Way back in February there was a local story that ran announcing Mayor Dave Bing's plan to offer incentives for Detroit police officers to be able to buy homes in Detroit neighborhoods. In addition to helping repopulate the city, the plan was also part of a broader effort to bring some stability to the neighborhoods, which are desperately in need of that stability. The plan was targeted to specific neighborhoods, which meant it was automatically going to attract criticism from those claiming that it was allowing certain less desirable neighborhoods to be flushed down the toilet while granting other neighborhoods perceived to be more 'upscale' a very special anointing permitting them to flourish.
Several weeks ago there was another story highlighting a particular Detroit police officer who had chosen to participate in Mayor Bing's program. The picture showed her smiling, standing outside her newly purchased home. That newly purchased home is located about three houses down from my home. Suffice it to say that my wife and I were thrilled. Unfortunately, another recent story pointed out that, so far, only 10 police officers have taken Mayor Bing up on his offer to move back into Detroit neighborhoods. Bing's target number was 200. Still, it's a start.
I say all this in the interest of full disclosure; yes, I do live in one of the neighborhoods targeted for revitalization. Yes, I'm glad about it. Yes I think it's a great program. No, I wouldn't characterize where I live as upscale, and neither would you if you lived here. House across the street sold for a little over $2,000 two years ago, then was just sold again a few months ago for a little over $3,000. It's a huge two-story brick. The house two doors down is slated for demolition and is a wreck. Not sure how many homes are boarded up on our block, but it's more than a few.
But still, with all that, we've got great neighbors on either side of us and there is still a sense of cohesiveness here that's reassuring. Boston Edison used to be one of the city's premiere neighborhoods, and it still has some great and beautiful homes, but the hard times of Detroit have not skipped on by and left us untouched. Believe me when I tell you. However, there is still enough to build on here that, if the rebuilding is successful, could possibly cast Boston Edison as one of several anchor neighborhoods throughout the city that can be made strong enough to hold it down while follow-up work is done to do for the other neighborhoods what is being done here.
Certainly I understand those who would criticize as too preferential Bing's program of giving homeowner breaks to police officers and city employees, and there's no way for me to sound impartial on this because I'm benefiting directly from the program. But I will say that I don't believe there's a better approach to revitalizing the neighborhoods on the table that I'm aware of. There's simply no way for a broke city to rescue each and every neighborhood all at once. As it is, the money to rescue the few is coming from JP Morgan Chase, not the depleted city coffers:
From the Detroit Free Press, Aug. 18, 2011
For the first time since Bing announced the Detroit Works Project two years ago, all city employees are eligible for cash to help them makedown payments on vacant houses in various neighborhoods: North End, Boston Edison, Virginia Park, Hubbard Farms, Palmer Woods, Sherwood Forest, the University District, East English Village, North Rosedale and Green Acres.
The plan calls for $25,000 down payments for each of the first 10 police officers who qualify for a mortgage. An additional 60 city employees will receive up to $15,000 on each down payment.
Like I said, it's a start. Consider Detroit's rebirth a work in progress, Emphasis on the word 'work'.
This is being cross-posted at Black Liberal Boomer and Detroit Life.
Detroit Monster
Pamela Hilliard Owens
