Detroit offers police officers deals on foreclosed homes

[alp227]

Source: CNN

(CNN) -- Detroit's mayor is proposing a new approach to increasing public safety: offering police officers and firefighters foreclosed homes for as little as $1,000.

The idea came from police officers who wanted to live closer to their jobs, according to Karen Dumas, a spokeswoman for Detroit Mayor Dave Bing.

"We think it's a great opportunity for officers to come back to the city, for those renting and for those coming into the force," Dumas said.

The initiative, dubbed Project 14, will give police a chance to buy 200 homes that are part of the city's inventory. In addition, officers could receive up to $150,000 for renovation in the neighborhoods of East English Village and Boston-Edison.

Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2011/US/02/08/michigan.foreclosed.homes/index.html

[LisaM]

1. I think this is a great idea

Moving 200 police officers back into the city would be a real plus. And, if it works, they want to extend it to firefighters next.

[murray hill farm]

3. Yes!!!

Great idea!!!

[fatbuckel]

2. How about offering homes to the poor and displaced for "as little as $1000 dollars.

And give them the same opportunity for that money,too. How involved are these police in the evictions that lead to these homes being available? Just asking.

[Salander]

4. Could be a good idea but. . . .

it could also be the laying of a foundation for a police state. When the custodians of the law are beholden to the powers that be, public safety is up for grabs. An example from today: the greatest enemy of the people in Egypt is the police because the police in Egypt are indebted to the President. Should the Detroit police be indebted to the mayor?

[NWHarkness]

10. I think it will have quite the opposite effect

For a long time, Detroit had strict residency laws for police officers. Then, when those were struck down, many cops left the city. In my opinion, cops living in the communities they patrol mitigates any "police state" tendencies, it not not exacerbate them.

Beside, once the homes are purchased, the buyers would no longer be "beholden" to the seller.

[Javaman]

14. While I see your point of offering special deals to law enforcement and fire people

Thus setting up a "system of privilege", I also believe that type of system as existed, to an extent, for a while.

On the other hand, growing up, my neighborhood had no less than 6 police officers and several firemen (before woman were allowed to join). Along with nurses and doctors.

It was very much a strong union/blue collar neighborhood and very far from a police state.

We were safe in knowing that if there ever was a problem of any sort, there was a policeman near by.

[MineralMan]

5. They tried offering some foreclosed houses to anyone here in

Saint Paul, MN for very low initial purchase prices, but they attached so many requirements for immediate improvements before the houses could be occupied that most of the houses weren't taken. The actual cost for the homes would have come close to that of an occupiable house sold at current market value.

The problem was that they simply didn't recognize the economic issues involved. Each house would have to be brought fully up to code before the owner could even think about moving in. The new owner wouldn't be able to borrow enough to make the repairs, due to the crappy value of the property, so nobody took the city up on the offer. Most of the houses were simply demolished.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

9. Key point...

Most of the very low cost homes are not habitable, have been pillaged, and are little more than shells.

[PassingFair]

13. Not true.

My mother sold her VERY habitable home in East English Village
last year for $18,000.

In 2002 it had been appraised at $175,000.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

16. It was not abandoned and selling for $1000

Note I said most...

[PassingFair]

18. Pretty close....

and some of the $5000 houses are habitable, too.

The 150,000 rehab allowance would definitely
come in handy for those Boston-Edison homes!

[WatsonT]

6. Interesting idea

and I assume many of the foreclosed homes are in less than stellar neighborhoods. Seeing a cop car parked on the street might very well cut down on crime in that area.

[sasha031]

7. great idea

[groundloop]

8. Good idea. Besides, most police officers and fire fighters aren't exactly rolling in cash.

[NWHarkness]

11. Rebuild the middle class

Detroit is an extreme case, but it's a problem the whole country needs to deal with.

Cops and firefighters are part of the middle class, helping them is a good step in the right direction. And if you know Detroit, you probably remember the "Copper Canyons", neighborhoods where a lot of the residents were cops. The property values in those areas stayed high while nearby neighborhood slip into deterioration. This help everybody.

[Sen. Walter Sobchak]

12. I can't see many people going for this,

Unless of course they want to get in on the lucrative Detroit land speculation for urban farming conspiracy advanced by some around here.

[msanthrope]

15. Hey! That's one of my most favorite conspiracy theories on this board! n/t

[Sen. Walter Sobchak]

19. well, that and Bill Gates opening charter schools in Africa where the kids

will be served genetically modified food in the cafeteria and forced to use Texas edition textbooks. Or something like that - I have trouble keeping track of where one conspiracy theory begins and another ends.

[Exultant Democracy]

17. I think our municipalities would be far better off with residency requirements

I doubt we would have as many issues with thug cops if they had to live in the neighborhoods that they currently terrorize.

Not to mention that our current level suburbanization is totally unsustainable. What we really need is a national a push for re-urbanization if we intend to live more responsible lifestyles without giving up too many of our perks.