Detroit City Council Formal Session, 10 a.m.
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Edited and summarized by the Detroit - MI Documenters Team
In a 5-4 vote, the city council approved a $60 mil tax break for Bedrock's Hudson's site project.
In a 5-4 vote, the city council approved a $60 mil tax break for Bedrock's Hudson's site project.

@media_outlier @BridgeDet313 @PlanetDetroit @freep @wdet @Detour_Detroit @metrotimes @chalkbeatDET @DetDocumenters Agenda: https://bit.ly/3OFAexb
Note: you can access relevant documents by clicking the 📎 icon next to each agenda item

The public can access City Council’s calendar, links to join meetings virtually and watch previous meetings on City Council’s website.
Watch today’s meeting live on Channel 10:
http://detroit-vod.cablecast.tv/CablecastPublicSite/watch/6?channel=1

A bit of a delay getting situated this morning (on my end), folks. We are now hearing from DWD about the Lifeline Water Affordability Plan. https://t.co/9cYsaQhwXP



This was the first rate study conducted by DWSD in over a decade https://t.co/irfykdpPrZ

Gary Brown, Director of DWSD, said block rates focus on water conservation and costs are proportionate to their use https://t.co/uZYnkI6R2c

Graph of how the Lifeline Plan will impact customers. Over 70% of all residential customers will see a decrease in their bill. https://t.co/9KS04PttIb

DWSD Lifeline Plan will have 3 tiers for qualifying households for the first 4,500 households. The tears are $18, $43 and $56. https://t.co/Jlvwwjeqkv

Per Brown, 72% of residential customers use less than 4,500 gallons of water per month. The average Detroit household uses between 2,300 and 3,000 gallons of water per month.

If a customer uses above the threshold, they’ll be charged on a small amount for the excess usage.

DWSD’s Lifeline Plan will protect customers from shutoff. No resident enrolled in the plan will have their water shut off.

WRAP-enrolled customers will be automatically enrolled in the Lifeline Plan

Brown said someone making $150k that falls on unforeseen circumstances and gets behind on their water plan, they can put 10% down and DWSD will put them on a plan to be protected from shut offs.

Gary Brown said the only way the city will secure permanent funding for this program is if water advocates, non-profits, utility users, etc. are lobbying in Washington D.C. “Detroit has an opportunity to execute on a world class program that’s income based”, he said.

You can find more information about the affordability plan here: https://detroitmi.gov/news/mayor-dwsd-announce-detroits-first-income-based-water-affordability-plan

Next up, we’re hearing from Corporation Counsel Conrad Mallett about the Law Department’s legal opinion regarding ballot initiative signatures.

Kim James explained that what happened. BSEED denied a license in the medical marijuana space because they’re limited. The applicant appealed the denial and a hearing officer pointed out there was no criteria for denying a license in the ordinance.

The issue of limited licenses had never come up before. In this particular case, the applicant had been operating illegally and was closed down by the police after an investigation. There were many complaints about the investigation.

There is new criteria included in the amendment to ensure there hasn’t been a situation where a business was operating illegally. The amendments include other things like fraud.

Bryan Coe, Law Department, said the proposed amendment don’t deny someone a license for illegal possession. It does, however, deny a license if there is indication the applicant was operating a business without a license.

Now hearing from the public about the ordinance amendments for medical marijuana licenses.
- Had concerns about Detroit businesses having access to the same opportunities as outsiders.

- Hopes to see opportunities for Black business owners and doesn’t want to see the ordinance exclude them.

- Concerned that most of the investigation and enforcement is on the back of Detroiters. Asked about enforcement strategies that are being used for illegal operations and what resources are available. Suggested a list of licenses and a map.

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Concerned that the laws are being clouded.
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Feels this is the wrong industry for Black residents into and is concerned that it will “kill our city even more”

- Concerned that this particular business isn’t a “good neighbor”. Says residents don’t want to see marijuana establishments on every corner like they do liquor stores.

- Agreed with previous callers. Doesn’t feel that marijuana should be an industry, says it’s more of a chance to prevail. Said her neighborhood is “inundated with drug activity already”

- Feels the reason they have some of these problems is because of mass incarceration that’s broken families up and forced people into a black market.

