BUILDING MOMENTUM

A Plan for the Live in Osborn Initiative in Detroit
ON MOMENTUM
BUILDING

2
Building on Momentum
A Plan for the Live in Osborn Initiative in Detroit
April 2015
Prepared By:
In Association with:
The University of Michigan School of Engineering, Industrial +
Operations Engineering Department
Taubman School of Architecture + Urban Planning
MECC Initiative
Acknowledgments
University of Michigan
Paul Fontaine
Eric Seymour
Osborn Neighborhood Association
Quincy Jones
Christopher Kirksey-Brooks
Rachel Williams
And the entire staff at ONA
Oren Brandvain MUP, MS Environmental Policy + Planning ‘15
Pier Davis MUP ‘15
Yichun Ding MUP ‘15
Allison Roland MUP ‘15
Evan Severs MUP ‘15
Lacey Sigmon MUP ‘15
Matt Warfield MUP/MSW ‘15

3
Strategies + Recommendations
MECC Initiative
The recommendations outlined on Building on Momentum are
strengthened by an interdisciplinary partnership that was made
available through the University of Michigan Engaging Communities
through the Classroom (MECC) Initiative. The University of Michigan
Urban Planning students worked collaboratively with students from
the University of Michigan’s College of Engineering to highlight transit
opportunities in Osborn. Building on Momentum as well as the College
of Engineering Projects in Appendix A are a result of the collaboration
made possible under the MECC initiative.
Who We Are
Building on Momentum was created by seven Master of Urban Planning
students at the University of Michigan. This project was born out of an
initial partnership between two faculty members at the University of
Michigan, Paul Fontaine and Eric Seymour, who reached out to ONA to
gauge their interest in working with Urban Planning students to address
issues and opportunities in the Osborn neighborhood. ONA agreed,
and the University of Michigan Osborn capstone project emerged. This
team is comprised of students with various expertise in urban planning
including physical planning, housing policy, community development,
natural resource management, and social work.

5
Executive Summary
Chapter 1: Project Overview
Chapter 2: The Osborn Neighborhood
Chapter 3: Live in Osborn Target Area
Chapter 4: Findings
Chapter 5: Strategies + Recommendations
Chapter 6: Phasing + Implementation
Appendix
Table of Contents
6
13
17
31
47
53
93
100

6
Building on Momentum offers recommendations to help the Osborn
Neighborhood Alliance (ONA) realize their vision of making Osborn a
neighborhood of choice. Recommendations are organized around the
strategies of developing community ownership, activating neighborhood
spaces, and increasing connectivity. These recommendations build on
and compliment existing momentum started by the many residents,
community organizations, and foundations that have been working and
investing in the neighborhood. Furthermore, these recommendations
aim to help achieve the vision of the Live in Osborn (LIO) Initiative to
revitalize and stabilize the Osborn neighborhood starting with the Live
in Osborn Target Area (LIOTA). This target area provides an opportunity
to target investment, effort, and innovation to demonstrate what the
future of Osborn could look like with targeted and coordinated efforts.
Furthermore, the LIOTA serves as one of the areas in the neighborhood
most in need of investment. Some of the highest rates of vacancy
are found in the LIOTA. Despite the condition of the LIOTA, the target
area is also home to Matrix Human Services, where ONA is housed.
This major community anchor serves as a crossroads of the Osborn
neighborhood with the thousands of visitors that pass through there
monthly. In addition to being the home of ONA and many of their events,
Matrix Human Services programs a number of community gatherings
and recreational opportunities that make it a destination for many in
the neighborhood. Matrix Human Services provides an opportunity to
revitalize the LIOTA around a major community anchor.
Osborn Neighborhood
When researching the Osborn neighborhood more closely, especially
in the Detroit context, a number of the neighborhood’s challenges and
opportunities emerged. The Osborn neighborhood experiences a number
of challenges: high rates of vacancy, poverty, and crime, impending
foreclosures threatening to increase vacancy even more, and poor
performing schools. While these challenges may seem overwhelming,
there are a core set of assets in Osborn that demonstrate why the
neighborhood has garnered so much attention from foundations and
Detroit organizations and why its worthy of investment. There are a large
number of owner-occupied and family households. These demographics
indicate that there is an active and stable population in the
neighborhood. Furthermore, the number of recreational, commercial, and
Executive Summary

