The night before Thanksgiving, last Wednesday, I visited a very close friend who is dying from cancer. On Thanksgiving, I saw the article "Thanksgiving Day and the Powerful Play" in TruthOut. An excerpt is given below.
Hold tight to who you have in this world, even if you're down deep in a ditch. I hope someone sets a place at table for you on Thanksgiving, but if not, remember that you're still here, and if you're here, it means matters can change for the better,because you're here. Hold tight to who you have, and tell those who are your heart you love them. Do not let the grass grow under the last conversation you had with one who is a part of who you are. I am here to tell you, from the well of my soul, that it is a savage, brutal shock to lose that chance forever.
We live in a world of shrinking margins, of narrowing visions, a world ruled and ruined by fools. This is the fact of our time, and no one is going to fix it today. Tomorrow, perhaps, but in the meantime, hold close what you hold most dear, and give thanks for the chance of that holding. If you truly appreciate what you have, no matter how mean or meager, you are doing it right. On this day of all days, remember where you came from, contemplate where you are, imagine where you can be, stand stock still a moment, and be thankful that you are here.
My visit to Mark Anderson was a bit difficult to arrange given the pace of my life at present and upcoming winter. I've handled house repairs including frozen water pipes as Michigan's winter approaches quickly. I also am a bus rider and the city of Livonia has cut access to mass transit through its predominantly white occupied streets. Fortunately there is a significant size community of activists and Dave brought me over to see Mark. Two of Mark's daughters stayed at the house to provide immediate care and call for hospice when needed. Additional family and community members made visits each day.
Mark learned October 17 that he was dying from terminal cancer of the bile duct and liver. A Doctors stated then he had a few days to live. He was seemingly incoherent when I stepped in to see him. Then I grasped his hand and I gently squeezed and received in return slight movement of his fingers and his facial expression changed a bit.
I told Mark of the uprising in Detroit last night following the #FergusonDecision. That our fellow activists got out there and #ShutItDown blocking two highways I-75, I-94, along with Gratiot and other streets. It was a #PeacefulProtest there was no violence, just civil disobedience. Seven were arrested during the shutdown of I-94. Last night I was told a third highway, US-10, was attempted in the middle, but didn't deliver a full shutdown before the protest group scuttled the activity.I pulled the stories, tweets, photos, videos together to share comprehensively.
I realized on that visit that it would be my last, and while I didn't hear him speak, I did find closure and knew he had as well. Mark's life passed to spirit a few days later. Monday night around 8pm he died while the activist community he is held dearly by was holding a potluck event to discuss what is happening around Detroit. We have a benefit event planned for Friday.
Yes #BlackLivesMatter and #DetroitLivesMatter in this world that is permitting the colonization and potential displacement of over 150,000 people this year and next. There is an average of 2.74 people per household and 22,000 households were sent this year through tax foreclosure auction. Notices were given to an additional 62,000 households to become current on taxes by December 2015 (20% of residents). There is a chance 35,000 houses will actually go into next year's tax auction due to stricter enforcement by the Wayne County Treasurer. If the people per house average is used that would be roughly 170,000 people displaced. Detroit's population is just shy of 700,000 at this time, which puts over 20% notified of impending danger that about 50,000 are experiencing this year.
Yes Disaster Capitalism runs Detroit ... and pushes families in long-time generational homes onto the streets. Where are thousands of displaced supposed to go? Perhaps hearing from those orchestrating the removal / #GENOCIDE. But the only answer there is pay up or move out, because a New Detroit is coming. One that is changing from being flexible to accountable.
DETROIT IS A GLOBAL COMMUNITY TEST CASE IN RESTRUCTURING
Detroit's Emergency Manager Kevyn Orr was in Modena Italy at the International Global Restructuring Organization's annual conference on October 23, 2014. He was paired up to follow a presentation by Chief New York Bankruptcy Judge Cecelia Morris. Her presentation was "about the bankruptcy of the city of Detroit, insolvency risk in Puerto Rico and the ongoing problems in Argentina. Judge Morris told Bankruptcy Beat that while formal international insolvency agreements related to sovereign states may be a few years off, getting the restructuring experts in the same room as the financial players is a huge part of moving closer."
