Hypothetical Detroit question (Warren, Dearborn, Farmington Hills: power lines, high crime, how much)

[Arthur Digby Sellers]

Originally Posted by Cliffie

I think the cities that are part of the metro area would be helping themselves a great deal if they did this. Selling them the idea, however, is going to be like pushing a car uphill. With a rope.

Explain to me how assuming the liabilities of a corrupt, bankrupt city works out to a "great deal"?

[pokuku]

Just let Ontario annex Detroit. I'm sure they could turn it around in 10 years. Michigan sure cannot.

[y2c313]

Originally Posted by Arthur Digby Sellers

Explain to me how assuming the liabilities of a corrupt, bankrupt city works out to a "great deal"?

For Detroit to really have a chance at true recovery, everyone has to pitch in and help. Regardless of what happened in the past, too many people have left the city proper, which has hurt it in terms of getting the funds that it needs. Besides, there are some positives to a merger of Detroit and the three counties. A more educated voter base will give us a better selection of candidates to choose from. A more populous Detroit will put it in a much better position to lure new jobs into the area.

[zthatzmanz28]

Originally Posted by Retroit

Vacant land.

Been around Oakland or Livingston Counties? Land and it's less toxic.

[Arthur Digby Sellers]

Originally Posted by y2c313

For Detroit to really have a chance at true recovery, everyone has to pitch in and help. Regardless of what happened in the past, too many people have left the city proper, which has hurt it in terms of getting the funds that it needs. Besides, there are some positives to a merger of Detroit and the three counties. A more educated voter base will give us a better selection of candidates to choose from. A more populous Detroit will put it in a much better position to lure new jobs into the area.

You didn't answer my question.

[y2c313]

Originally Posted by Arthur Digby Sellers

You didn't answer my question.

The whole purpose of the bankruptcy proceedings are to get rid of those massive liabilities. That will no longer be an issue...

[Retroit]

Originally Posted by zthatzmanz28

Been around Oakland or Livingston Counties? Land and it's less toxic.

Hell no, I don't go out that way. Too far! If I want to see the countryside, I go into Detroit. As downtown Detroit continues to revive itself, there will be more and more demand for housing and businesses closer in. As more people vacate Detroit, it becomes more desirable for development. I think the areas bordering the river and the Grosse Pointes are just about there. Huge swaths of land waiting the next housing bubble. Also a rise in the level of entrepreneurship will create a demand for offices and factories. Younger people, especially white suburbanites, are more willing, even eager, to move into the city.

And very little of the land is toxic. Mostly just where the factories were. You can get federal dollars to cover most of those clean-up costs.

I know you probably think I am off my rocker, but I really believe this and I have for some time. It actually is already happening, but on small scale. Much was terminated by the housing collapse, but it will revive.

[adams_aj]

Let me just throw this out there: what if all of the suburbs that ring Detroit, were to be given an option to "expand inward"? That is to say, for example, let Warren take over the area South of 8 mile road and move their boundary one mile south.
Let them have a referendum vote of their citizens for a five year plan, to beef up police, fire, water, sewer, etc. in anticipation of the expansion. Bulldoze abandoned buildings wholesale, and leave occupied and used buildings in place.

In areas where there are large expanses of open land, combine two lots into one lot, then put them on the market--of course, making the price bear the costs of turning the brown fields into green fields. You could put planning and zoning in-place, and, yes, even the dreaded "Home Owner's Associations". You could/would want to pre-plan the areas, allowing for commercial (grocery, office-space, light industrial, etc.). As all cities do, Detroit Metro expanded willy-nilly. Do some planning this time!

One of the reasons that sprawl occurs is because open land is cheaper than to rehab or clear existing. This is what's know in economics as an "unrealized externality". If it were cheaper and more closely located to where I work, this might be desirable than a very long commute to and from something that was closely-priced, all factors taken into consideration.

"Expand Inward". Most of the currently land-locked cities have nowhere else to grow.

Again, just an idea. Don't just state why it won't work, that would be very easy: give some ways to see if this can work!
Best Regards!

[huckster]

This simply ain't gonna happen.
Next Joke?

[adams_aj]

I need a little more to go on than snark. Doesn't get me very far. . . .