Detroit announces eviction assistance, end of landbank's demolition program

DETROIT (FOX 2) - Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan said Michigan's largest city will do as much as possible to help both tenants and landlords struggling to keep bills paid during the COVID-19 pandemic.

For months, the COVID-19 ripple effect has gripped the country. Out of a job and with no way to pay rent for the past few months, thousands of Detroiters are looking at another month of rent and mortgage coming due.

The moratorium on evictions in Detroit ended earlier this month and mayor Mike Duggan said thousands of people are at risk of being forced out of their homes.

"With the failure of the federal government to effectively do anything to stop the evictions and to effectively support the folks who are out of work we are very concerned about the housing security," Duggan said help is on the way, through a beefing up of the city's eviction prevention program.

"We have nearly $12 million that is being used for attorney's to help pay back rent to make arrangments with landlords."

Typically, attorneys working for the city's program would represent tenants in eviction hearings at 20 to 50 cases a month. They're currently aiming for 500 to 600 cases per month.

 They're hiring more staff but the money is not endless.

"For those people in these situations it's important to pay what you can, there isn't enough money to pay for everything," Duggan said.

For more information regarding help with evictions, check out the city's site www.detroitevictionhelp.com or call 866-313-2520.

While the news is grim on that front, Mayor Duggan said he did have some good news: the end of demolitions by the landbank. 

"Two weeks ago the lank bank demolished it's last house. The federal money is done. Demolition is now moved to the city of Detroit Demolition Department where it should have been all along," he said.

The polarizing demo program, run by the landbank since 2013 when the city was under an emergency manager is responsible for 15,000 demolitions.

With those demos complete there is land for sale and new opportunities for Detroiters to buy property. For details about the program, check out www.buildingdetroit.org.