Vacant Land - DETROITERS DESERVE A FAIR AND TRANSPARENT PROCESS TO PURCHASE CITY-OWNED VACANT LAND!
DBCFSN / DTownFarm Says: DETROITERS DESERVE A FAIR CHANCE TO PURCHASE CITY-OWNED VACANT LAND!
This year Garden Resource Program members will care for more than 100 acres of vacant land in the City of Detroit, saving the city hundreds of thousands of dollars in routine maintenance costs and investing at least as much in improvements like flowers, trees, benches, and fences. Despite these heroic efforts, gardeners and farmers that attempt to purchase the land they tend are routinely given the run around, made to wait years, and sometimes flat-out refused. One of the reasons that residents are denied sales is that City of Detroit zoning regulations do not allow for gardening and farming except for in backyards or similar accessory uses.
The Detroit City Planning Commission's Urban Agriculture Workgroup in partnership with the Detroit Food Policy Council, many city departments, and community leaders, has been working diligently to update zoning regulations and city code to allow for urban agriculture for more than two years. These zoning and code recommendations will be shared widely with the urban agriculture community as well as the general public at community forums throughout the summer and hopefully approved by City Council this fall. Despite this timeline and despite the fact that residents who have lovingly tended city owned vacant land for years are routinely denied the opportunity to purchase land, it appears as if the Mayor's Department is preparing to sell Hantz Farms hundreds of lots between the Fisher St., St. Jean, Mack, and Jefferson for $300/lot. To read a memo from The City of Detroit Planning Commission and learn more click here.
Why should Hantz Farms get preferential treatment? Please call City Council members today and request a fair and transparent process to purchase city owned vacant land. If you've been trying to purchase city owned land for gardening or farming call the Real Estate Department today to demand equal treatment!
City Council President Charles Pugh 313-224-4510, Council PresidentPugh@detroitmi.gov City Council President Pro Tem Gary Brown 313-224-2450, Councilmember Brown@detroitmi.gov
Council Member Saunteel Jenkins 313-224-4248, Council member jenkins@detroitmi.gov
Council Member Kenneth V. Cockrel, Jr. 313-224-4505, CockrelK@kcockrel.ci.detroit.mi.us
Council Member Brenda Jones 313-224-1245, bjones_mb@detroitmi.gov
Council Member André Spivey 313-224-4841, CouncilmanSpivey@detroitmi.gov
Council Member James Tate 313-224-1027, councilmembertate@detroitmi.gov
Council Member Kwame Kenyatta 313-224-1198, K-Kenyatta_MB@detroitmi.gov
Council Member Joann Watson 313-224-4535, WatsonJ@detroitmi.gov
City of Detroit Real Estate Department (313) 224-0953 or (313) 224-4195
