are living there are getting a raw deal, then things won't get better for them. Crime will persist. I am gravely aware that Detroit has a violence problem. This is why I say the people living there need to band together and demand more. Gentrification is not enough. Casinos are not enough. What Detroit needs is for the murder rate to go down, jobs for the people living there, better housing for the people there, safer neighborhoods for the people already there, a government that isn't corrupt, better access to things. Detroit can't sell homes because no one wants to live there. Tearing down all of the abandoned homes(and I mean all of them) isn't the best solution. Instead, there needs to be a homesteading program for everyone, including the people living there. There are probably some decent homes left that haven't been sold. The homes in okay shape, that can still be lived, should be part of a homesteading program to provide housing to the citizens looking for better homes. To deal with the crime in the neighborhoods, there should be a neighborhood watch program and find some kind of solution to get the crime rate down, especially the murders. Corralling people into one section like cattle does no good. Then you have criminals preying upon the people who can't afford to live elsewhere. I don't live in Detroit, but I want to see better for Detroit and its people living in it.
For the places that can't be salvaged, demolish them and put something new there that will help the city of Detroit and the people there, such as having a new factory. Making Detroit business friendly can help. For those persons who want to start business, this is how it should be done. Anyone who wants to start a business should be given the abandoned property for a low rate and no taxes for the first year and low property taxes after that. If there are enterprising people inside of Detroit, they should be part of the deal. Furthermoree, I heard some story about a family who moved to Atlanta from Detroit. The reason given was that crackheads would bust in on hotels and rob the places in broad daylight, just for the money for more crack. There also needs to be a solution to make businesses more secure in the places they are at. Detroit is a dangerous city and needs to be made safer for everyone there and the people who plan to be there. This also includes businesses. Detroit and its citizens deserve better.

[michsnowlvr]

Originally Posted by pirate_lafitte

That is part of Detroit's problem. A new, completely different population isn't going to help the citizens for many reason, mainly this reason: How will new citizens help Detroit if the people already there are not part of the deal? Unless the people are being empowered, what good is a new population? Of course, many people don't think about that. I think about the people who live there because a city is about the people who live there. If the people who are living there are getting a raw deal, then things won't get better for them. Crime will persist. I am gravely aware that Detroit has a violence problem. This is why I say the people living there need to band together and demand more. Gentrification is not enough. Casinos are not enough. What Detroit needs is for the murder rate to go down, jobs for the people living there, better housing for the people there, safer neighborhoods for the people already there, a government that isn't corrupt, better access to things. Detroit can't sell homes because no one wants to live there. Tearing down all of the abandoned homes(and I mean all of them) isn't the best solution. Instead, there needs to be a homesteading program for everyone, including the people living there. There are probably some decent homes left that haven't been sold. The homes in okay shape, that can still be lived, should be part of a homesteading program to provide housing to the citizens looking for better homes. To deal with the crime in the neighborhoods, there should be a neighborhood watch program and find some kind of solution to get the crime rate down, especially the murders. Corralling people into one section like cattle does no good. Then you have criminals preying upon the people who can't afford to live elsewhere. I don't live in Detroit, but I want to see better for Detroit and its people living in it.
For the places that can't be salvaged, demolish them and put something new there that will help the city of Detroit and the people there, such as having a new factory. Making Detroit business friendly can help. For those persons who want to start business, this is how it should be done. Anyone who wants to start a business should be given the abandoned property for a low rate and no taxes for the first year and low property taxes after that. If there are enterprising people inside of Detroit, they should be part of the deal. Furthermoree, I heard some story about a family who moved to Atlanta from Detroit. The reason given was that crackheads would bust in on hotels and rob the places in broad daylight, just for the money for more crack. There also needs to be a solution to make businesses more secure in the places they are at. Detroit is a dangerous city and needs to be made safer for everyone there and the people who plan to be there. This also includes businesses. Detroit and its citizens deserve better.

Sounds odd...why would they move from one dangerous city to another, slightly less dangerous city? There are very safe areas RIGHT outside the city limits of Detroit, let alone throughout the 5 states between DET and ATL. Im sure they moved to Atlanta for other reasons.

[canudigit]

Originally Posted by pirate_lafitte

My honest opinion about the drug users, get them treatment. People drink too much and if they are in their own homes no one goes to jail. They can get treatment too. Drug users often hang out at crackhouses. Treatment is better for them, rather than trying to "get rid of them".
Demolishing homes, well, my input: If the home is beyond salvaging, then by all means, demolish it. If the home can still be lived in, keep it. My worry is about the people who need places to live. If homes are abandoned, but still in okay condition, why not use it for someone's first home, or a home for someone who needs it. I know Detroit needs alot of work, but the plans I often hear of rarely have citizens as part of the deal. There needs to be a plan where the citizens of that city are part of the deal. If the citizens are not part of the deal, then what good are any plans for the city of Detroit?

I agree that treatment can help drug users, except for one thing. If I live in the ghetto in Detroit, have no job, no education with which to get a job, a terribly dysfunctional, abusive family, and no one to turn to, why in the world would I have any incentive to get off of drugs? I, too, would want an escape, no matter how dangerous or stupid that escape was.

The root of the problems lie partially in the fact that there are not enough jobs that are attainable and pay a living wage and partially in the breakdown of the family unit. If you go back to, say, the 1930's, times were even tougher than they are now. There were no jobs. Yet, families still stuck together. Moms and dads still raised their kids together, for the most part. Sure, people still had problems with alcohol, and probably a few street drugs, but nothing like they do today. Who ever heard of crystal meth or crack in the 1930's?

What I am trying to say is that the kind of people who are on drugs in places like Detroit today live the way that they do because they have no hope, and, in many cases, they either never had a support system at home, or they have destroyed whatever relationships they ever had with the behavior brought on by their drug abuse. If I am alienated from everyone and have no way of getting a job to get myself into better surroundings and a better life, then who cares if I get high everyday? I sure don't.

[Cherry]

I personally know two Detroiters who were turned away from this auction, along with about 500 other people. The last thing we need is a land bank for the politically well connected to exploit.

[pirate_lafitte]

Originally Posted by Cherry

I personally know two Detroiters who were turned away from this auction, along with about 500 other people. The last thing we need is a land bank for the politically well connected to exploit.

If that is really the case, then that might explain why most of the houses couldn't be sold, along with a bunch of other reasons.