Detroit City Council members approved a resolution on Tuesday urging the city’s Buildings, Safety Engineering and Environmental Department (BSEED) to conduct comprehensive inspections of all residential and commercial properties tied to Munoz Realty and its owner, Gaston Munoz. The move follows a July settlement that required the landlord to bring 299 properties up to code, but council members say the effort falls short of what’s needed to keep Detroit families safe.
Council action and rationale
Council Member Mary Waters introduced the resolution, which passed unanimously. Waters said, “The guy has a lot of properties. We cannot continue to allow landlords like that to put our people in deplorable conditions. We can’t tolerate that anymore.” She noted that only 34% of the more than 453 properties linked to Munoz had a current certificate of compliance at the time the lawsuit was filed, leaving 299 units in violation of city and state law.
During the July settlement, Munoz agreed to abate the 299 properties on a monthly schedule, have them re‑inspected, and receive a reduction in blight ticket fines—roughly $460,000—once the work was completed. Council members Renata Miller and Denzel McCampbell voted against the settlement, arguing it did not go far enough and could incentivize further non‑compliance.
What the new resolution demands
The resolution calls for BSEED to prioritize inspections of occupied units, especially those housing children or seniors. It also requires the department to provide regular written reports to the council detailing progress on repairs, abatements, violations and compliance status. Council members emphasized the need for timely completion, noting that BSEED currently lacks sufficient staffing and funding.
“We have to find out from BSEED what it will take to get these inspections done,” Waters said. Council President Pro Tem Coleman A. Young II asked how the city could legally restrict non‑compliant landlords from doing business in Detroit, suggesting additional ordinances or the possibility of debarring repeat offenders.
Broader context and next steps
The settlement with Munoz mirrors other recent actions, such as the city’s lawsuit against Real Token, a blockchain‑based real‑estate firm that faced similar violations. Detroit’s new five‑point plan, rolled out in August, aims to certify thousands of one‑ and two‑family rentals as safe, requiring landlords to obtain a certificate of compliance from BSEED. Currently, only about one‑third of rental properties are registered, and even fewer have passed inspection.
To improve transparency, the city launched an online tenant‑support portal (www.detroitmi.gov/TenantSupport) where residents can submit building complaints at any time. Council Member Gabriela Santiago‑Romero stressed the importance of using existing ordinances and the court system to enforce compliance, while District 2 Council Member Angela Whitfield‑Calloway advocated for a public dashboard that would let prospective renters see compliance information before signing a lease.
Economic analyst David Whitaker, director of the council’s legislative policy division, highlighted the financial incentive of “putting the cameras on enforcement.” He explained that hitting delinquent owners in the pocket can encourage better behavior, noting that many families simply need a safe roof over their heads.
Looking ahead
Council members plan to prioritize funding for BSEED in the upcoming budget cycle to ensure the department can staff the expanded inspection effort. They also intend to work with state lawmakers on legislation that would give Detroit stronger tools to regulate landlords who operate through multiple limited‑liability corporations.
With the resolution now in place, Detroit’s elected officials are signaling a firm commitment to protect tenants—especially children and seniors—from unsafe housing conditions, while holding landlords accountable for meeting basic health and safety standards.
Original reporting: BridgeDetroit — read the source article.