7
Executive Summary
social service destinations inside the boundaries of the neighborhood
make Osborn a destination for those seeking services and goods in
the northeast area of the city. Finally, the momentum established by
the Skillman Foundation’s investment and the dedication of ONA has
demonstrated that the community is engaged and ready to act. Their
efforts to date have set the stage for further work and investment in the
area and add confidence that there are a core group of actors dedicated to
combatting the challenges in the neighborhood.
Live in Osborn Target Area
A more focused investigation of the LIOTA’s physical conditions and
existing planning documents have revealed what is currently taking
place in the neighborhood as well as what is on the horizon for the target
area. The LIOTA, as a focus for investment and attention by multiple
actors holds great promise, but also many challenges. For ONA to
achieve the goal of revitalizing the Osborn neighborhood starting with
the LIOTA, issues of vacancy, safety, pedestrian conditions, and lack of
connectivity all need to be addressed. However, there is great promise
in the momentum building from non-profit and private development. In
addition to the power that anchor institutions like the Matrix Center and
Franklin Branch Library already have in the LIOTA, the developments
by Life Remodeled and Greening of Detroit as well as the private
development taking place there will have dramatic implications for the
occupancy of the LIOTA. This momentum makes the time ripe for the
challenges of the LIOTA to be addressed and for targeted development to
be undertaken in order to demonstrate the potential for revitalization in
Osborn.
Findings
After exploring the Osborn and LIOTA context, four findings were
identified that were used as foundational concepts for which to create
recommendations from. These four findings include:
Finding 1
There is no comprehensive planning document for development in
Osborn. While there is great momentum in Osborn and the LIOTA,

8
there is no guiding document for development in the neighborhood.
Small plans which address one aspect of redevelopment have gone
a long way to initiating the momentum in the neighborhood, but in
order to ensure the most impactful results of the massive investment
in the neighborhood, coordination through a comprehensive planning
document is needed.
Finding 2
High rates of vacancy in LIOTA and Osborn are coupled with high
rates of public ownership of these vacant properties. One of the
biggest challenges in Osborn is the very high rate of vacancy in the
neighborhood, especially in the LIOTA. While vacancy presents a number
of problems, the fact that a number of these vacant properties are owned
by a public entity also presents a prime opportunity for stabilization
and increased occupancy in the neighborhood. Public entities tend to be
easier and cheaper to acquire property from and many partnerships are
available in this pursuit. Therefore, the large amount of vacancy can be
addressed by taking advantage of the large amounts of public ownership
given the right capacity and resources.
Finding 3
While many of Osborn’s major community anchors and centers are
in close geographic proximity, interviews with community members
revealed that there is a perception of great physical distance between
these places. One of Osborn’s greatest assets are the number of
commercial, recreational, social, and environmental destinations the
neighborhood has to offer. While these destinations have remained
stable over the years, the full advantage of these community assets can
not be taken advantage of if there is a sense of disconnect between them.
This is demonstrated not only physically, in that it is difficult to get from
one community destination to another, but also psychologically in that
there is a lack of coordination between them. These assets can be made
much strong if the disconnectivity between them is addressed.
Finding 4:
While Osborn has many elements, including community hubs and
commercial centers, necessary to serve the needs of Detroit families,
negative perceptions of the neighborhood have harmed its reputation
and have discouraged residents from moving into the area
ONA hopes that through revitalization and stabilization Osborn becomes

9
Executive Summary
a neighborhood of choice for Detroit families. While the foundation
for a family neighborhood exists in Osborn because of the number of
community assets the neighborhood has, the current perception of the
neighborhood prevents it from being easily marketed to families. Both
the poor performing schools and reputation for being unsafe create an
outside perception that the neighborhood is not an ideal destination
for families. While the underlying issues contributing to this reputation
must be addressed, the reputation itself must also be addressed in order
for ONA to be able to market the neighborhood to Detroit families.
Given the findings, three strategies to revitalize and stabilize Osborn and
the LIOTA were created. These strategies include:
Developing Community Ownership
The first strategy includes recommendations to develop community
ownership of land in order for an Osborn entity to take a more active
role in stabilization and development in the neighborhood. Strategy
one provides tactics to address the high rates of vacancy and pending
foreclosures by creating an Osborn Community Land Trust (CLT) who
works closely with the Detroit Land Bank Authority (DLBA). The Osborn
CLT would become an active developer in the community in a way that
ONA does not currently have the capacity for.
Activating Neighborhood Spaces
The second strategy provides recommendations to activate vacant
neighborhood spaces. This set of recommendations relies heavily on
the guiding land use document in Detroit, Detroit Future City (DFC) and
through implementation would help ONA begin to move development
of open spaces in the direction of the DFC land use designation “green
residential.” Furthermore, this strategy would activate vacant lots, create
spaces for the community to interact, and bring more people to outdoor
open spaces in order to promote safety and activity in the LIOTA.
Increasing Connectivity
The third strategy suggests recommendations to address the lack
of psychological and physical connectivity in the LIOTA and Osborn
neighborhood. These recommendations provide a way for existing

