Is Detroit fixable? How would you fix it?

[Torie]

It needs to segue to a field of dreams, growing what urban markets want - like good bud! 

In other news, if Detroit can curb its crime, and have adequate public schools, they will come. I mean, you can buy a home for basically a zero price. You have a safe neighborhood, and decent schools, and can buy a home for nothing, and have no mortgage, I mean that is a deal isn't it for those in strapped circumstances in particular?  If ...  don't hold your breath absent major change agents gaining considerably more influence.

[Torie]

Pittsburgh is inapposite largely, because it never had the degree of crime Detroit did and does, did not get its infrastructure gutted in riots driving out most businesses (Detroit has zero appliance stores in the city) and actually has many picturesque hilly neighborhoods that folks actually want to live in. It is also substantially white. The issue going forward, is will Cleveland end up more like Detroit or Pittsburgh.

Muon2, housing in Detroit is literally close to free. I don't think many places can make that claim.  The trick is to make the place, or larger swaths of it, livable for those not destitute (who are just trapped) or criminals. 

[Torie]

Muon2, housing in Detroit is literally close to free. I don't think many places can make that claim.  The trick is to make the place, or larger swaths of it, livable for those not destitute (who are just trapped) or criminals. 

Making it livable would actually involve making the housing cost substantially more than present because one reason for the almost free housing is the fact that most of it is not fit for human habitation.

What is not fit for habitation are the streets and the schools, more than the houses. It is a hood issue, not a Jimmy Carter habitat for humanity issue.