Detroit

In a recent column for Detroit Free Press, Nancy Kaffer responded to a proposal by Detroit Mayor Kevin Orr to raise the price of a parking ticket in Detroit by $20 to $45.

April 13, 2014 - Detroit Free Press

For all those cities that double population during the work day, here's a revenue thought to consider. But why restrict it to in-bound commuters? What about residents who commute-out of the city? Is the commuter tax a legitimate revenue source?

March 26, 2014 - Governing

The city of Youngstown, Ohio has lost 60 percent of its population since the 1960s. The Youngstown 2010 plan attempted to redevelop a new, smaller city, but how well has it accomplished its goals so far?

March 23, 2014 - Michigan Daily

In a recent article for the Washington Post, Matthew Dolan details the sub-par state of bus service in Detroit—a city where residents live without cars in quickly growing numbers.

March 21, 2014 - The Washington Post

“Lean urbanism” is the latest buzz-worthy term to enter the discussion on planning and urbanism. A recent article in Atlantic Cities explains the concept—which appeals to the younger generation as well as those with libertarian leanings.

March 17, 2014 - The Atlantic Cities

Christopher Leinberger provides his assessment of the “Walkable Urban Places” concept in the suburban parts of metropolitan Detroit in a new article from metromode.

March 7, 2014 - Metromode

Detroit recently replaced New Orleans as the American city with the highest rate of blight. As Detroit undertakes its plans to shrink, which includes a massive blight removal campaign, what lessons from New Orleans bear repeating?

February 27, 2014 - New York Times

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.

February 24, 2014 - Detroit Free Press

The Knight Foundation has announced funding for the Project for Lean Urbanism, led by Andrés Duany. In a recent article, Duany applies concepts from Lean Urbanism in examining the case of Detroit as the next in a line of revitalized urban settings.

February 20, 2014 - Knight Foundation

Removing Detroit’s blight is highly emotional, and made more difficult by the lack of models for emulation. A recent editorial rejects the assumption that removing blight from over 100,000 vacant lots is sufficient to stimulate economic development.

January 28, 2014 - Detroit Free Press

As unbelievable as it may sound in a city with tens of thousands of vacant properties, young professionals are being priced out of popular Detroit neighborhoods like Midtown and Corktown as demand far exceeds supply.

January 27, 2014 - Detroit Free Press

A federal bankruptcy judge’s rejection of a deal between Detroit and its creditors will stall the City’s access to casino funds it needs to restore services and speedily exit bankruptcy. In the big picture, however, the decision may benefit Detroit.

January 22, 2014 - Reuters

Signaling a shift in fortunes for Detroit’s residential market, the city is seeking investors for Brush Park, a historic, but largely vacant, residential neighborhood adjacent to downtown.

January 9, 2014 - Detroit Free Press

By investing $1.3 billion in downtown Detroit, Dan Gilbert's bullish attitude towards the city's future has stood out amidst the city's recent troubles. But developers are beginning to buy into his rosy vision for the Motor City.

December 21, 2013 - The Wall Street Journal

75 teams of surveyors will fan out across Detroit on Monday to begin cataloging the city's vacant buildings block-by-block. One of the leaders of the effort is estimating that eliminating blight could cost $1 billion.

December 14, 2013 - Detroit Free Press

Kevyn Orr, Detroit’s emergency manager, has expressed his belief that the city can clear its backlog of 78,000 blighted buildings within the next 18-36 months.

December 5, 2013 - Detroit Free Press

U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Steven Rhodes ruled today that the city of Detroit is eligible for bankruptcy protection, allowing the city to proceed with the largest municipal bankruptcy in U.S. history. Public employee unions are expected to appeal.

December 3, 2013 - Detroit Free Press

By exploring whether to turn I-375 into a surface street, the city that is the United States' foremost exemplar of suburban flight is considering a historic reversal that would demonstrate its optimism in its recovering downtown.

November 27, 2013 - Detroit Free Press

Greenways, streetcars, and adaptive re-use projects are among the conceptual, as well as in-progress, initiatives profiled by Ashley Woods.

November 27, 2013 - The Huffington Post

An "unprecedented" effort being led by Detroit’s new Blight Task Force will document the city's crumbling and vacant properties. It's part of a multi-pronged effort to combat Detroit's widespread blight.

November 26, 2013 - The Detroit News