Detroit Tenants' Rights Commission- first 35 minutes
DDetroit DocumentersJun 27 at 3:00 pm35min
Unknown Speaker
00:00I'm actually
Unknown Speaker
00:22Doing A journalist.
SSpeaker 1
01:12Introduce, Hello, good afternoon. Good afternoon and good evening, everybody, please forgive our technical difficulties, because we're trying to do like 17 things at one time. But we do appreciate your presence here. We are so thankful that you guys came out to join us today. We are waiting on cover more memory. I am Jamie Jr. I am the vice chair of the commissioner to my right, my media right is Sherry Smith. She is the vice chairman. To the immediate right of her is Miss Mary Cox. So today's meeting is unique. The next three meetings that we will have will be very unique in that we want to conduct somewhat of a listening session, because what we want to do is give community the opportunity to shape what our processes look like. As the tenants rights commission, we are here for you to act as an intermediary and a soft place to land to help with mitigate mediating and mitigating landlord tenant issues, and directing you guys to resources. We have
Unknown Speaker
02:34a wonderful
SSpeaker 1
02:36resource and council member, Mayor waters, who has this vision to do this to make a more equitable situation for ranchers, and you will be hearing from her shortly. Again. Thank you for your patience, and we'll be Right.
Unknown Speaker
03:22The houseboat waters, Councilman.
Unknown Speaker
03:31Waters Heather, everyone. Welcome.
SSpeaker 2
03:50Thank you so much. So hello, everyone. Come by and say hello, and I want to always, always show support for this condition, because I want to thank you all making sure that we assist people. Because, you know, one of the things that we want to be able to do is prevent eviction, right? And when it comes to when people are renting a place and they first sign their lease. Often times people sign a lease and they don't understand what they're signing. So we're hoping to change all of those kinds of things to help people on the front end, so you won't need the right to counsel on the back end. Amen, alright, but I just watched great readings to you, and thank you all for being here. And please tell other people about this tennis Rights Commission, first ever here in the city of Detroit. And we are excited that we're doing this. And thank this commission. All of these volunteers have decided to step up to play. I'm so. Good.
Unknown Speaker
05:16Thank you. Thank you so much.
SSpeaker 3
05:19Thank you so much. Councilmember Warner, we'd like to welcome everyone patiently and call this meeting to order of the tennis Rights Commission for June 26 2025 we're going to start with our Commissioner introductions. I'll go first, since our My name is Sherry Smith. I am the chair of the tenant rights commission. To my left.
SSpeaker 1
05:44Good afternoon once again. My name is Jamie Jr. I am the Vice Chair. My name is Mary Fox.
Unknown Speaker
05:50My name is Josefina
Unknown Speaker
05:53Ramon, say it again. Josefina Ramon, say it one more time. Please. Hosted. More time. Josephina
SSpeaker 4
06:06and not a commissioner, but my name is David Bowser, and I am advising the commission to make sure that we put together an equitable commission to make sure that we can address your needs and make sure you have everything you need here with the Commission,
SSpeaker 3
06:22also for anyone who needs it, we do have ASL interpretation. Today's meeting is also being live streamed via zoom and on the Detroit tenants rights commission Facebook page with closed captions for anyone who needs that as well. All right, next we will go to the the be proposed purpose and what the tenants rights commission needs from you. So Jamie alluded to the fact that the tennis Rights Commission was formed last year, an ordinance was passed by city council, and this year the commission was seated in order to accomplish a number of things which were the vision, but one of the things that we wanted to make sure was clear was that Detroit residents voices were heard and what they wanted to see. This comes with this commission doing and what role they wanted this commission to play. So we have a lot of proposed roles in advocacy, remediation and endorsing policy, doing annual reports, but we also want to know exactly what residents need, the types of issues residents are having, and so in the months of June, July and August, we will be doing a lot of listening to residents, finding out what sorts of things are happening and where the biggest pain points are for the city, and how this commission can assist in like number one was saying, permitting evictions, but not only that, making Detroit a city where tenants feel safe and at home and where we can strengthen our neighborhoods and communities. So the next point is, we wanted to bring everyone up to speed on what this commission has been doing. Our last public meeting was in April, when we received it for the first time since then, we started with a body of seven. We had one Commissioner needed to resign for personal reasons, and so we do have a few vacancies