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Residents press for local resource centers, rec centers and transit help; committee announces emergency cold-weather shelters
Summary
Several public commenters urged the city to bring services into neighborhoods, criticized perceived budget priorities, raised concerns about a concrete plant emitting dust, and asked for transit and warming support; the committee announced temporary overnight shelters and warming-center resources for the coming cold spell.
Multiple residents used the public-comment period to press the Neighborhood Community Services standing committee on neighborhood services, recreation facilities, transit costs and alleged pollution, and the committee announced temporary cold-weather shelter openings.
William M. Davis said the city should restore neighborhood resource centers so residents do not have to travel downtown, and asked the city to renegotiate a lease he said benefits an external owner. "We used to have neighborhood city halls...We need to make it so that people don't have to go downtown to take care of business," Davis said, and he urged more recreation facilities in District 7.
Another caller (identified by the operator as 'Owner Papa') criticized a $42,000,000 allocation described as serving wealthy interests and questioned why motorcycles were on the agenda while neighborhoods lack recreation centers.
Betty A. Varner, president of the DeSoto Hills World Black Association, described "a program through d triple a called My Choice Waiver" that she said can help qualifying seniors and people with disabilities keep services at home if monthly income is no more than $2,900.
A separate caller, Cunningham, described the burden of transit costs for low-income residents, said paratransit fares of $2.50 one-way are expensive for people on limited incomes, and suggested the city consider warming buses where riders wait when coaches run late.
During public comment Jadonte Smith urged investigation and downzoning of Kronos Concrete at 3405 Gaylord, alleging the plant emits "toxic dust" and asked the council to use its subpoena powers and to consider petitions from residents to shut it down.
On the committee's announcements, the chair said Neighborhood Service Organization (NSO) will accept single adults at 882 Oakman Boulevard; Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries will accept families and single adults at 13130 Woodward; and the Pope Francis Center will accept single adults at 2915 West Hancock. The chair said the shelters will operate from Jan. 23 at 6 p.m. through Jan. 27 at noon and gave the Detroit housing helpline number, (866) 313-2520, for additional assistance.
"Households can also go to the closest police precinct, and they can then connect them with these overnight shelter locations," Lindsner added when introduced by the chair to provide more details.
