Hello MorningSide Residents! Ombudsman Recommendations
Detroit Ombudsman Bruce Simpson. Image courtesy of Violet Ikonomova
During my 2022-2023 Fiscal Budget Review on Thursday, March 31, 2022, I focused on four Ombudsman Recommendations that would affect the lives of our Residents, Property Owners, the Detroit Police Department, and over 400 Disabled Veterans in Detroit.
Listed below I am providing you with an understanding of each of my Ombudsman Recommendations that were presented before the City Council during the 2022-2023 Fiscal Budget.
Deed Requirement – It is not mandatory by The State of Michigan to require a deed transfer upon ownership of a property. This requirement will correct the uncertainty of ownership by yielding inaccurate records and the ability to collect money owed to the City of Detroit.
Property Tax Affidavit (PTA’s) – Providing a mechanism with accountability, that strongly encourages a new owner to file a PTA will be a revenue generator and significantly increase the accuracy of our records. The mandatory filing of a deed and PTA’s work together for our benefit. (There is a current loophole that is often taken advantage of by many investors and speculators).
DPD Education and Home Ownership Opportunities – An expansion of the Detroit Promise Program to include Detroit Police Officers. This program would work in conjunction with the current educational program for Detroit Police Officers through Cleary University and we should cover the cost after tuition reimbursement. I also recommended that a program from the Bing administration be reinstated, this would afford officers an opportunity to receive a newly renovated Detroit Land Bank home. Both measures would provide attractive incentives to those that may be considering joining DPD and it would also improve our ability to retain those officers that may have considered leaving the department.
Disabled Veterans Exemption – We recommended that the Assessor pursue a change to P.A. 206 in Lansing concerning our disabled veterans. This will allow the Assessor to execute the exemption for disabled veterans at any time of the year. After filing with their municipality, they would not be asked to refile on an annual basis. This change would directly affect over four hundred disabled veterans in our city and roughly twenty-thousand statewide. Please view Senate Bill 846.
If you have a complaint that has not been resolved with a City department, our office at 313-224-6000 to file your complaint, or you may visit our website: https://detroitmi.gov/government/ombudsman, click on the Ombudsman File Complaint box, and follow the instructions.
Thank you, Detroit, for trusting in my staff and me. Together, we can improve the quality of life on a daily basis.