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Wants Black Detroiters to have a fair economic opportunity in the cannabis industry.
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Thinks callers who’ve mentioned liquor stores should start questioning their licenses too. Asked how the tax revenue would be used.

- Asked how many houses have been converted to grow houses and if the city is keeping track.

- Shared concerns re: various zoning laws pertaining to marijuana establishments.

Council President Pro Tem James Tate responded to various comments and said the city has to work within the parameters of the law.

Corporation Counsel Mallett explained some of the details about what’s required for a ballot initiative.

What the petition would have done is replace the ordinance by City Council and would have allowed license holders for medical marijuana establishments to be “grandfathered in”. This would have increased the # of licenses that City Council anticipated issuing.

Ultimately, those currently operating a marijuana establishment who have been licensed would have a head start in recreational marijuana.


Council member Coleman A. Young II compared someone who says they’re trying to achieve equity with a small number of licenses to someone who says they’re trying to lose weight but doesn’t want to work out and eat healthy. He doesn’t feel it’s a realistic goal.

Young thinks the pool needs to be expanded so that someone who lost everything to the war on drugs can prosper despite those circumstances.


Items under Sections 6 through 9 were sent to the appropriate standing committees.


The first 3 comments supported the Hudson site and discussed Gilbert’s investment in Detroit and support for the community he employs.

- Asked questions about the income generated from Belle Isle based on lease agreements.

- Said they need Fisher 21 Loft project for various reasons including lighting and asbestos removal.

- Thanked Santiago-Romero for adding $12 million for Right to Counsel to her ARPA resolution. Pointed out that the Gilbert-funded program isn’t subject to the public’s oversight.

- Wants City Council to ensure that reparations benefit Black Detroiters. Said she’s traced her ancestorial history back to Detroit at Shiloh Baptist Church

- Doubted that Gilbert was going to pull out of his investments in Detroit. “If he does go somewhere, let him go,” he said. Spoke about the needs of Detroit residents.

- His family was impacted by the property tax overassessment. Encouraged City Council to continue outreach and engagement about tax abatements. He is in an electrician and asked Council to consider approving a resolution

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District 5 resident, supported the Hudson site tax abatement.
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Member of a local electrician’s union, also supported the Hudson abatement.

Several members of Local 58 are present in support of the Hudson development. Their comments have been quite similar noting their support for small business during lunch breaks, employment opportunities, etc.



- followed up on her comments from last week about a situation with her landlord. Said the issues go beyond faulty landlords, it’s also property owners operating as illegitimate property management businesses

- There will be an eviction protest on Wednesday, August 10th at 1pm in front of 36th District Court. Said there needs to be a moratorium on evictions until BSEED gets inspections together.


- Mr. Cunningham- said he gives out free rides on election days. Mentioned he was giving out free bus tickets.

- Discussed barriers he’s faced with employment as someone who relies on the public transit system.

- Spoke on behalf of Latin Americans for Social and Economic Development and supported the Hudson site development.

- Representing Nation Outside and supported Santiago-Romero’s resolution urging the city to coordinate resources to support homeownerships for median-income Detroiters

- Spoke about case managers not being helpful. Said she was put out with paperwork from the hospital. Also discussed issues with housing vouchers.

- Said the Mayor’s housing plan is a “slap in the face to people that need housing and a gift to developers”. Feels the city needs to shift from housing as a commodity to housing as a human right.

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Supported Hudson site tax abatement
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proposed various questions that City Council can ask. Also concerned about selective enforcement and poor city leadership

- “opposed to any giveaways to corporate welfare” and said it seems like the city only cares about rich white people

- Urged the city to prioritize the needs of Detroit residents. Urged a no on any community development agreement that doesn’t benefit the community

- Retired auto worker, opposed the Hudson site tax abatement. Discussed poverty rates here and in Cleveland and pointed out Gilbert’s hand in both cities.

- Supported Santiago-Romero’s resolution calling for $12 million in ARPA funds to support Right to Counsel. Feels Gilbert has been given enough tax giveaways

- Supported Council’s approval of the Hudson site redevelopment abatement

- Said city council menebers that vote no on the Hudson site abatement don’t want the city to move forward

- Supported the AMC site development and felt confident in the city’s opportunity to bring something better to the location

- Thinks the Hudson tax abatement should be approved for the simple fact that it creates opportunities.

