(CBS Detroit) – On Tuesday, the Detroit City Council is scheduled to vote on whether to greenlight tax breaks for projects that will transform the New Center neighborhood in the coming years.
Developers are seeking $296 million in incentives as part of the Henry Ford Health Hospital expansion.
Because Henry Ford Health is a nonprofit organization, there are no incentives for its initiative, called “The Future of Health,” but one of its partners, the Detroit Pistons, has received significant tax breaks for the construction of three apartment buildings. I'm looking for it.
Chris McKnight/CBS Detroit
But community advocates don't think that's a good use of money.
Since last spring, the Sugar Law Center for Economic and Social Justice has been demanding four demands from developers: ”
- Annual contribution to Detroit Affordable Housing Trust Fund
- Refunding funds to schools and libraries
- Transportation service for the elderly
- Transfer ownership of Fairbanks Elementary School
So in their eyes, if the City Council passes a tax abatement that lasts for 35 years, the community will benefit.
“It's not fair. It's not responsible to collect the least amount of taxes and divert it from public use to subsidize the property of a billionaire owner. It's not right.” said Development Director Tonya Myers Phillips. the law center said. “We're not against hospital expansion. What we're looking for is fairness and equity and for public officials to use our money for the public good.”
Henry Ford Health says the project has broader community benefits that go beyond the value of the incentives.
This includes creating more than 700 permanent jobs, housing for a variety of income levels, and state-of-the-art medical and research facilities.
If the incentive package is not passed on Tuesday, the project could face delays.
“We do not believe that this project will be successful without all three elements, so we will work diligently to minimize that delay and shorten the time as much as possible. If so, we can find a way to make the project the way we envision it,” said Henry Ford Health Executive Vice President and Chief Executive Officer of Care Delivery Systems Operations. said Dennis Brooks Williams.
The hope is that this passes and we can break ground within the next month or two.
