[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6107652,"mediaKeyId","2772915-c66aa6e0b1d9d28c56a1203683a091c7","parentId",2772915,"title","Public commenters press Detroit council on blight, youth engagement, corridors funding and FOIA concerns","audioSeconds",1269,"startMs",43185,"endMs",1313004,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2772915-c66aa6e0b1d9d28c56a1203683a091c7&start=43&end=1313","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2772915-c66aa6e0b1d9d28c56a1203683a091c7/thumbnail_43185.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6107652/Detroit/Wayne-County/Michigan/Public-commenters-press-Detroit-council-on-blight-youth-engagement-corridors-funding-and-FOIA-concerns","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6107652-497b798b125e7356f5b12b8f0fc52a7f/orig.mp4?Expires=1771138338&Signature=PSNpoegbWXZTlR1VSbWJU868EJAyVR4BJMI~KRv1shOg6fm~NoZ42fU85RVIsgTnZ6myAcbhEceqyzEsB~dbSEsK2U2bre3918Wx~bPvVz2RnZXlezKNp-MbQnizm0SBg3G2osarrj3DKMHx09ymbigz2OkFaKmplFp8DwmL8hGlZjB54bJs~pzezZfniv5RnDC5QNjkAPsGMP6FACRwPd00Igr2KkxeP9g3wXFFMG7CaRTk7nSZMWtB0V04cQaGAK-I6CAsSEIJOD2pZCfPBUtIeWQmtEb8uzY-uzv3tDgueGJC3PkAFh7euFn3hiJO2ztuJP-tb8-nUEX6OEWbYw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City Council of Detroit, MI ","date","2025-03-24T00:00:00Z","article","Detroit residents and callers used the meeting's public-comment period to press the council on several neighborhood and transparency issues, including abandoned and blighted properties, youth engagement in government, community-corridor funding, and criticisms of the law department's handling of Freedom of Information Act requests.

Marvin Clark, who identified himself as \"a resident on District 4 under councilwoman Johnson,\" brought several children to speak and said his stepdaughters \"want to get involved\" after participating in a skilled-trades outreach day. The children described concerns about abandoned houses and neighborhood safety; Clark said he brought them because \"this might be our well, this is our future. It might be in politics.\" Councilmember Johnson responded, thanking Clark and offering to connect the young woman who wants to be a police officer with \"Chief Bettison\" and to work on park improvements and saving salvageable homes.

Member Waters noted that the skilled-trades task force is co-chaired by Waters, President Sheffield and Member Young, and that the city's blighted-property hearings — chaired by Member Santiago Romero — meet regularly to consider whether to pursue salvage or demolition.

Several callers raised other concerns. Steven Horing said land speculation \"is probably 1 of the biggest issues in our city,\" and named property owners he said hold multiple derelict properties. Betty A. Varner, identified as president of the (transcript) \"soda elsewhere black association,\" asked the council to consider starting a fund to help Black clubs and associations and to use a state-required fund to support corridor projects; she also requested monies to help seniors and residents with disabilities make homes handicap-accessible.

William M. Davis complained about delays in obtaining public records, saying he filed a Freedom of Information Act request in August 2022 and had not received the documents; he called for closer oversight of the law department. Another caller, recorded as Carolyn Hughes, criticized the council's treatment of remote commenters and said the city should do more to investigate absentee ballot and voter-fraud claims raised by callers.

The public-comment period concluded after roughly one minute per speaker; the council took no vote on these matters during the open meeting but officers and members indicated willingness to follow up with community members and relevant committees.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Detroit City Council Budget Hearing AM Public Comment 03-24-2025","oneSentenceSummary","During a one-minute public-comment block, residents and callers urged the council to address abandoned homes and blight, involve youth, fund neighborhood corridor projects and senior home modifications, and investigate Freedom of Information Act delays and law-department performance.","taxTitle","Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan","taxId",48464,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6107658,"Council adds debt-collection cases to right-to-counsel executive-session discussion as callers urge full funding",1232,400,1233004,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2772915-c66aa6e0b1d9d28c56a1203683a091c7&start=0&end=1233","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2772915-c66aa6e0b1d9d28c56a1203683a091c7/thumbnail_400.jpg","/articles/6107658/Detroit/Wayne-County/Michigan/Council-adds-debt-collection-cases-to-right-to-counsel-executive-session-discussion-as-callers-urge-full-funding","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6107658-91d7751d2b44570ded10cd598ae64265/orig.mp4?Expires=1771138338&Signature=Z76ygyKz7pwvn7M1mckfCbqz-eHvPbqGfCiQZoL~ux4nQNoeYLWnPm4J-K8tfl1OzgCOk-ermXgGVH0VFsBqZZo~o0Q1UIArhbrEBbt4dmzZdZm2r6WjgnMIt4Sw9v4DhJhhOlGPT59Z23Yb1vDQyMYv9WhSLoBQttdH8gF3OukGk4GrVx1lJXff5U8aXW~kFE-ysg9pyFysV0J3Li1Lz7bT4TtV4JI0pamLPbeVQYFgg4zuXJE3ndEU87jzCRyvVJvfDXdqYauKPL7VSoR4Mw8sOwIy6vT9qcN49hcrGu72OH0o3d4Htpbp0xQ2ic5Ioplcm11MJuucJwIL6J4vFw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","An unidentified councilmember moved at the start of the meeting to \"move to expand the right to counsel to include debt collection again this year to executive session.\" President Sheffield responded, \"Okay. Are there any objections? Hearing no objections, we will have that in our executive session as well.\" The expansion was adopted by unanimous consent and will be discussed in executive session.

The motion comes as several callers during the public-comment period urged the council to fully fund the right-to-counsel ordinance and to provide ongoing outreach and staffing. \"We think it still need to be 25,000,000 because Diamond need help in the office of eviction defense,\" said Tanisha Sanders, identifying herself as a Detroit Action organizer for renters and tenants. Sanders also asked for \"more counselors in all districts\" and improved outreach so tenants know about the program.

Lisonbee Putt, speaking on behalf of the Right to Counsel coalition, urged the council \"to fully fund the right or the right to counsel ordinance as is required by law under the ordinance.\" Putt noted a figure discussed in the meeting — \"the 5,593 people who are ineligible\" — and said that number \"is actually the also the number of the default population. Those people are not necessarily ineligible, but may not know about the program and an out an effective outreach funding would be part of addressing that particular issue.\" She also pointed out that \"there is no line item in the budget after fiscal year 2025 for the right to counsel,\" asking whether the council intends to let the program lapse after ARPA funding runs out.

The council did not take a roll-call vote on the motion to add debt-collection cases to executive session; President Sheffield announced the addition by unanimous consent. No final budget decision was recorded in the public meeting minutes; callers asked the council to include the requested amounts and sustained staffing in the city budget.

What happens next: the council scheduled the matter for executive session discussion. Budget discussions and follow-up staff reports were referenced during public comment as necessary next steps but were not decided publicly in this meeting.","An unidentified councilmember moved to add debt-collection cases to an executive-session review of the city's right-to-counsel work. Callers during public comment urged full funding — including a $25,000,000 request — and raised concerns about outreach and a proposed sunset after fiscal 2025.","actionData","errors"]

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Public commenters press Detroit council on blight, youth engagement, corridors funding and FOIA concerns

Council adds debt-collection cases to right-to-counsel executive-session discussion as callers urge full funding