Roshanak Mehdipanah, who has lived in major cities including Tehran, Barcelona and Toronto, has always been fascinated by the urban landscape. It is, in fact, what brought her to the University of Michigan in 2015. 

The city of Detroit, Enterprise Community Partners, and University of Michigan’s Poverty Solutions co-authored and published the buyer guide. The guide includes information, do-it-yourself checklists, and guidance on risks for before signing, at signing, after signing, and after paying the land contract in full. The guide and additional resources, including materials in Spanish, are available.

“Lawmakers can stop unjust evictions if they act urgently to enforce existing laws, make pandemic-era changes permanent and strengthen tenant protections.”

~ Alexa Eisenberg

Since 2017, the city of Detroit, Rocket Community Fund, and United Community Housing Coalition have implemented the Make It Home program, which has offered more than 1,100 occupants of tax foreclosed houses the chance to purchase (or re-purchase) their homes through a one-year 0% interest loan to cover the cost of back taxes.

Failing to ensure more Detroiters can stay in their homes will increase the likelihood of a resurgence of COVID-19 in the city and surrounding areas, as having a stable place to live is critical to social distancing.

Despite the efforts of local government and nonprofits in the home repair ecosystem, Poverty Solutions’ research found there are simply not enough resources available to meet demand in Detroit.

The American Dream of owning a home isn’t dead in Detroit – but it struggles under the weight of predatory lending practices, complicit landlords, real estate speculators and public officials whose interventions and policies can make the city’s complicated housing challenges even worse.

Increasing awareness of a program designed to prevent foreclosure among low-income homeowners in Detroit and making the application process easier are among the recommendations to help residents stay in their homes.

Detroit homeowners in danger of losing their homes to property tax foreclosure are not tapping into a fund that could save them.