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Detroit callers accuse city of improper property transfer at 498 Peterborough
Summary
During public comment, callers alleged the city transferred 498 Peterborough to a third party below market value, accused the Office of Inspector General of a flawed report, and said the city has taken actions—including water shutoff and tree removal—that threaten resident Cindy Dara's home.
Public commenters at a Detroit City Council session on the morning the council lacked a quorum accused city officials of improperly transferring a parcel at 498 Peterborough and of mistreating a long-term neighbor.
A caller who identified herself in the transcript as Miss Warwick said "the city is being dishonest" about outreach on a solar project and urged Councilmember Gabriela Santiago Romero to "please help Cindy Dara." The caller said the city removed 498 Peterborough from a tax auction, transferred it to Midtown Inc. for "less than $3,000" despite an alleged $25,000 offer from Dara, and that Midtown Inc. later sold or flipped the property to Peterborough Properties for a substantially higher price. "According to documents we've seen, the Midtown Inc got it for less than $3,000, gave it to Peterborough Properties, flipped it for 150,000," the caller said.
The same caller said the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) "sat on it through 2 inspectors for about 2 and a half years" and described the resulting report as poor. The caller also alleged the city shut off the resident's water and removed trees that were characterized as healthy.
Reuben Crowley, another public commenter, made broader accusations against council members and city leaders during his turn at the mic, saying they "cheated" and calling some officials "fraud[s]," and claimed a related federal court case involving ballot access. His remarks echoed the broader theme of distrust and accusations of misconduct raised by earlier callers.
Council staff told callers they are "working with Cindy Dara on this issue" but no formal action, vote, or staff report was recorded during the session: the meeting recessed for lack of a quorum while the chair arrived.
The public record provided in the session included multiple allegations and references to documents but did not produce evidence of formal city action taken at this meeting. The matters raised—property transfer sequence, OIG findings, water shutoff, and tree removals—appear to relate to prior administrative decisions; callers asked the council to investigate and assist the affected resident.
The council did not take a vote or adopt a directive during the recessed session. The clerk closed public comment and recessed "with the call of the chair," noting the chair was arriving.