on the commission. At this time, we met with various city departments. We have drafted our budget bylaws. We've set up multiple planning sessions, working with our advisor, David Bowser, and multiple city departments, and so that has been a huge work in progress for this group of pretty dynamic volunteers that behind the scenes. I mean, we're probably all meeting and talking to each other at least once or twice a week. So just getting more information, working with other groups in the city, tenant groups, neighborhood groups, and just trying to find out what the issues are, what we already have in the city, we have also been collecting a list of resources, and checking into those resources to see if there are solutions that are already out here that people don't know more about. We'll be doing some education on those things and making sure that we're providing the best options. Do any of the other Commissioners want to add some of the other activities
SSpeaker 5
09:19we've been in the process of establishing like social media pages, the website, just so that we can get our names out there. People know how to reach us. People know how to come to us about the issues they may have. So just getting all of the departments together in order to, you know, get all of these logistical issues together has just been like the main focus of the last month and a half. It's just a lot of bureaucratic things. We've spent a lot
SSpeaker 6
09:57of time on Zoom meetings. And it's very interesting to watch these ladies work, because they're all very deeply involved in other programs in the city to help people. And so now they've moved into the renters area, and they've all got great ideas. And it's been amazing for me to watch this as a renter myself, living in a building with no air conditioning, in case you've been watching television, to watch them make the moves and to do the organization and to know who to get in touch with. It's really been a wonderful process to watch. It's slow, yes, but that's because there's a lot of stones to touch, a lot of places to go. There's a lot of different people involved, and a lot of different different areas in the city. You can't do this because this art says you can't. So you have to know the city ordinances to make things work. And so we've done a lot of reading and a lot of research on those kinds of things. It's really been a pleasure to work with these ladies, because they know what they're doing. They're all really dedicated to this process. So that's what we've been doing for the last couple of months.
SSpeaker 3
11:17One of our information just came in. Miss T you want to introduce
SSpeaker 7
11:21yourself? Yes? Hello. Hi everyone. My name is Miss T Tanisha Sanders, I am the Outreach Commissioner with the tennis Rights Commission. I am also the renters and tenant organizer with Detroit action all seven districts. So you may have heard of me. I got a text from me, or I called you, and we just got to now get things together, because technically, we just need to tighten up on housing laws and make it real laws, and hear what you guys want the laws to be, not what they think the law should be. So that's the goal, and we'll be having these. This is like our session where we listen, listening session. We definitely asking you guys what has been missing. What do we need to work on? What it does it mean to get tenant help? What does it mean for the landlords? And we also looking for some good landlords. If you have any good landlords, or any good management companies, we want to hear what they have to say as well, so we can make sure we're eating it out, and we answer questions also combating things that's not right for us. Right? We know that Detroit do not have a low law. Only many people have it. We're looking into Minnesota to bring it over to Detroit, but we're going to need your comments and for you to talk about it, like, what does that mean? And how did we take it to the law department to talk about that. So we come along now you have your Hannah.
Unknown Speaker
12:54We won't hear you unless,
SSpeaker 7
13:00usually what we're going to do, we're going to do comments at the end. You threw your hand up, but I don't want you to forget it, so please
SSpeaker 1
13:08write it down. Write it down. Okay, alright,
SSpeaker 7
13:11but that's pretty well outreach. With outreach, we're going to be coming to neighborhoods if you want to give a part of your neighborhood. I actually have funds where we can feed you hot dogs, hammers, a couple of people wanted rice and some Mediterranean food. If we can feed you and come out and talk, let's talk, and let's get data information to put in the system so we can really make changes for real. And it's coming from you guys. Okay, thank you.
SSpeaker 3
13:38Thank you so much. Next on our agenda, we will be normally covering voting action matters. We do not have any voting action matters today. So the next thing we're going to do is do a quick because we know we started a little bit late, so we want to make sure we get back onto our schedule. We're going to do a quick poll of the room. We want to see who's in the room.
