How to Change Detroit

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• I agree

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  Job Development »

  HAVE AND IDEA HOW TO GET RID OF ALL ABANDONED PROPERTY

  We need to put all city owned buildings & property that are not in use or don’t have current plans in an online auction that runs year round and raise money for the demolition of the buildings that don’t sell and for the maintained of the web site and it doesn’t have to be crazy expensive like the one they used this year like bid4assets.com on the county side that auction was such a failure if it was run on the existing ...more »

  We need to put all city owned buildings & property that are not in use or don’t have current plans in an online auction that runs year round and raise money for the demolition of the buildings that don’t sell and for the maintained of the web site and it doesn’t have to be crazy expensive like the one they used this year like bid4assets.com on the county side that auction was such a failure if it was run on the existing software that the county owned it would have raised so much more money for Wayne county. it can be a cheap software package such as Maxanet with could be purchased for like 1200 or it could be leased for like 60 a month. Make sure that you put a clause in the auction that the buyer will have 6 month to rehab or knock down the or all moneys will be forfeited and the building will be resold. Also put a clause in the auction that if you don’t pay or have unpaid taxes you will be banned. Come on it isn’t that hard you guys could do this with all the abandoned buildings just don’t pull any punches make it known what you guys want done with the buildings. Its not in the city or states best interest owning all these properties. You want to bring business back to Detroit lets make it real easy and cheap to buy up these buildings and houses. But also be aware we want something done with these so we just put that in the purchase agreement or auction terms. The system they have with the planning and development department is too complicated . An online auction format would be so much easier. Also I don’t agree with the way that they let Non-Profits companies get first crack at all the properties I think that the people of Detroit are ready to make profits and for profit business should come first as well as regular taxpayers that want to have a home.

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  Submitted by Community Member 1 year ago

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  6 votes

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  City Services »

  Detroit Water Vehicles and Employees

  Notice frequent City of Detroit Water & Sewer vehicles parked at stores in Macomb & Oakland County. Watched a man exit a city vehicle in Oakland County and go looking at TV's at a Best Buy store. Recently observed a man & woman exit a city vehicle at Myers in Sterling Hts and go shopping for about 45 minutes. Also observe many city vehicles parked for long periods of time with the engines running, employees inside, ...more »

  Notice frequent City of Detroit Water & Sewer vehicles parked at stores in Macomb & Oakland County.

  Watched a man exit a city vehicle in Oakland County and go looking at TV's at a Best Buy store.

  Recently observed a man & woman exit a city vehicle at Myers in Sterling Hts and go shopping for about 45 minutes.

  Also observe many city vehicles parked for long periods of time with the engines running, employees inside, could some savings in fuel be accomplished by mandating a fuel conservation program ?

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  Submitted by Community Member 2 years ago

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  4 votes

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  Returning Citizens »

  WHAT RETURNING CITIZENS WANT

  If you want people to move back into the city you have to entice them. Why would anyone want to come and live in Detroit when they will have to pay a city income tax. There is no other city that I know of that the residents have to pay city income tax. So you tell me why would someone want to move to pa place where they would have to pay more tax. If you need more money for taxes raise them on the casinos! Not the citizens. ...more »

  If you want people to move back into the city you have to entice them. Why would anyone want to come and live in Detroit when they will have to pay a city income tax. There is no other city that I know of that the residents have to pay city income tax. So you tell me why would someone want to move to pa place where they would have to pay more tax. If you need more money for taxes raise them on the casinos! Not the citizens.

  Also the building department needs to be totally revamped if you expect people to come and build new or fix up old houses they cant be expected to have to get 10 different inspectors come out to look at the projects they are working on. Also it should not take all day to pull simple permits such as new windows or doors or an electrical upgrade. The process is ridiculous. It could all be moved online that way the inspectors could log in and look at the application if its good then approve it if not then email the recipient the corrective measures. Also the inspection times and everything could be scheduled like this. This could be done with all permits. Also there are to many inspectors I had an inspector come out a few weeks ago for a drip inspection. I asked him what that was I guess I has to get something put on my pipes so they wouldn’t back up into my sink. Well its been that way since 1912 when my building was built its never happened before. Don’t you think that guys time could be put in somewhere more productive. I know there are a lot of old school people working in the building dept , but it needs to change or you wont see people return to the city. If you look at other cities building depts. in the area you see nothing like that going on.

