12th St.-Boston

I would like to hear some ideas on how we, as Detroiters, can try and alleviate this urban blight problem. The problem first reared its ugly head in my Farwest neighborhood about eight years ago, when Detroit police and fire personnel were allowed to live outside of the city of Detroit environs. At first, homes sold high, then dwindled off. As the cops and firemen coiuld not sell so easily, they started renting them out, leaving them, or being foreclosed on. Many of the people who did buy homes, also wound up being foreclosed on or abandoning them. One idea I had was to work with groups who specifically buy homes of lower value and put familes into them who otherwise could not afford them. One group is S.H.A.R.E.; another idea was to put a lsiting of all the empty homes in churches throughout the area, with their permission of course, and basically sell our neighborhood to the parishioners; another idea was to let the current police and fire personnel know that there are still these homes available if they want to live in the city they work in. Which, I am hoping many do. I don't know. Anyways, I would like to hear other thoughts on this problem.