Detroit plans online auctions in fight against blight

DETROIT – Detroit plans a new push to auction city-owned homes online as part of an effort to fight blight.

Mayor Mike Duggan and the Detroit Land Bank Authority on Monday afternoon plan to announce a new auction website that's designed to get homes into the hands of people who will quickly fix them. A community meeting about the effort is Monday night.

The city also will announce the first auction date.

Last week, Duggan said that the city will post legal notices on empty houses and take court action if needed against owners of blighted properties in one northwest side neighborhood. It's part of Duggan's revitalization program for the bankrupt city.

Detroit has been working for years to deal with vacant and dangerous buildings, often by demolishing them.