Detroit committee sends dozens of demolition cases back to inspectors, withdraws many after owners show repairs

Detroit City Council Dangerous Buildings Committee members heard appeals for roughly 70 properties on the city’s dangerous-buildings list and on Thursday withdrew many demolition orders after owners showed repair work or promised remediation, while sending other cases back to the Building, Safety and Environmental Engineering Department (BC) for further review.

The hearing matters because the committee’s decisions determine whether properties will be demolished at city expense, remain vacant and blighted, or be given time for owners to secure permits and complete repairs — outcomes that affect neighbors, taxes and neighborhood safety.

Committee chair Council Member Santiago Romero opened the hearing and turned the floor over to administration staff for a procedural overview. Administration representative Mister Washington described the deferral process for owners facing demolition: “If city council orders your building to be demolished, you have the opportunity to go to the building safety and environmental engineering department … provide proof of ownership or interest in the property, pay all required inspection fees, secure all openings on your building from trespass, and eliminate … exterior debris, abandoned vehicles, overgrowth, etcetera,” he said. Washington also advised owners to pay or arrange for delinquent taxes and to obtain permits to bring buildings into compliance.

Dilip Patel, assistant chief of property maintenance in the building and safety division, summarized inspection findings for specific properties during the hearing and recommended orders in cases where structures were open to the elements, heavily fire damaged, or otherwise unstable. Patel frequently described properties as “fire damaged,” “open to trespass and the elements,” or lacking vacant-property registration or repair permits.

Several owners described active work and asked for more time. Martin (Martin Dave) Gonzales, owner of 22202 Ulster, said he is repairing a fire-damaged house and is pursuing legal and criminal remedies related to an alleged nearby arson and attacks against him. After discussion, the committee voted to send 22202 Ulster back to BC to allow staff to coordinate follow-up and to monitor Gonzales’s remediation efforts. Council Member Mary Waters noted that Gonzales had shown up for the hearing and urged city staff to document police reports and other evidence.

Other examples from the hearing: - 11451 Findlay: Inspected Jan. 10, 2025, and described by Patel as “extremely fire damaged” with roof failure. The owner said the property is scheduled for rehabilitation and the committee sent the case back to BC with a target date of Feb. 24 for progress updates. - 4453 14th St.: Found vacant and open; the owner told the committee he is rehabbing the building and a motion to return the case to BC for continued monitoring was approved. - 1934 Dresden and 5116 East Outer Drive: Each was withdrawn from the demolition list after presenters confirmed repairs or maintenance were underway. - 1701 Balmoral: Owner said insurance is conducting an investigation of an October fire and expects it may take months; the committee sent the case back to BC and staff agreed to provide notices that owners can give to their insurers to help expedite claims. - 10550 Plymouth: The caller said the property pictured in the hearing was not his; the committee withdrew the case for further investigation by BC.

The committee repeatedly told owners that the quickest way to avoid demolition is to secure openings, remove debris/overgrowth, register vacant properties when applicable and obtain repair permits. Patel and other BC staff said they would work directly with owners who demonstrate progress, and Council Member Waters asked owners to email her office where she could help coordinate follow-up.

Votes at a glance - Sent back to BC for follow-up (examples): 22202 Ulster (owner Martin Gonzales), 11451 Findlay, 4453 14th St., 26100 22nd St., 14069 De Quindre, 5126 31st St., 5224 Maryland. - Withdrawn from demolition list (examples): 14520 Quorum, 1934 Dresden, 4210 Central, 18671 Conley, 5116 East Outer Drive, 14970 Press, 12747 Robson, 12747 Robson (duplicate withdrawn items reflect multiple cases), 5063 S. Martindale. - Ordered demolished (examples stated as recommendations by BC where the committee did not grant deferral): several properties were left on the demolition list pending further action (the committee’s final block-by-block summary detailed additional addresses to remain on the demolition list). The committee also voted to send several properties back to BC for cost analysis before a final determination.

What the committee did not do: The hearing was an appeals process; the committee did not itself initiate demolition work at the meeting. Instead, it either withdrew orders, returned matters to BC for follow-up or preserved demolition recommendations where structures were judged unsafe and no immediate remediation plan or permits were in place.

The committee set Feb. 24 as the next date to review progress on numerous deferred cases and urged owners to send photos of all four sides of a property to the Building and Safety email that staff provided during the hearing (email address shown on screen during the meeting; not specified word-for-word in the transcript). The hearing included roughly 70 properties and multiple residents who described insurance delays, vandalism, and safety threats; committee members repeatedly urged coordination among BC, the police department and the mayor’s administration to help owners who are actively repairing properties.

Ending The Dangerous Buildings Committee concluded after agreeing to withdraw, defer or send back a large number of cases for follow-up. Committee members emphasized that owners who secure openings, remove debris and obtain repair permits are likely to have demolition orders withdrawn; owners without permits or with severely compromised roofs, walls or collapsed sections remain at risk of demolition. The next review date the committee set for many deferred properties is Feb. 24, 2025.