  It will be a expensive and painful for the people who work in the building dept but you just cant keep doing the same thing because its not working its just driving people away!!

  Also there needs to be something done so that the big grocery stores have to come down here there is a lack of good nutrition going on. The kids and adults in the city of Detroit should not have to live off 5 dollar pizzas and party store foods. There should be something to entice the big grocery chains to come into the city. There should be a conference set up with some of the big wigs of say Kroger Wal-Mart & Meijer and ask them why they don’t have any stores on the eastside or in the city and ask them what it would take for them to open a store there. Then we do what ever we can to help them out and see if we can get a real store in the area and get good nutritional food for our citizens!!

  We all know we need to get rid of the abandoned buildings I have already wrote what I think needs to be done under the job creation portion.

  I have a ton of more ideas I think that we some of the best, hard working people in the US here in Detroit we just are running the city like were are still in 1950. We need to change or else it will just keep getting worse and people will just keep leaving.

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  Submitted by Community Member 1 year ago

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  Job Development »

  Jobs- Abandoned House Demo

  Have heard positive news regarding federal funds to demolish abandoned Detroit homes. Also have heard figures ranging up to $10,000 to demolish a house. Flint has had a very successful program cleaning up neighborhoods and demolition in record time and at bargain basement prices. Instead of the typical Detroit handling of grant money that seems to disappear and benefit a select few, lets get creative. How about: ...more »

  Have heard positive news regarding federal funds to demolish abandoned Detroit homes.

  Also have heard figures ranging up to $10,000 to demolish a house.

  Flint has had a very successful program cleaning up neighborhoods and demolition in record time and at bargain basement prices.

  Instead of the typical Detroit handling of grant money that seems to disappear and benefit a select few, lets get creative.

  How about:

  1) A summer jobs program with Detroit Public schools that proides on the job training in a construction industry.

  2) Constant oversight to make certain that contractors, do the jobs quickly and as cheaply as possible, WEEKLY inspections & mandatory daily reports to insure an agressive schedule is maintained with NO overruns.

  3) Consider recycling all materials from demo properties.

  4) Consider uncomplicated deeding of adjecent vacant properties to Homeowners who actually reside in the city, and/or make the properties available as designated garden plots which could also be used for simple skating rinks in the winter.

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  1 comment

  Submitted by Community Member 2 years ago

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  2 votes

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  City Services »

  simple maintance

  For more then 9 months I have been making calls to get the dept. of public works to do line painting on W. Wareen Ave. starting at 19851 W. Wareen & everygreen, and going east bound, there are cars parked in the traffic lanes, people do not know how to use just 1 lane on Warren Ave. I want the lines painted and parking control of the cars parking out on the street blocking lanes and causing accidents/fender benders, this ...more »

  For more then 9 months I have been making calls to get the dept. of public works to do line painting on W. Wareen Ave. starting at 19851 W. Wareen & everygreen, and going east bound, there are cars parked in the traffic lanes, people do not know how to use just 1 lane on Warren Ave. I want the lines painted and parking control of the cars parking out on the street blocking lanes and causing accidents/fender benders, this if not done it will only lead to people being shot or violence to peoples cars. thank you and I hope to see this get done, I would not like to draw the news media into this. .................. now that it seems to be no more snow on the ground would be a good time to get this work done !!!

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  Submitted by Ron F 2 years ago

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  2 votes

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  City Services »

  non-happy tax payer

  For more then 9 months I have been making calls to get the dept. of public works to do line painting on W. Wareen Ave. starting at 19851 W. Wareen & everygreen, and going east bound, there are cars parked in the traffic lanes, people do not know how to use just 1 lane on Warren Ave. I want the lines painted and parking control of the cars parking out on the street blocking lanes and causing accidents/fender benders, this ...more »

  For more then 9 months I have been making calls to get the dept. of public works to do line painting on W. Wareen Ave. starting at 19851 W. Wareen & everygreen, and going east bound, there are cars parked in the traffic lanes, people do not know how to use just 1 lane on Warren Ave. I want the lines painted and parking control of the cars parking out on the street blocking lanes and causing accidents/fender benders, this if not done it will only lead to people being shot or violence to peoples cars. thank you and I hope to see this get done, I would not like to draw the news media into this. .................. now that it seems to be no more snow on the ground would be a good time to get this work done !!!

