Mayor Mary Sheffield and Detroit Land Bank Authority (DLBA) Director Tammy Daniels announced a reform package on Nov. 9 designed to increase transparency, access and speed for Detroiters seeking land‑bank properties. The announcement took place outside a renovated Dexter‑Linwood home at 2626 Webb St., a model of the land bank’s goal to turn blighted houses into livable assets.
The plan includes a $1.5 million grant program to help buyers fund renovations and a separate $1.5 million emergency resource assistance program that supports occupants of land‑bank homes in completing the Occupied Buy Back pathway to ownership.
Sheffield ordered the release of city‑imposed holds on 7,500 land‑bank parcels, making them immediately available for sale. The authority will also launch an online tracking tool that displays its 56,000 parcels, indicating which are for sale, which are held and the reasons for any holds.
To improve customer service, the DLBA will open a field office at the Butzel Family Recreation Center, adopt a 72‑hour turnaround standard for service requests and add after‑hours support for prospective buyers. Prospective purchasers will receive free property tours and a vetted‑buyer process that confirms financial readiness before a sale.
Small‑scale beautification projects, such as community gardens, will be processed through the DLBA website rather than in‑person applications, and the Nuisance Abatement Program will shift to a referral‑only model, limiting its scope to vacant properties.
In a major homelessness‑prevention effort, the land bank is committing $6 million to restore 75 homes for temporary supportive housing. Partnering with the Homeless Action Network of Detroit, the initiative aims to create more than 170 beds for residents experiencing housing instability. “Today marks a commitment to ending homelessness in the city of Detroit,” said Tasha Gray, executive director of the Homeless Action Network.
Sheffield, a former City Council member, emphasized that the reforms are “resident‑first” and designed to turn blighted properties into community assets. Daniels added that the restored Webb St. home exemplifies how distressed properties can become safe, livable housing rather than neighborhood eyesores.
What’s next: The DLBA will begin processing the newly released 7,500 parcels and will open the $1.5 million grant and emergency assistance programs for applications. Residents can track progress and access resources through the upcoming online portal, and the new field office at Butzel Family Recreation Center will start serving the public soon.
Sources: bridgedetroit.com, bridgedetroit.com
