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City of Detroit to Step Up Collection Efforts as Most Developers Fail to Repay HUD Loans | LoanSafe
http://www.loansafe.org/city-of-detroit-to-step-up-collection-efforts-as-most-developers-fail-to-repay-hud-loans
City of Detroit to Step Up Collection Efforts as Most Developers Fail to Repay HUD Loans | LoanSafe:
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Thinking for Ourselves and Rethinking Work
Paul Krugman of the New York Times who was bitterly disappointed in the last stimulus effort said:
“First things first: I was favorably surprised by the new Obama jobs plan, which is significantly bolder and better than I expected. It’s not nearly as bold as the plan I’d want in an ideal world. But if it actually became law, it would probably make a significant dent in unemployment.”
Another commentator noted that this was “an enlivened President Obama…impassioned, indignant, non-professorial.” Others still called the speech “politically dexterous” and were glad it expressed “a fairly unquiet anger at Washington’s—meaning Congress’—failure to act.”
The Republican leadership, perhaps attentive to the polls that show their approval rating is lower than the President’s, greeted the speech with restraint. By the beginning of the week the opposition had rallied. House Majority Leader Eric Cantor slammed the recommendations on closing loopholes for oil and gas companies and tax breaks for the wealthiest. He called this a “massive tax increase.” Speaker John Boehner claimed the plan lacked “bipartisan spirit” and vowed to break it into several parts.
I welcomed the speech. We are facing a crisis unlike any since the Great Depression. Here in Michigan we are on the brink of a catastrophe. As a state we account for nearly half of all jobs lost in the country as a whole. Now we have a republican governor and legislature who are tearing apart the basic supports for the most vulnerable among us.
I applauded when the President said: “What we can’t do -- what I will not do -- is let this economic crisis be used as an excuse to wipe out the basic protections that Americans have counted on for decades. I reject the idea that we need to ask people to choose between their jobs and their safety. I reject the argument that says for the economy to grow, we have to roll back protections that ban hidden fees by credit card companies, or rules that keep our kids from being exposed to mercury, or laws that prevent the health insurance industry from shortchanging patients. I reject the idea that we have to strip away collective bargaining rights to compete in a global economy. “
But more important than the fate of this specific proposal is the long term concern that President Obama raised. He said: “Now, the American Jobs Act answers the urgent need to create jobs right away. But we can’t stop there…We have to look beyond the immediate crisis and start building an economy that lasts into the future …
We now live in a world where technology has made it possible for companies to take their business anywhere. If we want them to start here and stay here and hire here, we have to be able to out-build and out-educate and out-innovate every other country on Earth.” This is the question we all need to urgently address: how do we create an economy that sustains our people, our communities and our planet? What do we think that future should be?
Rethinking Work
We are the children of Martin and Malcolm,
Black, brown, red and white,
Our birthright is to be creators of history,
Our Right, Our Duty
To shake the world with
A new dream!
At this time of mass unemployment and foreclosures, failing banks and failed states, floods, tsunamis, tornadoes, hurricanes and global warming that threatens all life on this planet, I often find myself recalling this poem and wanting to share it. I helped to write it in the spring of 1982, nearly 30 years ago.
Three of us, one African American, one Polish American and me, were sitting in my car following a National Organization for an American Revolution (NOAR) meeting. We were talking about and planning to participate in the June 12 March for Unilateral Disarmament in New York’s Central Park. Out of the blue one of us (I don’t remember which one) came up with the first line. The other lines then followed as naturally as water from a faucet. Our poem was published on the front page of the broadsheet that NOAR distributed at the Central Park March. A million people, about one out of every 250 Americans, participated.
Many historians believe it was the numbers and energy of these Americans that inspired Mickhail Gorbachev, the General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, to initiate glasnot and perestroika at the 28th Congress of the party in 1986, thus contributing to the collapse of the Soviet Union five years later.
