Set up a clearinghouse for community groups and homeowners interested in buying vacant land. Then it needs to market this land aggressively to community groups, residents and businesses to get it out of city hands. An ombudsman focusing solely on abandoned property could help buyers negotiate the red tape. Detroit has no such plans, but the Planning and Development Department is working to speed the process of acquiring property. Improve ties with community groups interested in tearing down derelict homes or upgrading vacant property.
Many community groups feel bureaucratic hurdles block their help.
Base policies on the fact that Detroit has lost substantial population and won't get it back soon. They argue that the projections are based on flawed data. The official census in April will settle the matter. But whatever the outcome, Detroit undeniably has lost substantial population in the past half-century. A city that built facilities and housing to serve almost 2 million people in the 1950s now has half that number.