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  2 comments

  Submitted by Ron F 2 years ago

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  2 votes

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  City Services »

  Homeowner

  Please continue tearing these abandoned houses down, Detroit is looking very scary to even drive through

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  Submitted by Community Member 1 year ago

• I agree

  2 votes

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  Taxes »

  president pugh need some help

  i have a 70 year old uncle been in his house for along time. always paid hs taxes on time. my aunt died about 7 years ago. hes blind and has cancer. i took hm to the cty county building. he was told he would be exempt from taxes, never told he needed to do that yearly. now they want to take the house for back taxes, can you help him some how. payment plan or something. afinaltouch09@aol.com thank you ...more »

  i have a 70 year old uncle been in his house for along time. always paid hs taxes on time. my aunt died about 7 years ago. hes blind and has cancer. i took hm to the cty county building. he was told he would be exempt from taxes, never told he needed to do that yearly. now they want to take the house for back taxes, can you help him some how. payment plan or something. afinaltouch09@aol.com thank you

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  Submitted by Community Member 1 year ago

• I agree

  2 votes

  I disagree
  This idea is active.
  Returning Citizens »

  WHAT RETURNING CITIZENS WANT

  If you want people to move back into the city you have to entice them. Why would anyone want to come and live in Detroit when they will have to pay a city income tax. There is no other city that I know of that the residents have to pay city income tax. So you tell me why would someone want to move to pa place where they would have to pay more tax. If you need more money for taxes raise them on the casinos! Not the citizens. ...more »

  If you want people to move back into the city you have to entice them. Why would anyone want to come and live in Detroit when they will have to pay a city income tax. There is no other city that I know of that the residents have to pay city income tax. So you tell me why would someone want to move to pa place where they would have to pay more tax. If you need more money for taxes raise them on the casinos! Not the citizens.

  Also the building department needs to be totally revamped if you expect people to come and build new or fix up old houses they cant be expected to have to get 10 different inspectors come out to look at the projects they are working on. Also it should not take all day to pull simple permits such as new windows or doors or an electrical upgrade. The process is ridiculous. It could all be moved online that way the inspectors could log in and look at the application if its good then approve it if not then email the recipient the corrective measures. Also the inspection times and everything could be scheduled like this. This could be done with all permits. Also there are to many inspectors I had an inspector come out a few weeks ago for a drip inspection. I asked him what that was I guess I has to get something put on my pipes so they wouldn’t back up into my sink. Well its been that way since 1912 when my building was built its never happened before. Don’t you think that guys time could be put in somewhere more productive. I know there are a lot of old school people working in the building dept , but it needs to change or you wont see people return to the city. If you look at other cities building depts. in the area you see nothing like that going on.

  It will be a expensive and painful for the people who work in the building dept but you just cant keep doing the same thing because its not working its just driving people away!!

  Also there needs to be something done so that the big grocery stores have to come down here there is a lack of good nutrition going on. The kids and adults in the city of Detroit should not have to live off 5 dollar pizzas and party store foods. There should be something to entice the big grocery chains to come into the city. There should be a conference set up with some of the big wigs of say Kroger Wal-Mart & Meijer and ask them why they don’t have any stores on the eastside or in the city and ask them what it would take for them to open a store there. Then we do what ever we can to help them out and see if we can get a real store in the area and get good nutritional food for our citizens!!

  We all know we need to get rid of the abandoned buildings I have already wrote what I think needs to be done under the job creation portion.

  I have a ton of more ideas I think that we some of the best, hard working people in the US here in Detroit we just are running the city like were are still in 1950. We need to change or else it will just keep getting worse and people will just keep leaving.

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  Submitted by Community Member 1 year ago

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  1 vote

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  Returning Citizens »

  City Employees

  Offer city employees a tax reduction if they live in the city, and residency is closely monitored. Lets get our city staff supporting the city they work for.

  2 comments

  Submitted by Community Member 2 years ago

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  1 vote

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  City Services »

  The water department could improve city services

  Dear Mr. Pugh:

  The water department has made it convenient to view our bills on line. but it would be even more convenient if we could pay our bills on line; like we do DTE... can you please look into this sir, I love what you are doing for the community, thus far. keep up the good work.

  Sincerely,

  Linda

  1 comment

  Submitted by Community Member 1 year ago

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  1 vote

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  Crime »

  Vacant / Overgrown Lots:

  Vacant / Overgrown Lots:

  how much does it cost to have the vacant lots cut. the current company you have going does not do the job right or correct they leave a mess behind after they cut them & if the lot has a limb on it they will not cut it at all. how about some kind of incentive for the residents to take care of the lots.

  1 comment

  Submitted by Community Member 1 year ago

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  1 vote

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  Crime »

  Bulk trash blackot dates October 28-31

  At the beginning of the calendar yr I received a card frm City of Detroit indicating bulk pickup dates for my community. I realized a couple of weeks ago that my bulk pickup date for this quarter is November 1, 2010 the day after Holloween. This is an issue. I reached out to the Detroit Fire Chief while he was on WCHB 1200 for direction and addressed my concern that if residence put bulk trash out the night before ...more »

  At the beginning of the calendar yr I received a card frm City of Detroit indicating bulk pickup dates for my community. I realized a couple of weeks ago that my bulk pickup date for this quarter is November 1, 2010 the day after Holloween. This is an issue. I reached out to the Detroit Fire Chief while he was on WCHB 1200 for direction and addressed my concern that if residence put bulk trash out the night before would not be wised considering the challenges our city face on that day. As well as the couple of days prior to Holloween. I suggested that he recommend while the calendars are being prepared that these date are blackout dates and no trash would be picked up. He said that the dates had be changed. I only learned yesterday (10/26/10) after taking to Kia @ 224-INFO that no dates were changed. How can we address the calendar to have October 28-31 of each year blackout dates for putting anything curb side in the City of Detroit? I care about the city and its residence. I would like to see Detroit's first responders address issues were they are needed not were we the citizens acting legally may create a situation were they need to respond. Charles, can you help?

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  Submitted by Community Member 1 year ago

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  City Services »

  jst a thought

  before we can worry about the abandoned property, we have to think about what we are going to do about the properties that have been knocked down but not removed.also i say let these landlords purchase these homes dirt cheap buy one get one free.give them so much time to get their paper work in order ,time to get the homes work on..where there is vacant lots they can be sold or rented out for events in the summer time ...more »

  before we can worry about the abandoned property, we have to think about what we are going to do about the properties that have been knocked down but not removed.also i say let these landlords purchase these homes dirt cheap buy one get one free.give them so much time to get their paper work in order ,time to get the homes work on..where there is vacant lots they can be sold or rented out for events in the summer time ,money for the city.i say in neighborhoods where there is alot of lots maybe build police mini stations

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  Submitted by Community Member 1 year ago

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  Crime »

  NATIONAL GUARD

  I suggest you...that you call in the national guard is that what they are not for????When we are at war and that is what we are then we call in the national guard to protect and run these thugs back under the rock from where they came. I am growing tired of all the crime I am so reday to through in the towel I can only do so much for my community. I cut grass, board up houses, run a community organization but the crime ...more »

  I suggest you...that you call in the national guard is that what they are not for????When we are at war and that is what we are then we call in the national guard to protect and run these thugs back under the rock from where they came. I am growing tired of all the crime I am so reday to through in the towel I can only do so much for my community. I cut grass, board up houses, run a community organization but the crime is out of control.

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  Submitted by Cheryl Hambrick 8 months ago

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  City Services »

  Institute Community Service Teams

  use the community service team(convicted offenders) to cut the lawn, and clean up abandoned property. Boarding up windows, doors. (Etc.), while houses are awaiting demolition

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  Submitted by Duraye Foster 9 months ago

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  City Services »

  health care reform

  council president pugh please, please speak out about the passage of healthcare reform. i thank god the bill passed. and i'm repulsed at what happened in washington when the lawmakers attempted to go into the chambers to vote. they were spit on, called niggers and faggots. they had to be surrounded by security and marched in for protection against these tea partiers. please denounce this behavior. and attorney general ...more »

  council president pugh please, please speak out about the passage of healthcare reform. i thank god the bill passed. and i'm repulsed at what happened in washington when the lawmakers attempted to go into the chambers to vote. they were spit on, called niggers and faggots. they had to be surrounded by security and marched in for protection against these tea partiers. please denounce this behavior. and attorney general mike cox is talking about filing a lawsuit so this bill won't be law in michigan. he will not be governor of michigan in november. please speak up for detroit. thank you.