- Supported the resolution calling for $12M in ARPA funds to support Right to Counsel. Opposed to tax abatements for the Hudson site, especially not as a walk on 👀

- Opposed the Hudson site abatement. Also wants the Right to Counsel program to be fully funded.

- Wants the Virginia Park community’s boundaries to be added to Master Plan.


- Opposed giving any more tax credits to Dan Gilbert and supported Santiago-Romero’s resolution for funding Right to Counsel with $12M in ARPA funds

- Said they can’t wait until @robertsnellnews reports that a specific council member “has been charged by the Detroit FBI”

- thinks more needs to be done with item 6.2 than just receiving and filing. Concerned that it suggests “our sovereignty is in trouble and we have abated ourselves almost into a bankruptcy again”

- comment cut out, from what I gathered she supported the Hudson tax abatement?

- @DavidPalmer76 - Opposed the Hudson site tax abatement and supports transformational investment in neighborhoods. Supports using ARPA funds to rehabilitate 1,000 DLBA homes and said this is an opportunity to correct significant market deficiencies

- VP of DABO - said they know first hand how much work the Rocket family of companies has done in support of the community. DABO is currently knocking on doors to inform residents about property tax foreclosure assistance

- CEO of a workforce development nonprofit. Believes that Detroit needs a thriving downtown in order to grow. “The Hudson’s project is exactly what we need to continue to build our city.”

- Said the issue with the Hudson site isn’t whether the building should be developed, it’s who should pay for it. He said Gilbert already has billions to invest.

- Supports the AMC project. Lives on 2 blocks away from it and feels that people who don’t live in the area shouldn’t have a say in what happens in their neighborhood.

- Director of Community Engagement for Barton Malow (construction manager for the Hudson site) - said she oversees the contract awards to local minority and woman-owned businesses. Also discussed the $10M Motor City Contractor Fund created by the Gilbert family.

- Supported the efforts to fund Right to Counsel. Said the funds offered by the Gilbert family aren’t nearly enough.

- Supported the tax abatement, Rocket/Bedrock. Said they’re leaders in helping improve public spaces and this is a long-term relationship between Gilbert’s companies and the city.

- Said they don’t want to see the spacing requirements reduced for marijuana businesses. Also feels the developer for the Fisher Body Plant fails to engage in good faith negotiations and hasn’t restored environmental protections previously agreed to.

- Supported Santiago-Romero’s resolution calling for ARPA funds to support the renovation of 1,000 Land Bank homes. Feels this proposal promises home ownership opportunities for Detroiters.

- Lost her house in 2012 because she was over assessed. Her and her daughter are currently living in a hotel and have been since last August. Said she’s been going through this for 10 years and just wants justice.


- Rob Hardamon, developer that has worked in Detroiter - said the risks that are taken on by developers to pull off projects receiving abatements is significant.

- Said despite best efforts, people are still waiting hours to catch the bus. Said current COVID services are discriminatory towards people who don’t own a car.

- Supported the Hudson site tax abatement. Feels the city needs the development and this allows them to continue the momentum outward into the neighborhoods.

- Discussed how Prop N money is being spent. Said they hear how many demolitions are being done but not how many houses are being rehabilitated.

- Supported the Hudson site tax abatement. Spoke about the Minority Contractors Fund and employment opportunities that have been a direct result of the development.

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Supported the AMC redevelopment.
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Supported the Hudson site tax abatement and said they see the investments that Gilbert’s companies are making first-hand.

- Supported the Hudson site tax abatement and discussed employment opportunities that are a result.

- I wasn’t able to understand her comment.
There was a written comment in support of the redevelopment of the Hudson site.


I’m going to step away for a hot minute (mom duties!) and will be back in a few! I will be listening, so I’ll provide a brief overview of what happened while I was gone once I return. https://t.co/tjj4eoq82i

15.1 and 15.2 were approved. 15.3 was postponed until after recess after discussion about concerns with the procurement process. https://t.co/KLLVA0UG9v

Now discussing 15.4 which is a resolution urging the administration to reprogram ARPA funding for various purposes.

15.4 was unanimously approved. 15.5 is a resolution supporting House Bill 6281 and was also unanimously approved.


17.1 was sent back to committee. The remaining items under 17 were approved.