“Financial people want to know that they’re protected,” Judge Morris said.
What becomes obvious is these stories is a prevailing belief that a #FreeMarket will ensure the best makes it's way to the top. However the best isn't an analytically based selection, it is selection by moneyed interests.
Detroit's New Grants Management Department
Detroit's appointed Chief Financial Manager John Hill
There seems to be more controversy in Detroit's imposed government through Emergency Manger (EM) orders. The EM appointed John Hill as Chief Financial Manager in November 2013. The analysis of Detroit's financial situation had the EM issue an Executive Order #27 on June 27, 2014 establishing a Grants Management Department under the direction of the CFO. Therefore an imposed un-elected government placed by the State of Michigan has assumed control of federal grant monies from entities such as Housing and Urban Development (HUD) including Community Development Block Grants (CDBG).
Changing GRANTS to LOANS?
What has residents working on obtaining CDBG funds upset is the City of Detroit has turned grant funds into loans according to this radio show clip hosted by Cynthia Johnson with guest Joyce Moore of the Taylor Street Block Club.
Detroit Bankruptcy According to CFO
September 4, 2014 CFO John Hill took the stand during the bankruptcy trial. Along with his testimony and cross examination, a report was filed of his assessment of the financial condition of the city through terms of the fourth plan of adjustment filed to the courts by the Emergency Manager.
Hill described flawed financial management computer systems, disorganized grant management, a flawed assessor's office and a human resources department "very bad."
"The city has a level of data input at every level of the process that is much more extensive than other cities that use sophisticated management systems," he said.
"... We are revising all of the accounting processes."
Under recent changes made to the city's accounting processes, Hill said, "the city cannot spend money and pay for things without a budget stream."
Apparently revising all accounting processes includes bringing regulated federal grant funds through this newly formed Grants Management Department which transforms them rather than delivers as intended.
Not Just Black Families, #AllLivesMatter
What is happening in Detroit isn't just black families, however census data shows we have the highest concentration of black and African Americans in the US. 82.7% of residents are black or of African origin, 83.6% have lived in their home over one year, and income reported per capita is $14,861 (2012) - 38.1% are below poverty level. This compares with state-wide statistics of 14.2% black residents, 85.4% in home over one year, and $25,547 per capita income. The cause is described in the Hardest Hit Funds rationale produced through Detroit's Emergency Manager. The paper from states:
What remains is to clean up around the targeted investment so that new growth in market-rate housing or new uses such as public green spaces, have an opportunity to flourish. The starting point for continuing to reinvigorate the market is the clearance of the decades-old signs of disinvestment in the area. This is the strongest way to solidify the investments made over the last two to five years and encourage newcomers and pent up demand to take the risk and become involved in the market.
The paper embraces demolition and spells out the neighborhoods to pursue, timelines, and companies to work with.
One has to note that banks led the way through predatory lending extracting money from Detroit. If Kevyn Orr, the Emergency Manager, is claiming disinvestment occurred - he is part of the problem as a financial lawyer from Jones Day that has plenty of history working with banking and investment clients responsible for the financial collapse from 2008 to present.
HOW TO DRIVE LONG-TERM RESIDENTS OUT OF DETROIT
Creating the Appearance of Disinvestment
Homeowners were told to put their homes up as collateral in faulty mortgage arrangements which many would fail due diligence checks that the industry bypassed. The PBS Frontline documentary "The Untouchables" is a must watch on this topic. The day after its release the Criminal Chief at the US Department of Justice, Lenny Breuer resigned. There had been too many implications that justice was not served.
