Anna Clark has the scoop about the latest wrinkle in the blockbuster Detroit blight auction: the surprise, mysterious bid for 6,000 parcels if off the table.
Anna Clark writes: "You heard of the casino developer who scooped up 6,365 foreclosed Detroit properties in a single mysterious bid? Well, forget him: Herb Strather withdrew his eyebrow-raising bid this morning."
"Strather withdrew his $3.1 million bid for an enormous swath of Detroit buildings and lots today, scarcely a week after placing it and after inspiring dozens of headlines around the country." (Planetizen was one of the many outlets who picked up the news of the bid.)
Clark provides in depth analysis of how the bid almost wrecked Detroit's intentions for the auction: "Strather backing out is good news for Detroit. And rather than being a bizarro anecdote in the story of the city’s revitalization, the debacle reveals something important for cities with an over-abundance of neglected properties: Blight bundles work."
The article includes a lot more examples of how blight bundles and land banks work—especially when there are no untenable surprises like Detroit just experienced.
FULL STORY: Detroit Magnate Decides He Doesn’t Want 6,000 Blighted Properties After All
$3.2 Million Bid for 6,000 Foreclosed Properties in Detroit Auction
Karin Weise reports that an anonymous bidder will pay $3.2 million to purchase 6,000 foreclose homes in Detroit.
Pennsylvania Law Removes Obstacles to Blight Reduction
“We don’t need every old coal miner’s house” to stay standing, says Sen. David Argall (R-Schuylkill).
Detroit Residents Find it Hard to Access Land Bank Properties
Longtime residents say the city is not fulfilling its goal of keeping vacant parcels in the hands of locals as property values rise steeply.
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