18.35 was moved out of committee with a recommendation to deny. Benson noted that his no vote is due to the need to move the city forward with technology https://t.co/bqb9dA1oXe

I’m a little confused. I initially thought it passed with Benson, Santiago-Romero and Waters voting no. But it may have failed? 😵💫

18.35 failed approval for the ARPA purchase of 50 Malibus for DPD’s investigative unit.
Santiago-Romero noted that her vote is due to her office not being contacted after Council asked the administration to socialize large contracts like this.

Items 18.1 through 18.34 and 18.36 through 18.40 were approved.

18.63, 18.73 and 18.80 are being removed from the agenda for tax clearance issues.

Council member Johnson asked about the duplicity of item 18.69 and the affordable housing plan rolled out last week.

Terra Linzer, Homelessness Solutions Director, clarified that 18,69 is to “provide services to households that present for emergency shelter.” She said this is often referred to as diversion services.

According to Linzer, when households go through CAM and say they need emergency shelter, the first thing they do is attempt to divert the household to somewhere other than a shelter bed.

Linzer said emergency shelters provide a “pretty critical” service”. It helps to reduce the # of people staying in emergency shelters.

Correction: I don’t think she meant the affordable housing plan, she may have referred to the CDBG plan (?)

Linzer said the plan announced last week deals with people before they necessarily need emergency shelter.


Line item 18.113 is a $20 million gift from the Detroit Pistons that will help construct a recreation center in District 7.
More about the donation: https://bit.ly/3OzRBzB

18.118 is a resolution accepting the donation of the Dexter-Elmhurst Community Center. Rhea Bautista, General Services Department, said the city plans to use $8.5M in ARPA funds to renovate the center as well as a neighborhood park adjacent to it.

Bautista said the city has estimated the costs to maintain the facility to be about $415,000 and they will utilize general fund money. This has been included in the 4-year budget.

Council member Durhal said the renovation of the community center will “do wonders” for the residents and will change how Dexter Ave looks, bringing new life to the area again.

Moving forward - 18.123 is a resolution supporting the Michigan House Bill 4297 and Senate Bill 208 which amends the Elliot Larson Civil Rights Act which prohibited discrimination on the basis of religion, race, age, sex, height/weight, familial status & marital status

Read the resolution here: https://bit.ly/3z9dQXr
These two bills would amend the Act to include sexual orientation and gender identity.

Now discussing the resolution urging ATF to review gun sales at Action Impact and Training Center. This is in relation to Officer Loren Court’s death.
Resolution: https://bit.ly/3RYeGz3

Benson emphasized the importance of responsible gun sales and how it impacts the city. Young said he feels this should be expanded to include gun stores in the region, not just Action Impact.

Young said he doesn’t think Michigan is part of the iron pipeline. He does think there’s an issue with straw purchases and illegal firearms.

Both 18.23 and 18.24 were approved unanimously and will be in the name of City Council as a whole.


18.135 will be postponed until Council returns from recess.

Regarding 18.127, Council member Johnson asked how the city valued 23 DLBA properties at $27,000.

Alvin Mitchell said these properties are in need of extensive repairs and once finished, the properties would be sold. He said this is in line with the DLBA selling properties at a lower amount for the repairs.

Johnson requested someone from DLBA because she’s personally paid more for vacant lots than this organization is paying per property. She also has concerns about the first right of refusal and working on 6 properties while holding the other 17

Latisha Johnson: “It looks like we’re giving them the opportunity to really push property values and not allowing everyone to be able to acquire these properties through the Detroit Land Bank Authority”

Karla Marshall with DLBA is here to respond to Johnson’s questions.

Marshall said these properties were a combination of properties that DLBA has tried to sell through their online platforms that didn’t end up selling or failed compliance consistently when someone couldn’t complete compliance on these properties more than once.

This organization, according to Marshall, is a community partner that has done rehabs with DLBA and decided to take on some of these challenging properties.

8 of the properties are occupied and DLBA has trouble finding partners that will work with the occupants and provide a way for occupants to get these properties back through leasing or buy back programs.

Through DLBA’s occupied nonprofit program, the amount to purchase properties is $1,500. The buyer pays $500 and then there’s a $1K promissory note on the back end as an incentive to try to keep the person in the home.

After 6 months, if they can’t keep the person in the home, the occupant voluntarily leaves and/or cannot get into an agreement w/ the developer, the developer has to pay an additional $1,000.