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  Submitted by Community Member 2 years ago

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  Police Response »

  Illegal Parking

  When are the police going to start giving out parking tickets . I have been complaining about people parking on South Bound Manistique from Jefferson to Essex & nothing has been done to this date. if you try to make a right hand turn off of Jefferson your sticking out in the street to wait for other cars to go though since they park on both sides of Manistique at Jefferson across from the J.E.B.A. office due to a Beauty ...more »

  When are the police going to start giving out parking tickets . I have been complaining about people parking on South Bound Manistique from Jefferson to Essex & nothing has been done to this date. if you try to make a right hand turn off of Jefferson your sticking out in the street to wait for other cars to go though since they park on both sides of Manistique at Jefferson across from the J.E.B.A. office due to a Beauty shop on the corner.

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  3 comments

  Submitted by Wally O 1 year ago

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  City Services »

  please council president

  we have a dead tree that has been reported several times. a limb just put a dent n the hood of a family members car recently. and a limb in december last year fell and hit a lady in he head. . tree service people came out and never returned. the bark is falling off the tree. please do somethng about this im scared it will fall on the house. 1452 collingwood st det 48206

  1 comment

  Submitted by afinaltouch09 1 year ago

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  City Services »

  City Lighting:

  City Lighting:

  Why are the street lights on during the day time hours. how much does it cost the city to pay for lighting. Why is that money being wasted to have them on during the day go to most any area in Detroit & yo will see a line of lights on that is wasting a lot of money that could go other places

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  Submitted by Community Member 1 year ago

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  City Services »

  Harvard student asks Detroiters for help on research.

  Hi everyone - I'm currently an urban design student at the Harvard University Graduate School of Design. I am part of a group of 13 students researching the city of Detroit, and I was wondering if any of you would be willing to help with one request: I am trying to make a point of how badly tax revenue is lost by foreclosed properties and vacant lots in comparison to occupied properties that continue to pay their taxes ...more »

  Hi everyone - I'm currently an urban design student at the Harvard University Graduate School of Design. I am part of a group of 13 students researching the city of Detroit, and I was wondering if any of you would be willing to help with one request: I am trying to make a point of how badly tax revenue is lost by foreclosed properties and vacant lots in comparison to occupied properties that continue to pay their taxes to the city. Would anyone be willing to share with me their electricity, water, sewage, trash, and real estate property tax bill with me as an example of comparing costs? This is for educational purposes only and is in no way a means to disclose private information. I am merely only interested in the costs relative to the value of the property, as a means to prove a very significant point. If you would be willing to help, I would greatly appreciate it. My email is ctang@gsd.harvard.edu. Thank you in advance!

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  Submitted by caticatang 1 year ago

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  Deficit Reduction »

  Ms.

  I wish you could add horseback riding, an ice rink, and carriage rides on Belle Isle to in order to generate funds.

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  Submitted by Community Member 6 months ago

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  Crime »

  Getting rid of abandoned property

  We spend millions of dollars on prisoners, why not put them to work? Non violent prisoners that is, it would save us some money and think how many people are locked up and have the know how, and just sitting and doing nothing but getting fat off our tax dollars, lets get them working

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  Submitted by Community Member 6 months ago

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  -1 votes

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  City Services »

  Waiting for Your Help Since 2009

  Last year during election time the children of the Westside Cubs Cheer & Footbal Team had their transformer for the lights stolen. Many promises were made by CURRENT Council Members. Well it is now 2010 and we still have no lights. As a parent I think if you want our children to stay off the dark streets then as city council members they should atleast do what they promised, by helping us get the proper lighting.The neighborhood ...more »

  Last year during election time the children of the Westside Cubs Cheer & Footbal Team had their transformer for the lights stolen. Many promises were made by CURRENT Council Members. Well it is now 2010 and we still have no lights. As a parent I think if you want our children to stay off the dark streets then as city council members they should atleast do what they promised, by helping us get the proper lighting.The neighborhood that our children gather in isn't the best, it's hard to keep crime away from our children in the dark. Parents feel they were just a ticket to help get you in office. Can you know help our children or should the parents of 300 children come into the office.

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  Submitted by Community Member 2 years ago

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  Job Development »

  Parking

  In business areas that need parking and have city owned abandoned buildings. Tear down the building and pave the lot using city crews. Use revenue from parking meters to pay for the work. A good example is 9 mile and Woodward in Ferndale

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  Submitted by Community Member 1 year ago

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