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Residents press council on land‑bank takings, neighborhood services and housing; one caller makes an unaddressed criminal allegation
Summary
Public commenters urged more neighborhood resource centers, criticized land-bank nuisance abatements and ARPA spending, raised constituent service complaints, and one caller made an unsupported allegation naming a private individual in a death; the committee did not act on these public comments.
Multiple public commenters used the committee’s virtual public‑comment period to press the council on neighborhood services, land‑bank practices and housing supports.
Betty A Bridal, president of the DeSoto Ellsworth Black Association, urged seniors and people with disabilities who are ineligible for Medicaid to contact the Detroit Area Agency for the Aging (DAAA) about the "My Choice Waiver" program and provided the agency phone number. Other callers, including William M. Davis and Lee McCollum, urged more neighborhood community resource centers and recreation facilities.
Several commenters criticized the land bank’s nuisance-abatement practices. A caller introduced by the clerk as Florence said homeowners whose property was taken through nuisance abatement may be eligible for compensation, cited a class-action firm Margolis & Cross and alleged the land bank’s process violates the takings clause and the Michigan Fast Track Land Bank Authority Act. Toomey referenced a Plant Moran audit and questioned use of ARPA funds and neighborhood services operations.
A separate caller made a direct accusation naming Charmaine McLeod in connection with the death of Kanisha Coleman; the allegation was made during public comment and the transcript records no response or evidence provided at the meeting.
Speakers urged the council to seek a legal opinion previously requested from state authorities and to improve constituent response times. The committee did not take formal action on these public comments during the meeting, and several callers asked council members to follow up with staff or meet directly with community groups.
