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Commission discusses Community House litigation and potential acquisition after closed session

Birmingham City Commission · December 16, 2025

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Summary

Commission held a closed session under the Open Meetings Act to discuss pending litigation titled Community House Association v. Birmingham and to consider purchase or lease of the Community House; a public update noted a court hearing, community organizing to save programming and parental offers to manage the ECC.

The Birmingham City Commission met in closed session Dec. 15 under the Michigan Open Meetings Act to discuss pending litigation and a potential real estate acquisition related to the Community House.

A resolution to enter closed session cited MCL 15.268 (Open Meetings Act) and the meeting record shows the commission met to discuss the business‑court litigation captioned Community House Association, Oakland County Circuit Court Case No. 2025219218CB, and to consider the purchase or lease of real property. The roll call recorded Commissioner Hague as recused for the closed session vote.

After returning to open session the mayor provided an update: the city has continued communications with the Community House management and its legal team and has requested a tour and inspection to evaluate condition and maintenance costs. The mayor said the business court scheduled a hearing to consider the city's temporary restraining order request and clarified the court wants to hear from both parties before ruling. "The court did not deny our request for a temporary restraining order; it simply said it wanted to hear from both parties before ruling on it," the mayor said.

The mayor also described local organizing efforts: parents associated with the Community House early childhood center have volunteered expertise and time to help continue operations, and a Visionary Arts Council led by Birmingham photographer Linda Solomon has formed to support programming and fundraising. The mayor said the city filed suit because of concerns about preserving the Community House as a community asset and said it will persist in efforts to keep the building available to the community.

The meeting record indicates the closed session deliberations were conducted under attorney‑client privilege; no final acquisition decision was recorded in open session on Dec. 15.