Detroit's Abandoned Homes Demolition Effort Hits a Roadblock as Land Bank Inventory Dwindles.
Twelve years into Mayor Mike Duggan's ambitious residential blight-removal effort, Detroit has successfully demolished nearly 27,000 abandoned houses and sold another 19,000 formerly vacant homes to families seeking to renovate them. However, the city is now facing a new challenge as its Land Bank inventory dwindles, with only 942 properties left.
The initial 47,000 abandoned, city-owned homes under the Detroit Land Bank Authority have seen significant reductions in recent years, from nearly 12 years ago. While this may seem like progress, it has also highlighted concerns about environmental cleanup efforts linked to contaminated soil used at some demolition sites.
In 2020, voters approved Proposal N, a $250 million bond that accelerated the demolitions and home sales between 2021 and 2025, exceeding the city's original targets. As a result, property values in Detroit have shown significant gains, with homeowners gaining an estimated $4.6 billion in home equity between 2014 and 2023.
However, not everyone has benefited from this transformation. An ongoing investigation into contaminated soil used at demolition sites has led to suspensions of contractors and companies, including Gayanga Co. LLC and Iron Horse of Michigan Inc., which operated a sand and gravel pit in Milford Township.
The city is working with environmental consulting firm Mannik & Smith Group to test every site where contaminated soil is suspected. To date, soil has been removed from 58 properties involving these companies. Police are also investigating whether contractors intentionally used unapproved soil sources and may face fraud charges.
Duggan's administration has set aside $15 million in Proposal N closeout funds to address soil remediation, making it unlikely the cleanup will affect Detroit's finances. As Duggan said, "As we have for the last 12 years, we will test every single site with suspected contaminated backfill, we will immediately remove any soil found unacceptable, and we will pursue reimbursement from the responsible contractor."
While the city's efforts to revitalize its neighborhoods are laudable, the current environmental cleanup effort serves as a reminder of the importance of addressing lingering issues related to Detroit's past.
Twelve years into Mayor Mike Duggan's ambitious residential blight-removal effort, Detroit has successfully demolished nearly 27,000 abandoned houses and sold another 19,000 formerly vacant homes to families seeking to renovate them. However, the city is now facing a new challenge as its Land Bank inventory dwindles, with only 942 properties left.
The initial 47,000 abandoned, city-owned homes under the Detroit Land Bank Authority have seen significant reductions in recent years, from nearly 12 years ago. While this may seem like progress, it has also highlighted concerns about environmental cleanup efforts linked to contaminated soil used at some demolition sites.
In 2020, voters approved Proposal N, a $250 million bond that accelerated the demolitions and home sales between 2021 and 2025, exceeding the city's original targets. As a result, property values in Detroit have shown significant gains, with homeowners gaining an estimated $4.6 billion in home equity between 2014 and 2023.
However, not everyone has benefited from this transformation. An ongoing investigation into contaminated soil used at demolition sites has led to suspensions of contractors and companies, including Gayanga Co. LLC and Iron Horse of Michigan Inc., which operated a sand and gravel pit in Milford Township.
The city is working with environmental consulting firm Mannik & Smith Group to test every site where contaminated soil is suspected. To date, soil has been removed from 58 properties involving these companies. Police are also investigating whether contractors intentionally used unapproved soil sources and may face fraud charges.
Duggan's administration has set aside $15 million in Proposal N closeout funds to address soil remediation, making it unlikely the cleanup will affect Detroit's finances. As Duggan said, "As we have for the last 12 years, we will test every single site with suspected contaminated backfill, we will immediately remove any soil found unacceptable, and we will pursue reimbursement from the responsible contractor."
While the city's efforts to revitalize its neighborhoods are laudable, the current environmental cleanup effort serves as a reminder of the importance of addressing lingering issues related to Detroit's past.
just heard about this... demolishing abandoned homes in detroit is good on paper but what about the soil contamination? 
they're suspending contractors and testing 58 properties already, but it's gonna take forever to clean up all the sites... $15 million might not be enough... and what about the families who bought those homes thinking they were getting a deal? 
. I think it's great that they're taking care of the environmental cleanup, it's better to be safe than sorry 
.
. But the city's commitment to testing every site and removing contaminated soil is reassuring 
. $15 million set aside for remediation is a good start, fingers crossed it works 
.
. You have to consider so many factors: environmental impact, community development, economic growth... it's not just about tearing down old houses and rebuilding new ones 
. Detroit's efforts are definitely worth supporting, even if there are some bumps in the road 
.
I'm not surprised this is happening... 12 years in and suddenly they're facing a roadblock? It's like they thought demolishing homes was gonna be some magic solution. Newsflash: it's not that easy. And now, instead of all the shiny new houses people wanted, we've got environmental cleanup efforts to deal with. I mean, who doesn't love paying $15 million for soil remediation? 
It's not like the city could've seen this coming or anything... guess they just got a little too optimistic about their plans. 
. It's not just about getting rid of old houses, it's about doing it right so they don't mess with people's health or homes. And yeah, it's weird that property values went up while others are still struggling 
. Maybe this is a good opportunity for them to reassess their strategy and make sure everyone benefits from the revitalization efforts 
... i mean, i get that the city wants to revitalize its neighborhoods and all, but come on, have they thought this through? what about the people who got sold homes with contaminated soil? are they gonna be stuck with a house that's literally toxic? 
...