LANSING – A plan by State Representative Shanelle Jackson (D-Detroit) that will help clean up the thousands of dangerous buildings in Detroit faster was signed into law last week by Gov. Jennifer M. Granholm.
"Our city has more than 9,000 dangerous buildings that are putting our residents' safety and health at risk, and we have to speed up the process of getting these buildings fixed or demolished," Jackson said. "My plan will allow the city to move these cases through the legal system in a way that is much faster and more cost-effective. This new law gives us additional tools to clean up more blighted and vacant properties that act as magnets for crime and health hazards in our communities."
Jackson's legislation gives Detroit and other cities the option of taking the processing of citations for dangerous buildings out of district court, where there is a significant backlog, and moving them to the local Bureau of Administrative Hearings, which already deals with most blight-related offenses. In addition, by making the violations a civil matter rather than a criminal one, the city can more easily collect fines and demolition costs from property owners.
"We must make it a priority to hold property owners accountable for dangerous buildings," Jackson said. "We know that vacant and blighted buildings present dangers for our children, especially as they walk home from school, because crimes such as sexual assaults and drug dealing are known to happen in these sites. In addition, when rats and other rodents overrun these buildings, that causes health problems for our residents. And blighted neighborhoods block the economic development and job growth that is so vital to rebuilding our city's future."
Jackson added that she is honored to receive the bipartisan support of her colleagues in the House and the Senate and grateful to the Governor for her support as well.
"I will continue to fight to make Detroit a better, safer place for all of us," Jackson said.