From the Leland to the Ledger: Housing Justice and Property Taxes in Detroit | Feb 12 2026

Описание: In this episode of Public Comment, Khary Frazier and Malachi Barrett unpack the crisis surrounding the Leland House and what it reveals about Detroit’s ongoing affordable housing battle. As tenants were displaced due to unsafe conditions, organizers—including the Detroit Tenants Union—are urging City Council to consider eminent domain and transform the historic high-rise into permanently affordable housing. The discussion highlights the broader pattern of aging buildings, negligent landlords, and the city’s responsibility to both enforce safety codes and protect residents from displacement. With insight into legal perspectives from Corporation Counsel Conrad Mallett and reactions from council members, the episode explores whether Detroit has the financial and institutional capacity to take on ownership in a way that avoids repeating past public housing challenges.

The conversation then shifts to property tax appeals and the lasting impact of Detroit’s over-assessment scandal. With the Board of Review deadline approaching at the Coleman A. Young Municipal Center, residents are reminded to challenge questionable assessments—especially amid rising property values and “tax pop-ups” that threaten housing stability for new homeowners. Framed within Detroit’s long history of displacement—from Black Bottom’s destruction to bankruptcy-era austerity—the episode connects today’s housing debates to systemic inequities decades in the making. As always, Public Comment centers civic engagement, urging Detroiters to stay informed, organized, and active in shaping policy.

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