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>>Secret deal? The City of Detroit is aggressively pursuing property owners who neglect their properties. But the Morouns seem to get away with some of the worst blight offenses in the city. Is it because there’s an agreement between the city and a powerful real estate family? Nat Zorach said the city granted a Freedom of Information Act request for a memorandum of understanding between the two parties. Zorach, who writes about urban planning and policy at The Handbuilt City, told Outlier Media that the city hasn’t provided him the document yet, only saying that it’s 39 pages. A source within the Buildings, Safety Engineering, and Environmental Department told him the agreement allowed the city to present violations to property owners prior to enforcement. The city also settled with the Morouns in December for just $50,000 for blight tickets on nearly 2,000 properties. (Handbuilt City, Axios Detroit) |
