Come out to join CVA at our meeting Tuesday, February 20th at Butzel Community Center from 5pm to 7pm!

As we build a movement against racist displacement, resegregation, and gentrification it is important that we find our voice to speak the plain truth about the injustice being done to us. We need to make sure that we hold individuals and organizations accountable for what they do and demand that they do right by the community. Published below is a letter we sent to the Villages CDC clarifying our relationship with them and challenging them to do better by the community. We will be discussing this letter, the City’s upcoming plans, and how to be prepared to speak out on Tuesday. 

Come out and be a part of the discussion for how we fight against racist displacement and gentrification in Detroit! We got a lot to talk about, including updates on what we have been doing and ways we can build a successful campaign against displacement in Detroit. Bring your ideas, your experiences, and your energy to the meeting!

During the recent fight over City Council’s approval of hundreds of millions of dollars to downtown developers, the Charlevoix Village Association was a presence at council meetings. The media in Southeast Michigan took notice.

Gilbert’s Bedrock seeks council OK for major tax breaks, Detroit News

Public comments on the project were split about the potential deal. Several union officials whose members would get jobs and members of a neighborhood advisory committee for the developments praised the deal. Others urged the council to deny approval.

“This is a very creative way of not going to the general fund because the money is coming straight out of workers paychecks and to the billionaire,” said Allison Laskey, a member of the Charlevoix Village Association neighborhood group.

Detroit council approves $250M tax breaks for Bedrock, Detroit News

Some residents decried the incentives Tuesday as an unfair benefit for the wealthy. Others praised Bedrock as a partner, telling council the approvals will help bring jobs and upgrades to city communities.

Allison Laskey, a member of the Charlevoix Village Association neighborhood group, urged council to hold off on approving the plan during public comment.

“There hasn’t been enough time for due process,” said Laskey, who is worried about budget implications and job creation. “This is a very important piece of legislation, and it’s taking place on a short-time frame. Why rush this through City Council between the election and the Thanksgiving holiday?”

Detroit City Council approves $250M in taxpayer money for Dan Gilbert, Metro Times

Several residents like Brian Silverstein of the Charlevoix Village Association spoke during public comment and charged that council members wouldn’t have supported giving a billionaire $250 million if the vote took place before this month’s election. Silverstein called the proposal “grimy and unpalatable.”