As T.S.Eliot put it, “History has many cunning passages.”
I share this poem now because it seems to me that we are at a time on the clock of the world when the children of Martin and Malcolm are beginning to shake the world with a new dream.
They/We are doing it in cities all over the country by growing our own food and by bringing the neighbor back into the ‘hood to create beloved communities.’
We/they are beginning to make a life, not just a living. We are also doing it by Re-imagining and Re-defining Work, so that in the words of Matthew Fox, our Work is “an expression of the spirit at work in the world through us.”
Over the last weekend in October the Boggs Center, together with over 15 community organizations, is hosting a gathering in Detroit to re-define and re-imagine Work. Individuals and groups from all walks of life will be showcasing and discussing the many ways in which we are being challenged by our “wounded Earth, the one billion unemployed, the billions of despairing young people who see no guarantee of either work or jobs, and the needs of other species around us to, as Fox writes, “shake the world with a new dream of Work.”
October 28-30.
Rethinking Work - Taken from posting 'Rethinking Work' 9/19/2011
We should be making more of what we consume.
Nathaniel McClure went to school in New York and launched a successful career in Los Angeles. But for the past two years, it's been metro Detroit that his video game development company has called home.
Bagley Community Council
Looking at change differently
2011 Unsung Hero Recipients
On behalf of University Commons and the 12th Precinct Neighborhood Coalition, we want to congratulate our 2011 "Unsung Heroes". The Unsung Hero Reception is an annual recognition for all residents, business, and partners who spend many, many hours working to develop and enhance our community. The 2011 recipients received recognition from the City of Detroit, Wayne County, University Commons and their individual associations. We thank you for all that you do and we look forward to our 2012 Unsung Heroes Reception.
For 2011 our heroes are…...
Bagley
Ruth Johnson
Karen Palmer
Detroit Golf Club
Nancy Varner
Fitzgerald
Margaret Harris
Greenacres
Maria Dickerson
Karen Hammer
Greenwich Park
Leon Washington
Martin Park
Brad Nichols
Doris Ray
Palmer Woods
Dale Morgan
Barbara Barefield
Pilgrim Village
Ellis Ross
William Ware
Sherwood Forest
Ernest Thompson
Gail & Gordon Rodwan
University District
Holly Clements
Tiffany Alexander
New Prospect
Charlie Primas
Northstar
Clifford Appling
Zeline Richard
Livernois Business Owners
Jamal Ambro - Mike's Fresh Market
Rufus Bartell - Simply Casual
Don Studvent - 1917 American Bistro
People for Palmer Park
Jim Meyers
PLEASE share this with your friends and neighbors!!
Meijer to sign lease for Detroit store
Please share as it looks like new development may actually be coming to our area and soon…..
Meijer to sign lease for Detroit store
12:28 PM, Jun. 27, 2011 |
BY JOHN GALLAGHER
DETROIT FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER Filed Under
Business
Michigan Business
The grocery superstore chain Meijer is expected to sign a lease by mid-July for a new Detroit store at Woodward and 8 Mile Road, project developers said today.
Ken Till, vice-president of the Southfield-based development firm Redico, told the Detroit Brownfield Redevelopment Authority meeting that Meijer is reviewing the final lease and should be signed in about two weeks. Meijer would be the anchor tenant of the long-planned Gateway Marketplace project.
Long-delayed but finally moving forward, the Gateway project would also feature a Marshalls store as well as a bank branch, a McDonald’s, and several other stores. Till told the authority that Redico is talking to retailers including Old Navy and PetSmart as possible tenants.
The retail project, on the southeast corner of Woodward and 8 Mile, is planned as 362,000 square feet of retail space on 36 acres. Key funding will include a loan from Detroit’s General Retirement System pension fund, as well as a variety of tax credits. Construction could begin later this year.
