Posted on 08/15/2005 9:59:30 AM PDT by Pikamax
There are entire blocks in Youngstown, Ohio’s south side where there is one home surrounded by 20 vacant lots where old abandoned homes once were.
One thing killed Detroit - Coleman Young!
The effect of the riots could have been mitigated with a mayor who was not a communist race baiter. As for the auto industry, it has affected all of Michigan, but the suburbs are doing great with good schools, all services and very good housing.
Today, there are only 3 reasons to even go to Detroit. They are the Detroit Tigers, Red Wings and Lions and the Lions aren't much of a reason.
I disagree...it ain’t the schools, it ain’t the taxes.
It is the barriers to entry, in any business.
In other words, excessive regulation. Minimum living wage, single business tax, etc.
No, not neccessarily... you see cities don’t shrink.. their populations do.
The demand for services do not shrink proportionally with people drain.
Look at an arial photo of neighborhoods in detroit. There are blocks now, with only 3 houses left, on all 4 streets of the block... at one point that block would have 5 or 10 houses per side. Now all are gone but 3... but those same 4 streets need maintained, cleaned, plowed, etc etc etc... just as if that block still had 20-40 houses.
The problem with a declining city is, while the population declines, the geographical area doesn’t. Yes, less garbage needs picked up, but the same number of miles need to be driven to do so... etc etc etc.. You lose the economies of scale when you have a population decline....
I am not defending the liberal policies of Detroit and Michigan in general...they have helped contribute to the state and cities decline... however changing those alone will not bring back Detroit.
JOBS, and only JOBS will make Detroit a destination, and there is NO incentive to make the Detroit or even Michigan a destination for them.
Right to work status, lower taxes and better overall business climate will help, but thanks to “free trade” and the exportation of manufacturing that continues unabated, Detroit will never EVER be able to be remotely what it was.
Policy changes can help the state and the city, but I am not sure if the city will EVER be able to be self sufficient again without literally kicking out geographical sections of itself, and physically shrinking the city limits.
pueblo, colorado is the same.
democrap, union.
Detroit has no way to offer homes to perspective buyers. We here in NYC would love to own a home. Greed has prevented this.
Enter the gov with its stick regulations on home buying.
History: When the post civil war Europeans first started buying land in America they did not care about location or utilities. They would build the home by hand. First living in a tent, Shanty, Once the basement was complete they’d move in.
Next: Hand labor with lots of help from neighbors to erect the walls. (1st fl)
Second, Editions to second floor, Dormers etc.
The whole process was not time related. The new land owners proceeded as money allowed.
After finishing the home they had something to live in. Later came the “grid” (electric, water, sewer, etc).
All this occurred prior to Ford Motors
Michigan was great for hunting/fishing.
Reason for people leaving Detroit: See every one’s examples.
What is needed is reasons to bring people back.
State and city laws forbid people to live in the abandoned houses until proper renovations are made.
Once the houses have been stripped of metal and electric they are in need of everything. $25,000 is not a bad estimate to make a abandoned house livable.
Idea! Allow individuals to live in the homes while fixing them up.
Keep out the investor/speculators, they do more harm than good.
Institute laws that make the buyer obligated to live in the home.
Detroit needs to open it’s eyes. It’s no longer a black/white thing that people have been implying.
Fact: Everyone wants a safe environment for kids.
Fact: Urban decay is in every great northern city.
Fact: The poor seem to have no access to foreclosures
Fact: Religious organizations have no funds to help.
Fact: Crime is a direct result of “having nothing to eat”
Fact: Whites will live anywhere they feel safe.
Fact: Failed cities can no longer depend on the Government for help.
Fact: So tied up are the courts that trying to get info on an abandoned house is impossible.
Fact: Loss of jobs is the “American Way Of Life” Without going into detail the Gov actually makes money off your loss.
Retro: Allow people to buy the homes and fix them up as they live in them. Place ad’s in high rent area’s like NYC. Lines of people will be waiting to move to Detroit.
Me: New Yorker sick and tired of high rents. Would love a fixer-upper in Detroit. I’ve contacted the local Gov and have hit one brick wall after another.
The future: It may take time but if Detroit reinvents itself properly it can re-attain greatness.
I have some answers but but no one to talk to.
Detroit's property tax rates are over twice the rates of Grosse Pointe and four times the rate of my area.
As far as the foundations and buildings comment at the end of this article, that's the saddest part of this article. Most of those old buildings are a lot better than those built today. Unfortunately, thanks to blight, disrepair, and everything else, it's gone down the crapper.
The big problems are jobs, schools, corruption in government, property taxes, and crime. The jobs is a regional problem here too. As far as schools go, Cass Tech and Renasannce should be the norm, not the exception. The corruption there between Wayne County and Detroit City governments makes me blush, and I've seen a lot. The taxes and regulations are so bad that it is cheaper for me to live in Grosse Pointe than the city of Detroit. As far as crime, it isn't as bad as it was, but still bad. My cousin was almost carjacked while working in Brightmoor (he floored his car). That area's been bad for 50 years, but my aunt and uncle's house were broken into in the Parkland area, and that's supposedly a good part of the city.
I hope your right, but I can't see Detroit making a comeback if they keep electing the same bums and their familes to office. I do have some hope for Ken Cockrel however. From what I can see out here, he seems to have a good head on his shoulder.
Correction - Middle Class (regardless of race) will live anywhere they feel safe.
Me: New Yorker sick and tired of high rents. Would love a fixer-upper in Detroit.
If you enjoyed "Escape from New York" or "The Road Warrior" you'll LOVE Detroit! There are nice areas but you pay dearly in those areas.
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