I am writing today to announce the closure of the Michigan Messenger. After four years of operation in Michigan, the board of the American Independent News Network, has decided to shift publication of its news into a single site, The American Independent at Americanindependent.com. This is part of a shift in strategy, towards new forms [...]
An abstinence-only presentation provided to numerous school districts in Calhoun and Eaton Counties in October of this year provided false and misleading information to students about HIV, experts allege.
Two county registers of deeds filed a class action lawsuit Monday on behalf of Michigan’s 83 counties alleging that the Mortgage Electronic Registration Services owes millions of dollars in property title transfer taxes.
Despite evidence of the impact of mercury on children and public health, Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette last month joined with 24 other state attorneys general in filing a lawsuit to scuttle new EPA regulations that would reduce mercury emissions from power plants.
The state of Michigan is applying for $290 million in federal funds to help set up or fully fund municipal land banks that help local governments take control of foreclosed and abandoned properties. The Detroit News reports:
The Michigan State Housing Development Authority has proposed launching the “New Michigan Urban Neighborhood” plan. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development could decide on funding by Dec. 1.
“We are working together to overcome division because we understand that all Michigan communities have a shared stake in developing the assets of our urban centers,” MSHDA Executive Director Keith Molin said in a statement.
The request is among hundreds seeking part of nearly $2 billion to combat the effects of home foreclosures, vacancy and abandonment.
Under the plan, money would be allocated to acquire and redevelop more than 6,000 foreclosed, abandoned and vacant properties in Michigan, demolish 2,500 structures and rehabilitate or build 1,500 homes.
Here are the specific land banks that would benefit:
# Battle Creek and the Calhoun County Land Bank ($10 million)
# Benton Harbor and the Berrien County Land Bank ($18 million)
# Detroit and the Michigan Land Bank Fast Track Authority ($52.85 million)
# Flint and the Genesee County Land Bank ($32.5 million)
# Grand Rapids and the Michigan Land Bank Fast Track Authority ($20.15 million)
# Hamtramck and the Wayne County Land Bank ($18 million)
# Highland Park and the Wayne County Land Bank ($18 million)
# Kalamazoo and the Kalamazoo County Land Bank ($18.5 million)
# Lansing and the Ingham County Land Bank ($22.5 million)
# Pontiac and the Michigan Land Bank Fast Track Authority ($18 million)
# Saginaw and the Saginaw County Land Bank ($22.5 million)
# Wyandotte and the Wayne County Land Bank ($10 million)
Land banks allow municipalities to “fast track” the turning over of abandoned properties to the local governments. As it typically stands, it can take years to transfer title to a property from an owner or lender who abandoned it to the government, during which time the property becomes run down and helps drive down the value of the whole neighborhood.
Once the government takes over that land, it can make decisions on whether to tear down the building or sell it to a developer either as an individual property or part of a larger bundle of properties. That can help maintain property values in the area by preventing blight. It can even be profitable for the city if administered well. But it requires a fair amount of money to get the process started, which these funds can help provide.
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