Council adds tenant-protection and deed-fraud pilot items to closing resolutions after law-department hearing

During the March 23 budget hearing on the law department, council members filed several procedural motions the committee approved for inclusion in closing resolutions.

Council member Gabriela Santiago Romero moved that the law department coordinate with Buildings & Code Enforcement and the health department to identify and act on at-risk multi-residential properties, either by consent agreements or, where necessary, orderly closures and litigation. The committee approved the motion with no recorded objections and asked staff to prepare draft language for the closing resolution.

Member Angela Whitfield Callaway successfully moved to include an AI-governance item (see separate article). Several members also pressed for targeted redevelopment of vacant apartment complexes on Greenfield and adjacent corridors; the chair accepted language expanding those target boundaries and directed law, TED, HRD and the Detroit Housing Commission to draft a plan outlining rehabilitation and reuse opportunities.

Separately, members raised deed-fraud ("defraud") investigations. Corporation Counsel said multi-agency investigations with DPD and the register of deeds are active but not yet at the charging stage. Members moved to place a pilot deed-fraud program under the law department and to consider aspects of it in executive session; the motion carried with no objections noted.

All motions were recorded on the hearing record as additions to the committees closing resolutions; the council asked law department staff to return with specific draft language and implementation estimates.