Long-term homeowners in Detroit were targeted by the mortgage industry. Generational homes were put up as collateral for fresh funding which the industry inappropriately approved. However financially these families couldn't afford the payments on these loans. So the intent of maintaining and fixing up the house for many wasn't met due to the scam of inappropriate mortgages. This is how the industry delivered Detroit as not investing in itself.
Additionally the city saw the influence of Quicken Loans / Rock Financial owner Dan Gilbert lured into the city with tax abatement. No taxes for the businesses out to grow the city... how would the city keep itself maintained?? Apparently free market initiative was preached and government officials (mostly from MEDC - Michigan Economic Development Corporation, a State of Michigan entity) believed these benefactors would assist the city if they weren't charged taxes. For example in 2009 MEDC offered Quicken $47,269,364 in tax credits employing roughly 2,200. That works out to $21,486 per employee offered through tax credits. The missing funds could have kept street lights maintained, or provided more public mass transit, or offered community development funding not only in downtown - across the city. The new corporate controlling interests understood taking care of their own and if you don't play into their business plans you won't exist in their view. They have invested in private security for public parks, claiming them. They have also taken on mass transit through private carriers rather than the public means. As they ascend in influence they push public services into privatization since profit makes more sense than the well-being of the city. Essentially government sold out to corporate interests over the years. Perhaps these leaders had altruistic expectations, sadly they often didn't establish concrete residency requirements or limit tax abatement offered when requested. These days the terms of Detroit residents applies equally to bringing in new Detroit residents versus long-term, with a favoring in many cases of "vibrant new faces".
How to Drive People Out - Criminalize Them
Redlining of Insurance: When people ask about our red-line insurance rates that are as high or higher than mortgage payments on a house - crime reports are a key factor in driving rates up. It begins with those that can be tagged with a "suspected of crime" label. Detroit police have conducted 11 "operations" to address drugs and gang crime in the past year. Hundreds have been arrested.
Needy Water Criminals: When you can't pay you have to take what you NEED AS A HUMAN. Our most needing become branded as criminals as well for taking "illegal water", and the count is nearly a thousand additional. On top of this is a practice of moving an outstanding water bill onto property taxes each fall which creates a one year window before foreclosure and eviction. These go on top the predatory mortgages that have been sending family homes into foreclosure.
Gentrification on Crack: Sections of the city which were once hallowed, are now hollowed out with multiple houses being condemned per block. I live next to a vacant block - all houses removed, pulled from a local community group and given to a developer to sit on the property and find buyers of infill housing in a "don't want" area of the city. Our neighborhoods are in a struggle for city services to be provided as the number of houses (seen as "customers") dwindle. Street lighting is dimmed, road repairs are minimized, demolition opportunities maximized. Driving families with multi-generational homes out of the city. This makes way for the gentrification, bringing new Detroiters into the city that meet the economic, ethnic, and social standards of the power elite of the city. But first the infrastructure in these decimated areas would have to be re-engineered, or perhaps not - according to the Detroit Future City's Strategic Framework Plan (published 2012 with the intent of being a living guide).
The plan seeks to create a modern plantation system for the American city, one that could be easily exported to any municipality also facing high levels of vacancy. --- Jacobin Magazine "The Assassination of Detroit"
Blue Green Infrastructure plan - Detroit Future City Strategic Framework Plan (2012)
Want to be part of the future plans like the Japanese do? Please consider the colonizing effort you'll be joining. Foreign speculators and landlords are scooping up bundles of properties during tax auctions. The process is so much easier to consume through the assistance of Loveland Technologies through its websites pulling and interfacing with Wayne County Tax Auction data. It will be like the days of the Wild West, complete with the slaughter of those standing in the way of progress.
You can choose to be an ally to those in the "don't want" zones of Detroit and get to know how a city has told it's people they would not be thriving, the future in those areas is merely surviving as residential sacrifice zones throughout the city. We are pitted against the desires of the overlords of capitalism as they pursue the interest of profit over people.