SSpeaker 3
14:07We have ASL interpretation. Does anyone need to be repositioned for ASL interpretation? Anyone who needs that service seat? Clearly, hi.
Unknown Speaker
14:22There. Are there any other accommodations right now to participate?
SSpeaker 3
14:40Okay, thank you so much. So we're going to do kind of a show of hands, call if that's all right with everybody, and take some notes. We have a few questions that we're going to read out. If you fit into more than one category. On a question, feel free to raise your hand more than once. We're just trying to get a feel of who's in the room while we do the. Listening sessions. So question number one, are you a tenant? If you are a tenant currently renting in the city of Detroit, please raise your hand.
SSpeaker 3
15:20How about that? Um, are you a landlord? Are there any landlords in the room? You're a landlord? Okay, at least 233, landlords in the room. Okay, all right. I
SSpeaker 3
15:47if you are a renter, are you renting through any subsidy programs, like Detroit Housing Commission for Section Eight, any type of discount voucher programs, project based, 820,
Unknown Speaker
16:09thank you.
SSpeaker 3
16:14Does anyone get into neither of those categories? Anyone early in between housing? I'm
Unknown Speaker
16:21sorry. Two between. Housing.
SSpeaker 7
16:23So let me explain what between housing means. Between housing mean when you call in to couch hop in someone's house, if you are standing, if you are border renting like renting out a room with several other people, if you are in the shelter, if you living in the streets, in a car, or anything like that. It's unorthodox that would be in between, or we call it transitional
SSpeaker 1
16:47housing. Also, if you're living with relatives currently,
Unknown Speaker
16:51that would be considered
Unknown Speaker
16:54in between.
Unknown Speaker
16:57So are there any people here doing that? I see two.
SSpeaker 3
17:04All right, we're gonna go on to the next question, which applies to you. Are you paying market rate?
SSpeaker 3
17:18Or have a private landlord? If you are in a market rate or have a private landlord, that's one
SSpeaker 1
17:26yes. So that could include folks that have a section eight or HP voucher, where you are paying directly to a landlord or a management company. So yeah, that could that's considered if the landlord is anybody besides Detroit Housing Commission, Plymouth housing, anything like that. So yes, management companies
SSpeaker 7
17:58qualify. So can I break that down as well. That mean they have options. Now. They park project based. It stays with the apartment, right? So if you happen to move, you wouldn't get the if you get a discount or not, you wouldn't be the same or the same market rate, right? If you, if you know, you get your pension with your social security, most likely you have cost yourself out of a program, right? So some apartment builders may give you a discount, one or $200 that's what we talk about, anything that the apartment or the matching company that you're paying straight rent to some kind of discount. But it's their in house. It's called like in house,
SSpeaker 7
18:40anything that you so this is it. They going to tell you, you have section eight. You have project based. You have the credit, the renter credit, right? Those are the three things we know about. We we're trying to find out. Is there any other programs out here that we don't know, that you are getting some kind of help, or you took your hand, direct market rent rates? Well, HUD is, did they call this section eight or project base? Well, I'm right down here just to make sure. How many people getting money directly from HUD, too as well.
Unknown Speaker
19:16Okay, yeah,
SSpeaker 3
19:20all right, this is a short poll of top needs, but don't worry if we don't cover your top needs. Of this question, you have an opportunity to speak to those at the public comment. What are your top needs? And you can raise your hand for more than one. Number one, legal representation.
Unknown Speaker
19:41Say that again, legal representation, do you need a lawyer?
SSpeaker 3
19:52Number two? Conflict resolutions, conflict even with your project management company, your private landlord? There are issues at your property.
SSpeaker 3
20:11Relocation. How many people are looking for relocation? Is a top need? Relocation? No.
SSpeaker 1
20:35Do we have any homeowners, independent homeowners, where you own and live in your own home.
