To drastically increase the rate of Detroit’s ongoing transformation, the city's bankruptcy plan, recently filed in U.S. Bankruptcy Court, would spend $520 million on its ongoing blight reduction efforts in the hopes of razing 400-500 homes a week.
Detroit recently filed its Chapter 9 bankruptcy plan of adjustment in U.S. Bankruptcy Court. The proposed actions of the plan include a dramatic acceleration of the city’s blight reduction efforts.
“Reduction of urban blight is among the city’s highest reinvestment priorities,” said Detroit emergency manager Kevyn Orr in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court filing, which took place February 21, 2014.
Nathan Bomey, Matt Helms, and Brent Snavely report on the details of the bankruptcy plan adjustment, which will “[pave] the way for the city to dramatically reduce an estimated $18 billion in debt and liabilities.”
In a separate article, John Gallagher, Patricia Montemurri, and JC Reindl detail the plan’s dramatic acceleration of the city’s blight reduction program—from the current pace of 114 residential structures a week to 400-450 every week by next year. “At that pace, the city would rid itself of 80,000 blighted houses in five years, paid for by savings from the bankruptcy reorganization and from government and private sources.”
FULL STORY: Monumental effort to tear down blight would improve neighborhoods and Detroit's image
A Closer Look at Detroit's Blighted Properties
The New York Times has produced a pair of visualization tools to present the findings of the recent report by Detroit's Blight Removal Task Force.
Report Recommends $850 Million to Eradicate Detroit's Blight
The Detroit Blight Removal Task Force released its highly anticipated "Every neighborhood has a future...And it doesn't include blight" report today.
Federal Agencies Investigating the Rising Costs of Detroit's Blight Program
Detroit's aggressive blight reduction strategy, to demolish vacant homes by the thousands, is coming under scrutiny for rising costs. The FBI and the U.S. Inspector General are investigating.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.
Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.
Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power
Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.
MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns
MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.
Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.
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.
Caltrans
City of Fort Worth
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie