Detroit homes sell for $1 amid mortgage and car industry crisis

[keepinitreal]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2010/mar/02/detroit-homes-mortgage-foreclosures-80

[OhioFiler]

The city of Detroit is an example of what happens when you let liberal democrats run the show too long. Cleveland Ohio isn't far behind.

[backtoschool]

The city of Detroit is an example of what happens when you let liberal democrats run the show too long. Cleveland Ohio isn't far behind.

Actually it was a Republican road commissioner in the early 1950's, Charles Ziegler, and a business backed bond offering coupled with Federal dollars from a Republican president, Eisenhower, than build the highway system that caused and encouraged white flight to the suburbs.

[OhioFiler]

Actually it was a Republican road commissioner in the early 1950's, Charles Ziegler, and a business backed bond offering coupled with Federal dollars from a Republican president, Eisenhower, than build the highway system that caused and encouraged white flight to the suburbs.

Why is "white flight" the cause of the demise of Detroit? Are you implying that it takes whites to make a community viable? I really can't grasp what you mean.

The federal highway system allows all members of society to move about wherever they choose. It has nothing to do with race.

[backtoschool]

Why is "white flight" the cause of the demise of Detroit? Are you implying that it takes whites to make a community viable? I really can't grasp what you mean.

The federal highway system allows all members of society to move about wherever they choose. It has nothing to do with race.

"White Flight" is simply a cultural-slang expression to denote the suburbanization of certain urban areas. I did not invent the expression OhioFiler. Are you suggesting I am a racist? I am simply using the term that describes mass exodus from city centers to suburbs and ex-urbs.

Detroit is a well known case of suburbanization and heavily-promoted highway systems canabalizing the urban core. Detroit's demise started with the loss of it's tax base, which started with the flight of many of its former citizens.

I am sorry that you cannot grasp my meaning OhioFiler. Hopefully I have made myself a bit more clear to you in this post.

[Mi Bankruptcy]

That always cracks me up to hear "white flight". Traditionally, neighborhoods that have condemned houses or subsidized housing has a higher black population. Since more white people have HS diplomas and college education they can afford to move out of the cities or poor parts of town.

[OhioFiler]

"White Flight" is simply a cultural-slang expression to denote the suburbanization of certain urban areas. I did not invent the expression OhioFiler. Are you suggesting I am a racist? I am simply using the term that describes mass exodus from city centers to suburbs and ex-urbs.

Detroit is a well known case of suburbanization and heavily-promoted highway systems canabalizing the urban core. Detroit's demise started with the loss of it's tax base, which started with the flight of many of its former citizens.

I am sorry that you cannot grasp my meaning OhioFiler. Hopefully I have made myself a bit more clear to you in this post.

I would never suggest you are racist which is why I was not able to grasp your meaning.

Mass exodus to suburbia was a result of people moving away from the stench of these large cities.

Since 1962 Detroit has been run by one democrat mayor or another. The policies enacted by these leaders over the last 48 years have clearly resulted in the near death of this once great city.

[backtoschool]

I would never suggest you are racist which is why I was not able to grasp your meaning.

Mass exodus to suburbia was a result of people moving away from the stench of these large cities.

Since 1962 Detroit has been run by one democrat mayor or another. The policies enacted by these leaders over the last 48 years have clearly resulted in the near death of this once great city.

Loss of tax base + gradual downsizing of the auto industry + damage from the riots of the late 1960's that never was repaired or healed + layers and layers of suburbs and exurbs that could not agree on pooling resources to rebuild crucial cross-area infrastructure would be the reasons that I would attribute to Detroit's demise.

[OhioFiler]

Loss of tax base + gradual downsizing of the auto industry + damage from the riots of the late 1960's that never was repaired or healed + layers and layers of suburbs and exurbs that could not agree on pooling resources to rebuild crucial cross-area infrastructure would be the reasons that I would attribute to Detroit's demise.

Loss of tax base or overtaxing of the base? Liberal problem. Had the leaders reduced the cost of operating a business rather than increased it the base would have stayed.

[backtoschool]

Loss of tax base or overtaxing of the base? Liberal problem. Had the leaders reduced the cost of operating a business rather than increased it the base would have stayed.

Actually I agree with you in regards to businesses staying. But I do not agree with you in regards to individual homeowner's staying. Fear, personal lifestyle choices, and any number of other reasons contributed to individual property owners leaving the city for the suburbs. Lowering the tax cost would not keep those families in Detroit.

[OhioFiler]

Actually I agree with you in regards to businesses staying. But I do not agree with you in regards to individual homeowner's staying. Fear, personal lifestyle choices, and any number of other reason contributed to individual property owners leaving the city for the suburbs. Lowering the tax cost would not keep those families in Detroit.

The demise of big cities like Detroit is not the result of some fleeing for the burbs. The powers that be determined the way to grow as a city was to encourage federally subsidized housing for lower income families and Lord knows how many other giveaways to those who played along. The result was the ghetto-ization of the city and the current blight.

[backtoschool]

The demise of big cities like Detroit is not the result of some fleeing for the burbs. The powers that be determined the way to grow as a city was to encourage federally subsidized housing for lower income families and Lord knows how many other giveaways to those who played along. The result was the ghetto-ization of the city and the current blight.

I see your point OhioFiler, I just don't think that the cause and effect of Detroit's demise are that simple.

There are many cities with a history of liberal mayors that have not had the demise that Detroit had. NYC, San Francisco, Boston, Chicago, Atlanta, and many others have had growing urban centers while promoting "liberal" policies. Detroit, as a Midwest rust-belt, one-industry, city with no public transit to speak of, an eroding tax base, and a well documented history of labor, class, race, and cultural clashes had a much more complex web of reasons for its demise than its series of "liberal" mayors in my opinion.

[OhioFiler]

I see your point OhioFiler, I just don't think that the cause and effect of Detroit's demise are that simple.

There are many cities with a history of liberal mayors that have not had the demise that Detroit had. NYC, San Francisco, Boston, Chicago, Atlanta, and many others have had growing urban centers while promoting "liberal" policies. Detroit, as a Midwest rust-belt, one-industry, city with no public transit to speak of, an eroding tax base, and a well documented history of labor, class, race, and cultural clashes had a much more complex web of reasons for its demise than its series of "liberal" mayors in my opinion.

Of course you are correct. However, HAD Detroit's citizens chosen to elect quality conservative leaders, the problems may well have been mitigated.

[backtoschool]

Of course you are correct. However, HAD Detroit's citizens chosen to elect quality conservative leaders, the problems may well have been mitigated.

You never give up do you?

I actually do not fully disagree with you on this point, as long as we are talking about fiscally conservative leaders and not culturally conservative, religious right type of leaders. As "colorful" a personality as Giuliani has, he really was very good for NYC, and I think someone like him would have been just as good for Detroit.

Interesting topic...... I love discussing socio-economics and history.

[HakunaMatata]

IMO, liberal is at the bottom of the description list for a mayor such as Kwame -Mayor Fubu. (Unless, one deems "liberal" as large stripper parties and employing one's gang/family members). The leadership in Detroit has been anything but leadership. Instead, it has been a self-serving mockery of liberalism. "I'm gonna get me mine" has been the indirect political platform.

There have been many attempts to resurrect the lost city of Detroit. Gentrification and Empowerment Zones produced insignificant results. I agree with BTS's decline causes. One significant contributor not noted is based on the physical geography of the city. Unlike many major cities, Detroit is not concentric. The CBD suffered steady decline and consequently failed to expand. This failure has adversely affected the transition zone (which should contain a residential and commercial mix). Businesses have closed or moved on leaving an expanded and declining residential area. The working class zone has become a residential area comprised of jobless people. The middle class zone is employed in the easy-access suburbs. Commuters no longer have a need to travel to the CPD (and it doesn't help that they have limited, one-directional access).

"If you (re)build it, they will come" may work; however, this will require thoughtful planning, restructuring, real leadership, genuine motivation and consensus. I wouldn't invest a mere $100 in a Detroit property right now.