“Nobody is listening, neither of my council members would help me. We were horribly disenfranchised, they promised one thing, and it didn't happen that way. We were forced to move out after 30-40 years and we were given peanuts for the houses. My parents have been in those houses since 1969, and my brother says he had to move to a hotel. For 2 houses I received a tad over $6000. They cheated us is what they did.”
- Patricia Ortiz, Daughter of the Late Donna Ortiz on Fairport St.
“I didn’t have time and didn’t know how to fight when they took my first lot. I bought this house, moved in, and began renovating it because of the land behind it. I used the land to access my garage, which is essential for my business. If they take the alley away, I’ll have to move my garage entrance and rebuild my fence. I’m heartbroken that all of this beautiful land is being taken.”
- Jared Rodgers on Danbury St.
“My business has been in Detroit since ‘64 and in this location since the 80s. I’m pissed, it’s like they’re stealing your property, I don’t believe it really. They took these lots so fast, it’s like they’re disappearing, they put the money in the bank behind our backs. They took the lots behind my towing company, we used those to turn around, and we can’t hardly move now. They screwed the place up because it’s unusable now. The City wiped out this neighborhood, they should have bought out my building, they’re only stealing the stuff that hardly costs them any money.”
— Charles Hilkert of Elite Towing on McNichols