A lawsuit, allowed to proceed by a Wayne County judge, reveals some of the difficulties of blight removal.
Jennifer Dixon reports on a lawsuit in Detroit that illustrates the difficulties of determining boundaries and thresholds to regulate blight removal. Daniel Murray is suing the Detroit Land Bank after he said his home was seized in an "ambush-style" eviction.
There are two sides of the story here. According to Dixon, the Detroit Land Bank says, "the building was blighted, utilities were shut off, Murray wasn't living in the house and he never owned the property."
According to Daniel Murray, the land bank hauled away "his photos, mother's antiques and the family china cabinet" in a dumpster and demolished the home two months later.
The demolition was funded with money from the U.S. Treasury's Hardest Hit Fund. Dixon provides more background on that program as well as Detroit's blight reduction efforts. "Detroit has spent roughly $120 million in hardest-hit money for demolition, and expects to spend an additional $132 million," explains Dixon.
FULL STORY: Detroiter sues, says his lifelong home demolished in ambush-style eviction
Detroit Residents Find it Hard to Access Land Bank Properties
Longtime residents say the city is not fulfilling its goal of keeping vacant parcels in the hands of locals as property values rise steeply.
Mayor Duggan Lays Out Eight Principles for Detroit's Redevelopment
Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan made a splash this week by pronouncing a vision to create a Detroit that is 'one city for all of us.'
The Dangers of Demolition for Its Own Sake
Jason Hackworth argues that demolition has come to be seen as a good, in and of itself, in rust belt cities like Detroit; giving rise to policies that are wrong-headed and dangerous.
National Parks Layoffs Will Cause Communities to Lose Billions
Thousands of essential park workers were laid off this week, just before the busy spring break season.
Retro-silient?: America’s First “Eco-burb,” The Woodlands Turns 50
A master-planned community north of Houston offers lessons on green infrastructure and resilient design, but falls short of its founder’s lofty affordability and walkability goals.
Delivering for America Plan Will Downgrade Mail Service in at Least 49.5 Percent of Zip Codes
Republican and Democrat lawmakers criticize the plan for its disproportionate negative impact on rural communities.
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Balancing Bombs and Butterflies: How the National Guard Protects a Rare Species
The National Guard at Fort Indiantown Gap uses GIS technology and land management strategies to balance military training with conservation efforts, ensuring the survival of the rare eastern regal fritillary butterfly.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
EMC Planning Group, Inc.
Planetizen
Planetizen
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service