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.
A Detroit non-profit has created an interactive guide to 13,000 tax delinquent city properties that will be offered for sale by Wayne County at an online auction scheduled for later this month.
Last month’s online property auction raised $1.8 million for the county. The next auction gets underway on Oct. 21. The minimum bid on a property is $500.
The Data Driven Detroit guide offers street level views of the properties along with descriptions and information about the distances to the nearest park, bus stop and grocery store.
Community Legal Services in Detroit recommends that concerned residents pay attention to the auctions in their neighborhoods.
… The fact that this auction is open to anyone who registers means that outcomes can result in a wide range of community control. For example, a concerned resident or Community Development Corporation may purchase a parcel for property expansion or redevelopment, or a speculator may purchase a property for investment.
Residents and local non-profit organizations can play a vital role in preventing auction properties from becoming negative influences on a neighborhood’s quality of life. To do this, residents and local organizations might consider taking the following actions 1) be aware of which properties are up for auction, and 2) play an active role in monitoring the status and ownership of the property throughout both auctions.
Wayne County Treasurer Raymond Wojtowicz told Crain’s Detroit that starting this year the county will be able to reclaim properties that not maintained by those that purchase them at auction.
“The Treasurer’s Office will require purchasers to keep taxes current on the property as well as demolish, secure or maintain the property as required,” he said in a statement. “If a purchaser fails to do so, the local community will have the right to take back that property with a 30-day notice. This is an aggressive measure, as our goal is to eliminate blight and abandonment in our communities.”
Do you know where to vote on Election Day? Do you know what to bring with you? Get comprehensive voter information for your state here.
Sign up for our email newsletter