Tell City Council to Hold Developers Accountable and Stand Up For Long-term Residents in Detroit!

Attend City Council Committe of the Whole Session 

Tuesday, November 20th, 10am | Coleman A. Young Municipal Building, 13th Floor

On Tuesday, City Council will vote on whether or not to approve the rezoning request needed by Invest Detroit and Roxbury Group to do their 94 unit mixed-use development on the corner of Van Dyke and Kercheval.  While the community’s input encouraged Invest Detroit and Roxbury Group to make some changes to the development( the 19 units at 50% to 60% AMI was for ten years, but now it is 30 years, and the units are priced capped at 120%AMI for ten years) it still has far to go to be a truly inclusive and equitable development.

We need people to call City Council members and attend Tuesday’s City Council meeting to ask that they delay the rezoning until the community’s needs are addressed:

AFFORDABILITY

• While Invest Detroit and Roxbury Group have taken out units that are market-rate, putting a cap on rent at 120% AMI for 10 years, the cap is still too high and the time frame too short.

• 120% AMI is well above the means of incoming teachers, police officers, and firefighters, who are at 75% AMI, at salaries between $36,000 and $38,500.

• On too many occasions, Invest Detroit and the Roxbury Group have failed to communicate with the community about changes made to the development project.

• The developers have had no meaningful engagement since Oct 10th, which was the community meeting called by the Planning Commission and held at Butzel Community Center.

  • They have not responded to a request by the community concerning a set of community benefits people would like to see attached to this development.

  • Community members who expressed interest in being a part of the Community Advisory Board that was suggested by the Planning Commission have not heard back from Invest Detroit or the Roxbury Group

Because of our insistence on speaking up and making sure development that happens in our community actually benefits us, we have forced some significant changes to this development and the City’s process of “engagement”.  Our voices matter. That is why we have to remain vocal and active. Please reach out to City Council and come speak out Tuesday to urge City Council to hold these developers accountable.

Brenda Jones, 313.224.1245, Bjones_mb@detroitmi.gov
Janeé Ayers, 313.224.4248, councilmemberayers@detroitmi.gov
Mary Sheffield, 313.224.4505, councilmembersheffield@detroitmi.gov
James Tate, 313.224.1027, councilmembertate@detroitmi.gov
Roy McCalister, 313.224.4535, councilmemberMcCalister@detroitmi.gov
Scott Benson, 313.224.1198, BensonS@detroitmi.gov
André Spivey, 313.224.4841, councilmanspivey@detroitmi.gov
Raquel Castañeda-López, 313.224.2450, councilmemberraquel@detroitmi.gov
Gabe Leland, 313.224.2151, LelandG@detroitmi.gov

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