Detroit officials announce new tax-relief plan

Plan aims to help those who had lost homes in the city

DETROIT – When the sub-prime bubble popped, an estimated 10,000 Detroiters lost their homes -- many of them because their homes were over-assessed

The Detroit City Council announced a new plan Tuesday that features an eight-part program aimed at giving those who lost their homes a path to owning a new home in Detroit.

The plan is likely to pass as five of the nine councilmembers are co-sponsors.

The program includes:

  • 50% discount on any auction or Detroit Land Bank property
  • Preferential hiring for the City of Detroit
  • Children and grandchildren getting preference to paid youth programs
  • Preferential access to Detroit at work job search and career services
  • Preferential enrollment in the City’s Rehab Academy
  • Preferential enrollment in the Senior home retro-fit program
  • Preference for the occupancy of affordable housing
  • Preferential access to financial counseling

There were a variety of reasons people lost their home. For instance, those who were in arrears for taxes may not be eligible, but if you were in arrears because of the over-assessment, you will be eligible for the programs.


About the Author

Paula Tutman is an Emmy award-winning journalist who came to Local 4 in 1992. She's married and the stepmother of three beautiful and brilliant daughters. Her personal philosophy in life, love and community is, "Do as much as you can possibly do, not as little as you can possibly get away with".

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