Contact John Gallagher: 313-222-5173 or gallagher99 @freepress.com
Avenue of passion: Pedestrian scale Livernois strip reloads for the future
Great article about our local retail jewel!! Here is the link so you can see the pictures: http://www.modeldmedia.com/features/livernois611.aspx. Have you shopped the Livernois corridor lately??
Avenue of passion: Pedestrian scale Livernois strip reloads for the future
Veronica Grandison | Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Many know Livernois Avenue as the street that harbors hundreds of businesses. But for those old enough to remember, think back to when part of its northern corridor was one of the most popular shopping districts in Detroit.
Between 7 and 8 Mile roads, the commercial district known as the Avenue of Fashion used to be the "go to" place for the best apparel in town. It included a multitude of local businesses including retail shops, art galleries, bookstores, medical offices, hair salons and barbershops.
From the 1950s to the 1970s, the period when the district was thriving financially, tons of patrons could be seen strolling up and down the pavement of the Livernois strip, walking in and out of stores with bags in hand, investing money back into the community. Stores such as B. Siegel Company and historic venues like Baker's Keyboard Lounge were two of the most popular attractions in the area and kept the fashion district on its toes.
Fast-forward to 2011. The Avenue of Fashion is one of many commercial districts in the process of reshaping its image to appeal to a new generation of Detroiters who may not know about the quality shops that populate the area. Yet, unlike many other districts, the Avenue of Fashion has a rally of support that has never left its side -- the local champions of the community.
Reshaping Livernois
The Avenue of Fashion is surrounded by upscale Detroit neighborhoods the University District, Green Acres, Sherwood Forest, and Palmer Woods. The area also consists of two higher educational institutions – the University of Detroit Mercy and Marygrove College. The universities and neighborhoods provide support to the local businesses on Livernois in their work with University Commons, a community organization in Northwest Detroit that works to improve the residential and business environment in the area. The organization is comprised of UDM, Marygrove, Northstar Community Development Corporation, Shoppers Coop, local business associations, and local community organizations.
University Commons has also collaborated with the Restore Detroit program, which works with local businesses and residents to improve neighborhood commercial districts. The University Commons Business District is one of the five districts within Detroit that are receiving grants and technical assistance from the city.
The partnership between the city and University Commons has resulted in new facades for 10 businesses through the Façade Improvement Grant, which is a program that offers 50/50 matching grant dollars to eligible property owners.
Kim Tandy, the Executive director and program manager for University Commons says that the organization is in the process of revitalizing an entire block, which will serve as an example of what the rest of the strip will look like in the next few years.
"We have a great housing stock, there are very strong communities, and those neighborhoods need to have commercial districts that reflect that same type of things," Tandy says.
University Commons is also working with the Urban Land Institute's Daniel Rose Center for Public Leadership in Land Use to revitalize the area. The purpose of the project is to create a walkable, social corridor that draws residents from the area and citizens from the city to come and want to shop, walk around and visit.
Some of the goals that the organizations have for the Avenue of Fashion include improving the lighting, putting in new sidewalks and trees, providing better parking options, and redoing the signage of businesses to attract more customers. The organizations also plan to incorporate a program with DTE Energy to put solar panels on all the buildings. The beta site is estimated to be finished by the end of the year and, within the next five years, the entire Avenue of Fashion is set to be redesigned.
"We are hoping that through this process, we can help reinvigorate a strategy for 7 mile that can be a model for other commercial areas that we want to see throughout the city," says Olga Stella, Vice President for Business Development at Detroit Economic Growth Corporation and one of four Rose Center Fellows.
Older Businesses in the area
Lolita Haley, owner of Prime Financial Plus Realty located within the Avenue of Fashion, is one of the many business owners who has seen the commercial district thrive, decline and slowly rise up again. In addition to her real estate company, Haley also owned a beauty and nail salon in the area for many years, and serviced a diverse clientele from regular customers to prominent politicians.
"This whole strip was once a very sought after area and neighborhood to move in," says Haley.
Despite the loss in revenue and businesses, there are many shops within the area that are still successful have maintained a loyal clientele throughout the years.
Since its opening in 1994, Jo's Galley has continued to be a popular art venue and was the first art gallery to open in the Avenue of Fashion. The owner JoAnn Griffin says that the gallery attracts clients from all over the metro area with its unique figurines, graphic art, custom framing, and full line art service.
Terry's Enchanted Garden is a boutique that has been around since 1980, when it started as a small floral shop. Some of the businesses corporate clients include Compuware, MGM Grand Casino and Chrysler.
New Businesses
Right in the mix with older establishments are new businesses adding diversity to the commercial strip.
Times Square Men's Clothing opened in 2010 and has clientele ranging from ages eight to 80. Times Square owner Algernon Bartell is part of a long list of clothing shops along the strip, along with his brother Rufus Bartell, who currently has two stores within the Avenue of Fashion -- Simply Casual and Shoehouse Boulevard.
While clothing boutiques have always been at the heart of the Avenue of Fashion, food is another feature within the strip that is slowly gaining momentum, especially since 1917 American Bistro opened its doors in 2009. The upscale, yet affordable dining establishment has been receiving a ton of buzz for its elegant, intimate environment and European-inspired menu. The restaurant has also had an impact on the district, attracting more people to the area. Tandy says that since American Bistro opened, she has been working with three business owners who are interested in putting restaurants in the area.
Among the restaurants, retail shops and art galleries, there are a ton of beauty salons and barbershops within the area. Happy to be Nappy is one salon on Livernois that has garnered much attention, and is run by master hair stylist and entrepreneur Ewanda Ferguson. The hair salon attracts clients from all over the world.
"The one thing I like about the Avenue of Fashion is that celebrities or athletes or just regular customers are welcome on this block," said Ferguson. "And even though people have said you can relocate to the suburbs, I think people still feel comfortable when they come here because it gives them a sense of roots."
The Future
The vibrancy that once swept the streets of the Avenue of Fashion all year round is revived in part during the summer with such events as the annual Jazz on the Ave and the Livernois Walk-a-Thon. Both events encourage citizens to walk the Livernois area and visit the local shops. A parade also takes place annually and for the past few years, it has attracted thousands of people to the Avenue of Fashion.
"You can experience Livernois a little better with community events," says Tandy, who lives in the Sherwood Forest district and grew up in the area.
Tandy as well as other business owners in the area are working towards turning the Avenue of Fashion back into the thriving community it once was.
"I remember what it was and I know what it can be," Tandy says. "And I know it can be fabulous and we are going to make sure that it is going to be."
Veronica Grandison is a recent graduate of the University of Michigan-Dearborn.
FW: [Bagley Community Council] Bagley community council 2011
We also expect the residents of Bagley to become more actively involved. There are two ways that you can help to make Bagley a better, safer, more beautiful, and friendlier place to live. Number One: you can volunteer. We have several committees that need your skills and expertise. Number Two: you can give money by becoming a paying member of the Bagley Community Council. Your financial support not only helps to ensure that the critical work the board is doing continues on, but it also allows us to help children in our community through our scholarship fund.
There are also some things you can do by joining your local Block Club. Helping your neighbors beautify your block by cutting grass at abandoned houses on vacant lots, removing illegal signs, and supporting local businesses that support us are all good practices for maintaining our community. We know that the rebuilding of our community is not going to be easy, nor will it be quick. But this is the work that we do every day to keep control of our community, to make it a welcoming and friendly place for new families interested in purchasing a home here.
As one of the largest community councils in the city I take great pride in representing you at the Detroit City Council meetings and with the mayor's office. It's only with a concentrated effort on solutions for the problems that we face in the 21st Century that we can hope to come out on the other side better organized, stronger, and with a sense of purpose for the future of all residents of Bagley.
So won't you join us in being a part of that future? Bagley Community Council meetings are held the third Saturday of each month promptly at 10:00 AM at the 12th Precinct Headquarters on 7 Mile. There you'll hear from other Block Clubs, residents of Bagley, its board, and our elected officials on the State County and City levels.
Thank you very much,
Lee Gaddies, President, Bagley Community Council, Inc. (As of 2014, former president)
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1917 American Bistro Opens
Recycling Is Here!!!

Newspaper
The inserts can be left inside. If it comes in a newspaper, it can be recycled with the newspaper. Some of the things recycled newspapers can be made into are: Newsprint, shoe boxes, cereal boxes, telephone books, tissues, paper towel, and insulation.
Mixed paper
This category includes white and colored paper, envelopes, junk mail, folders, construction paper, and cardstock. Items that CAN NOT be recycled are: tissue paper, receipts, napkins, wrapping paper, and paper towel. For every ton of paper that is recycled, 17 trees are saved from being cut down.
Glossy Paper
This category includes magazines, flyers, and catalogs. Glossy paper differs from other papers because it has a heavy clay coating and must be processed differently.
Books
This category includes bound, hardcover, soft cover, and phone books. Magazines should not be mixed in with books, and should be placed with glossy paper. Rather than recycling your books, many libraries, used book stores, and Salvation Army sites will accept your used books.
Cardboard & Chipboard
This category includes corrugated cardboard boxes, cereal boxes, shoe boxes, Kleenex boxes, and paper grocery bags. We CAN NOT accept chipboard that is dirty with food such as paper plates, donut boxes, etc.
Glass
Glass must be separated into clear, brown, and green. Any other colors, such as blue or red glass, should be put in with the green glass. Labels and tops can be left on the glass, although metal tops can be recycled with the metal. Glass composites such as Plexiglas can not be recycled. Most of the glass we recycle is pulverized and used in road construction.
All Metals
Metals of all different kinds can be sorted together. This includes steel, iron and aluminum cans. Please make sure that your containers are rinsed. Labels do not have to be removed. Crushing cans will help save on space. Aluminum is 100% recyclable, which means none of the material is lost in the recycling process. Every time one aluminum can is recycled, enough energy is saved to power a television for about three hours (compared to mining and manufacturing a new can).
Plastics
Please sort your plastics according to the number found on the bottom of the container. We can accept #1 and #2 plastics together, and #4, #5, #6, and #7 plastics together. Make sure your containers are clean and rinsed; otherwise they will end up in the garbage. Tops should be removed and discarded. Any labels can be left on the container. Plastic is one of the most important items to recycle because it is made from petroleum.
Styrofoam
This category includes carry out boxes, packing materials, and some food containers. We can accept Styrofoam peanuts, but they must be in a separate plastic bag from other Styrofoam. Please make sure that no food scraps are in any containers.
Aseptic
This category includes orange juice, milk, soy milk, and juice box containers. The plastic tops should be removed, and the containers flattened to save space. Please make sure that all containers are rinsed to avoid unwanted odors.
Batteries
We accept household batteries only. This includes AAA through D, 9 volt, and cell phone batteries. Please make sure that they are in a separate bag. We CAN NOT accept car batteries or any other heavy duty industrial batteries.
Plastic Bags
This category includes plastic grocery bags, plastic dry cleaning bags, and newspaper insert bags. We accept # 1, #2, and #4 plastic bags. Check the bottom or side of the bag to find the number. We CAN NOT accept bubble wrap, garbage bags, plastic food bags, and frozen food bags. Please make sure that your bags are clean and dry, and that receipts have been removed.
Computers and Electronics
We accept old computers, CD players, VCRs, and televisions. Computers and electronics in working condition can be donated to Salvation Army. We also accept cell phones and old printer cartridges, but they must be collected separate from computers and electronics.
Detroit Police Crime Advisory
| DETROIT POLICE CRIME ADVISORY *Unknown perpetrators conducting Home Invasions targeting elderly individuals Method of Operation: Beware of perpetrators who are targeting elderly individuals that live or are found to be alone in their residence. The perpetrators talk the elderly individuals into allowing them to enter the home; on a couple of occasions the perpetrators have identified themselves as Police Officers. Once inside the home the perpetrators assault and rob the elderly individual. In one instance we believe the perpetrators may be responsible for a fatal assault of an 88 year old resident. What to do: If you live alone or are at home alone and someone whom you do not know comes to your door please do the following: 1. DO NOT OPEN THE DOOR 2. If they are claiming to be Police Officers: a. Ask to see photo ID (without opening door) ask them where they work, get their badge number. b. Call the nearest District and confirm identities. 3. Call a neighbor, have them look out from their house and ID the persons as well as any vehicle they may be driving. (Police will almost always be in a vehicle) 4. Call 911 and give a complete description of the individuals as well as any vehicle they may be driving. District Phone Numbers: Western District 313-596-1200 (Bagley Community) Northwest District 313-596-5600 Southwest District 313-596-5300 Eastern District 313-596-5900 Northeast District 313-596-1100 Central District 313-596-1300 Linda Peltier (Vertin) Commander Northeastern District Cell (248) 390-5307 Office (313) 596-1110 |
Advertisements on Utility Poles - TEAR THEM DOWN!!!
I spoke to Sgt. Bledsoe in the Community Relations Department at the Western District Precinct about an initiative that they will be starting this spring to rid the community of the hideous signs that are mounted on utility poles. If you aren't aware, there is a City ordinance banning such signs. Sgt. Bledsoe said that they have not started the initiative yet, but that she and her officers are willing to work with us to remove the signs. She said that if we see people putting up signs, write down their license plate number. A picture helps too.
Our position is that these signs contribute to blight in our community and they have to be removed. Our CB patrollers regularly remove the signs, as do other community members, yet every day new ones appear. In addition to removing the signs, we have begun calling the phone numbers on the signs and informing people that they are in violation of City of Detroit ordinances. We ask them to remove the signs and offering them an opportunity to advertise in our newsletter.
HERE'S WHAT WE NEED YOU TO DO:
- If you see someone putting up signs, write down their license plate number. If you have a camera on your cell phone, take a picture.
- Remove any signs you see.
- Give us the information. Let us know the name on the sign, phone #, location, and whether or not you removed it or called the person.
- Call the business. (You can block your phone number by first dialing *67). Let the person know that we don't approve of them littering our neighborhood with the signs.
I live in the Bagley Community. The boundaries are Livernois to Wyoming and McNichols to Outer Drive. The signs you have posted on utility poles violate a City ordinance banning such advertisement. They also contribute to blight in our community and we respectfully ask that you remove them. We are working with the Western District Police Precinct to enforce the ordinance and have violators fined. If you would like to advertise legally, feel free to do so in our newsletter that reaches 5000 households each quarter. If you have questions, call us at 313-927-2674. Thank you for your cooperation.
This is the only way that we can prevent our neighborhood from becoming a dumping ground and littered with garbage!
PLEASE HELP US!!!
If you can't remove the signs, then call the number on the sign. If you don't want to call, then pass the information along to us.
This is a project of our Environmental Committee. If you'd like to be a part of the committee, let us know.
Karen Palmer
President, Bagley Community Council, Inc. (Former President - 2014)
Introducing the Bagley Community Council Blog
Hello Bagley Residents -
I'm happy to announce the launch of the new Bagley Community Council Blog. Please visit the blog at http://bagleycommunity.blogspot.com/. Visit often and share the link with your neighbors. We will post information and announcements on a daily basis.
We also still have our Yahoo Discussion Group located at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BagleyCommunityCouncil/. We invite you to join this group to discuss issues relevant to our community.
Please let me know if you have any questions about either site.
Karen Palmer
President, Bagley Community Council, Inc.
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Disclaimer
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