The Metro: How to stop foreclosures in Detroit

The overall number of homes on Wayne County’s auction list has been shrinking, but it remains to be seen if this signals a trend. The Metro spoke with Alex Alsup, author of “The Chargeback” to learn more.

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When the Great Recession hit, homeownership in Detroit took a dive. Between 2011 and 2015, about 10,000 residents lost their homes due to illegal tax foreclosures following the city’s bankruptcy. 

Many foreclosed homes have ended up on the Wayne County auction list over the last decade. The good news is that the overall number of those homes has been shrinking, but it remains to be seen if this signals a trend. 

In this conversation, Metro producer Sam Corey spoke with Alex Alsup. He’s the author of the substack, “The Chargeback.” The two discussed what accounts for the increase in homes up for auction this year, and what can be done to stop or slow foreclosures.

 

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Authors

  • Sam Corey is a producer for 101.9 WDET, which includes finding and preparing interesting stories for the daily news, arts and culture program, The Metro. Sam joined WDET after a year and a half at The Union, a small newspaper in California, and stints at a variety of local Michigan outlets, including WUOM and the Metro Times. He is a graduate of the University of Michigan and the University of Chicago.
  • The Metro