Detroit building take over

[Stimp]

So I am on the road right now but I rent a house in detroit, but I have also secured a house I am trying to squat. I am however trying to legally own it. Does anyone have personal experience taking over a house in detroit?

I have talked to a neighbor of the squat and he also squated his house and purchased the deed. this is how he told me he did it.
1. secure the house (change locks, replace doors, windows, bars, etc.)
2. Get mail sent to the house. Preferably government mail such as an obama phone or food stamps card something like that.
3. Tell the city hall after about a month of getting mail there that you are living there and that your interested in buying the title/deed via quitclaim.
4. If the house is available in a tax sale they will offer you first dibs on the spot for $500.

Does this sound about right?

 

[Tude]

I've never heard of that - interesting. Have you gone further into electric and/or gas?

 

[liberationmoves]

If it were not so fucking cold in Detroit I would be buy a house there right now. Hopefully the south melts down like detroit did.

 

[lanekalo]

This is fascinating. Do you or anyone else know anything about communes in Detroit. Intentional living communities...thanks in advance.

 

[Matt Derrick]

there's a LOT of information about this both on StP and generally online. detroit has been at the forefront of a host of redevelopment options in an attempt to get folks to come back to the city.

a few years back cities like detroit used to have a "house for a dollar" incentive system where they would sell you a house for a buck, with the stipulation that you had to bring the house up to code within a certain amount of time (usually around 2 years).

i recently read an article on MSN that detroit is giving out loans of 20,000 dollars or so with no need to pay them back as long as you live in detroit for like 5 years or something like that.

my advice would be to approach the city after you've secured your squat and see what your options are. they want people back in their city desperately, so i have a feeling there will be multiple options available.

 

[lanekalo]

thank you so much matt