8 of the 23 homes that DLBA is looking to sell to this organization are part of the occupied program

Organizations never take the profit; they roll it back into rehabbing more neighborhood homes.


Now discussing amendments to the Community Benefits Provision for the Hudson site development and the Affordable Housing Agreement with Bedrock Management Services.

Affordable Housing Agreement Resolution: https://bit.ly/3PEvhWP
Community Benefits Provision Resolution: https://bit.ly/3ovfVrE

Steve Ogden, Senior VP and Jared Fleischer, VP of Government Affairs for Rocket Companies are both present this afternoon.

The various commitments include:
20% of the first-floor retail will be devoted to Detroit-based small businesses and other community programs.

Rocket Companies will dedicate $1 million to support growth and development of the Detroit-based small businesses in the Hudson site and invest $5 million in projects in support of the Neighborhood Improvement Fund.

They’ve worked with council member Waters to invest $1 million to support the creation of a one-stop shop for digital inclusion in the city.

Rocket Companies will support programming like financial education so seniors can avoid online scams. Fewer than 30% of Detroiters have access to online banking. They’ll support these programs in 22 neighborhood tech hubs.

Rocket Companies will also commit to a long-term partnership to create an internship pipeline from DPSCD for technology jobs.

The initial agreement said that 20% of their entire portfolio had to be affordable at 80% AMI. They are making what they described as “the most far-reaching commitment to affordable housing ever made by a developer” in the city of Detroit”

Moving forward, 30% of everything they do development-wise will be affordable at 60% AMI.

Mary Waters provided examples of some of the digital equity initiatives she’s worked with Rocket Companies on including a phone number you can call if you need a laptop or want to find out if you qualify for low-cost internet service.

Waters said she’s going to ask developers what they’re going to do for the community anytime they come to City Council requesting a tax incentive.

Council member Waters refuted some of the sentiments shared earlier by the public and said nobody on City Council is willing to sell their soul to a developer. “We cannot think like that”, she said.

Council member Tate said he’s made one thing very clear in the past and that’s that people should know what we’re gonna vote on before it’s in Committee of the Whole.

Tate: “I believe that everyone should have an opportunity to know what is going on this agenda.”
He believes this should be an item that was on the agenda so everyone knew they’d be voting on it. He said this is where he draws the line in terms of processes.

Whitfield-Calloway: “We say we support them but then our actions speak differently”

Whitfield-Calloway believes they’d be doing residents a disservice. She supports what Tate said prior to her remarks and doesn’t plan to support the walk on item.

Durhal referenced some of the remarks made during public comment about the employment opportunities created as a result of the Hudson site development.

@ColemanYoungII encouraged support for the workforce: “There’s no problem in this city that a good paying job can’t face and the best social program, in my mind, is a good high-paying job.”

Benson said there’s a direct connection between development, job growth, tax revenue and the growth of the general fund.

Council member Sheffield read her written statement in support of the amendments being made to the Hudson site development agreements.

The two amendments were approved. Santiago-Romero and Whitfield-Calloway voted no, and possibly Tate(?)

There was a motion to reconsider the vote on 15.3. This item was approved after reconsideration.

*** I will circle back after the meeting to summarize actions taken for items under Section 18.

Items under Sections 19 through 22 were referred to the appropriate standing committees.

Council will be holding a special session on August 1st at 10am to discuss items related to the Fisher 21 Lofts Project.

Council will be in recess until September. There won’t be a formal session held in August.

With nothing further on the agenda, the meeting was adjourned at 3:57PM.

This concludes the Detroit City Council Formal Session meeting on Tuesday, July 26th, 2022.
For more meeting coverage, check out http://documenters.org 🎉
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The Detroit City Council is the legislative body of Detroit, Michigan, United States. The Council is responsible for the creation of local laws—called ordinances. Additionally they pass resolutions, motions, and the proposed city budget. The full-time council is required to meet every business day for at least 10 months of the year, with at least eight of these meetings occurring at a location besides city hall. The council may convene for special meetings at the call of the mayor or at least four members of council. Areas of responsibility for the Budget, Finance and Audit Committee include, Budget, Finance and the Auditor General.
City Council members are elected on the same cycle as the Mayor and will be elected in 2021. Seven members represent the seven council districts, while two members are elected at-large.