SSpeaker 3
20:50All right, how many people are looking to find a good landlord? There are
Unknown Speaker
20:59some. We may call them best
SSpeaker 3
21:08practice landlords, good landlords. And last week, how many awards in the room? How many people are looking to find a good tenant? If you are, I would like
SSpeaker 3
21:24together in the back of the room, sober. We also making connections to this race commission. Okay? So one of the main questions we're moving into our public comment section. Each person will have two minutes to speak for public comment. If you are uncertain, if you didn't bring a comment with you, which I don't think is this room, feel free to let us know. What should the tenants rights commission do to assist you? But if people want to start lining up, I believe that this microphone here is really
SSpeaker 3
22:11while they are anything ready, feel free. If you are on Facebook, you can follow the Detroit tenants rights commission Facebook page. We are also on Instagram, Josephine, can you tell me about the Instagram? Is it just Detroit tenant rights commission on Instagram as well, and then we also have a YouTube page. There will be on this stream, will be on our Facebook page today, so you can share that to people who are not able to make it. About
Unknown Speaker
22:52and for anyone who is on
Unknown Speaker
22:54Zoom, please feel free to raise your hand if
SSpeaker 1
23:02you is that we have a link. It's a bitly link that will be the same link for all of our meetings, and we'll make sure that we have it
Unknown Speaker
23:22available on cards.
SSpeaker 7
23:25We love seeing you guys in person, but we want to make sure you attend even if you're on Zoom, especially if you have appointments and things like that. So we want to make sure you get heard and ma'am, as soon as you're ready, we're ready for you.
SSpeaker 8
23:41Thank you for your invite. You for coming by. My name is Yvonne Dean, aka Bonnie. I live in Garden View Estates, which is a gated senior community with patio houses with one time garage that's London, and we also have three story apartment buildings, and it's approximately 368 tenants lease, paying tenants, and two buildings. We need a council board again. I'm the former president prior to the pandemic, and and we're looking to re establish another Council board, and can't seem to find anybody to turn to to get this up off the ground. There's the buildings are fairly new. They were built in 2013 and nobody, I'll say, 98% of the tenants have never had the carpet change or their apartments painted, and a lot of people have water beating from the third floor apartment to the Second and. They never seen clean the sidewalks, and I will be a force to be reckoned with, but we got to have a council, board, Robert rules of orders established so who can help? Thank you for your time.
SSpeaker 1
25:17We will be answering comments at the end of the public comment section.
SSpeaker 9
25:28Hello. My name is Bridget Holmes, and I'm just having issues from my former landlord. I moved out March 10, well, actually March 31 and I haven't received my security advisor. They said that everything was fine, their words. Imagine when I left, but every time I try to call, no one gives me an answer or when I can get my student deposit. So I just need help with how do I get that?
Unknown Speaker
25:58Thank you. Thank you. Applause.
SSpeaker 10
26:03Hi. My name is Terry Burke. My name is Terry Burke, and I'm here because I'm tired. I'm really tired. I'm walking with a cane, almost disabled because the landlord didn't do what they were supposed to do. So I'm looking for accountability. How can we put something in place to where they are ill, accountable or we don't pay rent? You go down and evict us, but when you always try to fix something, I don't see them talking or doing anything about it. So that goes on the city too. Get everybody, hold everybody accountable, so we don't be facing without facing being crippled, losing your job, losing everything, the children at risk. And my last question is, how can I be a part of the commission?
SSpeaker 9
26:55My name is Sharon Hutchinson, and I live as a senior genius living and I like the building, but a lot of work needs to be done. My question was, Is it mandatory that the senior buildings have a fire alert system? And if so, how come we don't have one? It was taken out, but nothing has been replaced to put something in for our safety. And I'll say this little story. I was standing at the door one day 911, came. They was let in, and they said we got a call from somebody in this building, and they didn't know the apartment number. So if this person was in dire meaning, this person would have died because we didn't have a system to pull cord. We didn't have an alert system. They couldn't call out because the monitors was broke. The system was broke. So again, I say, Are we supposed to have a fire alarm
SSpeaker 7
28:01system in our building. Can you please say that
SSpeaker 9
28:07Jennings senior, living on Jeff first day, good evening. My name is Miss
SSpeaker 11
28:19Howell. I live in Martin Luther King home located on Shane and Larry. I've been there for eviction four times because I have put in maintenance orders for the grade on my building, not having my home renderized And having floods inside my walls, my carpet has not been replaced since then, my cabinets have only had the floors cut out with them and replaced with follow up, and they've been screwed in my loss. Have low coming through them faster than they put on them. I'm here because I know most of the tenants are going through it, but most of them are afraid to say something, because when you put in maintenance orders that requires the corporate company to fix them, they turn the maintenance orders into damages that you have made and saves the 36th district for eviction. I have asked 36 districts for help on how to find resources for a lawyer to fight the company in court. I have not been given the resources. I'm now in middle of my carpet being rolled up low, growing in my bathroom yet again, after them having more plaster and paint put in my front door does not fit the frame I'm fighting the wintertime and the summertime, and I do not get a stipend for my DTE theory. I want to know, how can I find resources to take them to court, although I've signed a petition, I'm at risk today about being sent to 36 district just by giving you guys my last name and letting you guys know where I live, because they are very familiar with me. I've also had folks calling on me in the past 24 months, and I'm trying to figure out the productive ways to go about the situation without
Unknown Speaker
29:54ending up on the
Unknown Speaker
29:55news in a negative.
