Detroit Residents Find it Hard to Access Land Bank Properties

Residents in Detroit's East Davison Village are finding it difficult to purchase vacant properties in their neighborhood, many of which are owned by the Detroit Land Bank Authority, reports Aaron Mondry, despite recommendations from the city’s own Planning and Development Department to sell vacant parcels to locals. The recommendations come from a 2019 framework that seeks to "stabilize a disinvested neighborhood while also getting land and housing back in the hands of community members who have few resources and plenty of skepticism."

"[L]ongtime residents of East Davison Village say the Land Bank is not following through on providing more property to people who have stuck with the neighborhood through tough times," selling properties instead to outside buyers with more resources. Meanwhile, "average sales price of homes in the area nearly doubled between January 2017 and July 2018, from $23,600 to $41,250." Residents say they would like to see investment go toward repairs on existing homes and a stronger commitment to helping locals acquire properties.

In 2020, seven residents, including Patricia Cortner, put together a cooperative purchasing proposal for nine homes, which they hoped to renovate incrementally and rent out to low-income tenants. The group proposed paying $1,000 per home and said it could demonstrate proof of funds for initial repair work. Soon after, the Land Bank told them none were available for purchase, but later put the majority of those properties up for public sale.

A report by Global Detroit, an advocate for Detroit’s immigrant communities, "recommended the Land Bank release more property to longtime residents, even if it means not every project is successfully finished." According to Global Detroit's executive director Steve Tobocman, "nine times out of 10, when it is sold to residents, they do a better job of maintaining it."