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Council approves emergency demolition contracts; requests written clarification on funding sources
Summary
Council approved 11 emergency demolition/alteration contracts funded with bond/blight funds and asked the Construction and Demolition Department and finance staff for a written response explaining whether fire-escrow or other funds cover some demolitions.
Detroit City Council approved a package of emergency demolition and alteration contracts (line items 20.1–20.11) brought by the Public Health and Safety standing committee. The contracts cover multiple residential and commercial addresses and use bond or blight funding to address structures judged an immediate threat to public health and safety.
Councilmembers asked whether fire-escrow dollars — funds sometimes held from insurance or fire remediation — were being used to pay for demolitions of fire-damaged properties. Raquel Harrington, the department press secretary for Construction and Demolition, said emergency demolitions are initiated when a structure is an immediate threat and that funding and accounting are handled through finance and BC; she offered to provide a written, detailed response to the council’s questions.
Members asked that the written response clarify funding sources and accounting for these emergency projects. The motion to approve line items 20.1–20.11 passed with discussion; staff said they would send the requested written follow-up.