Unknown Speaker
30:00Bless your heart for being great. Thanks.
SSpeaker 12
30:04Hi. My name is Brendan Davis. I live at 5846 crane street under new Detroit
SSpeaker 13
30:15LLC. My water has been off since April the 29th I even wrote them letters telling them that I had both knees replaced. They went back up my left knee both hands replaced. My right shoulder replaced, and my left floater cuff repaired. And when I'm getting this pain coming back into orders in 2012 and over the limit, I smoke a soaking water. How can I soak your water when I don't have no water? I faithfully has been paying my rent for the past six key
Unknown Speaker
30:57years, and I've
SSpeaker 13
30:59had at least five different landlords. They are under this program called new women. Is called
Unknown Speaker
31:13Real Estate scheme. We say horizon
SSpeaker 13
31:16Realty scheme with this token, and he Detroit is on that list. They water bill is $5,258.16 and haven't paid a water bill since 2021, but you want my money. It's not fair. So I need help, because I want to take them to court, because y'all don't give a damn about me. All y'all want is your money, and I'm not younger, so I just came up and moved just like that, and I really don't want to move in with nobody. I've been on my own for too long,
Unknown Speaker
31:57but We do need help. Thank you. Thank you.
SSpeaker 14
32:12I had I went out for work, I have no
SSpeaker 14
32:32worry, because I do the water brush down to her apartment. Her feelings all messed up and we won't catch a blast. All my structures don't work. I'm living in the kitchen where I got and I'm scared that if I move my walking wrong way, then I'll pause if I'm kept on fighting. I got witness drops a light running in my wheel. I don't complain because I worked
SSpeaker 15
33:01every day. I didn't know how bad it was. She telling me. But all I care
Unknown Speaker
33:08about my head, so when I work on my feet, but when it
SSpeaker 16
33:13comes down, when you get up and you don't have no water,
SSpeaker 15
33:18you can't brush your foot when you going to do? You can't drink no more.
SSpeaker 17
33:24I don't know why the city of Detroit dropped the lawsuit against these companies. We vote these people are often to have our masks, and when we turn around, if we not paying attention, these same people we vote for is dying against the people that we are convicted about. So this I have come from. We can't rely on nobody to
SSpeaker 15
33:48help the city of Detroit. It can list electric times, then you know my name. I need you to know my name when it ain't electric time, because I am a human
SSpeaker 17
33:59and I'm standing up here to study because we all suffering in the city for all these LCCs. They that come here and take over from us and push us out the city of Detroit. I don't 63 years old. I don't work all my life, and I'm here from there. Watch. We keep putting these weak wear off. We just don't have objects. Please investigate these people before y'all they the same people who dropped the lock. What's your
Unknown Speaker
34:37address? 5846 grand. 5836
Unknown Speaker
34:42what? 5836 46 Thank you.
SSpeaker 16
34:55Upstairs, and I call on my history. This manager, my neighborhood, my representative. Quote, I have my back. She
Unknown Speaker
35:04never caught me back. Hello,
SSpeaker 18
35:09everyone. My name is Sophia Ortiz. I'm coming on behalf of Samaritans, representing the refugee from the rock community here in.
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