10
community centers to be strengthened through increasing the physical
and visual connections between them and by establishing the major
corridors in the LIOTA visually. This visual strengthening of corridors is
also a way for ONA to begin to address the neighborhood’s reputation by
visualizing the investment in the LIOTA and taking the opportunity to
reframe the identity of the neighborhood.
Phasing and Implementation
These three strategies provide different mechanisms to revitalize and
stabilize the LIOTA. However, they work in concert with one another
and are most impactful if implemented together. The phasing strategy
provided at the end of this document is a thoughtful guiding tool on how
to implement these recommendations so that they are meaningful and
impactful. Building on Momentum is the first step towards a holistic and
coordinated approach to planning for the Osborn neighborhood. Hope-
fully this planning tool sparks a movement towards a similarly holistic
plan for the Osborn neighborhood that can guide the many actors and
foundations doing wonderful things in the neighborhood.

12
Project Overview

13
Project Overview
Project Overview
Project Overview
References
14
15
1

14
Project Overview
Building on Momentum offers recommendations to help the Osborn
Neighborhood Alliance (ONA) realize their vision of making Osborn a
neighborhood of choice. Recommendations are organized around the
strategies of developing community ownership, activating neighborhood
spaces, and increasing connectivity. These recommendations build on
and compliment existing momentum started by the many residents,
community organizations, and foundations that have been working and
investing in the neighborhood.
Osborn is a neighborhood in northeast Detroit. In 2006, the Skillman
Foundation designated Osborn as one of its “Good Neighborhoods” as
part of their “Good Neighborhood Initiative.” This multi-million dollar,
ten-year initiative set the stage for redevelopment in Osborn and has
led to massive amounts of support by other foundations and community
organizations in the neighborhood. Furthermore, the initiative led to
the creation of ONA, a community based non-profit who is one of the key
actors working for neighborhood revitalization in Osborn. ONA created
the Live in Osborn (LIO) Initiative, which is an effort to target investment,
development, and innovation into a target area in the neighborhood, the
LIOTA. In this way, investment can have the greatest impact by taking
place in a concentrated area and the LIOTA can demonstrate what
the future of Osborn can look like with the same concentrated efforts.
Therefore, most recommendations in Building on Momentum, are aimed
at revitalizing the LIOTA and supporting ONA’s LIO Initiative.
Building on Momentum supports ONA in aiming to address
neighborhood wide systemic issues like high rates of vacancy,
crime, and poverty. The recommendations also draw on established
neighborhood assets, including the many community destinations
that are within or just outside Osborn such as grocery stores, retailers,
recreation centers, and social services. Furthermore, as the title of
this plan suggests, the recommendations build on the momentum
established in the neighborhood by the many foundations and
organizations actively working in the Osborn neighborhood. This
includes the Skillman Foundation, Kellogg Foundation, United Way,
and Urban Lift as well as Matrix Human Services, Greening of Detroit,
Life Remodeled and the MAN Network. In 2014, ONA received almost
$400,000 in grants from organizations, demonstrating the massive
amount of investment and support ONA has in their efforts to revitalize
and stabilize Osborn.
Percent below
the poverty lineI
:
39.5%
Vacancy RateII
:
22.4%
Percent of Detroit’s
violent crimesIII
:
15%

15
Executive Summary
While a number of actors and foundations have been active in Osborn,
only small steps have been taken to achieve the revitalization and
stabilization of the LIOTA. Building on Momentum provides a holistic
approach to redevelopment by providing recommendations that not
only develop and stabilize the LIOTA, but also recommend physical
improvements which will further demonstrate visually the momentum
that is building in the neighborhood.
This document is laid out in such a way that the conclusions drawn
from research, interviews, a community focus group, and site visit of the
neighborhood are explored early on, so that the strategies and respective
recommendations are clearly grounded and supported by the context of
the neighborhood.
Chapter 2 explores the issues and assets of the Osborn neighborhood
as a whole and frames Osborn in the context of Detroit in order to better
understand the problems and assets that are particular to Osborn.
Chapter 3 explains the main issues and assets of the LIOTA. Because the
LIOTA is the site of most of Building on Momentum’s recommendations,
a more detailed analysis of physical conditions as opposed to
systemic problems are addressed. Chapter 4 demonstrates Building
on Momentum’s main findings from research conducted and outlines
the foundational conclusions that the recommendations were created
to address. Chapter 5 lays out the three strategies and their respective
recommendations. Implementation strategies and the potential impact
these recommendations could have on the neighborhood are explored.
Chapter 6 presents a phasing strategy for ONA and other actors to
take when implementing the plan. It includes a timeline, possible
partners, and level of impact each recommendation could have on the
neighborhood.
I
The Skillman Foundation (2006, March 14). Good Neighborhoods Initiative Moves to Action.
Retrieved from http://www.skillman.org/Knowledge-Center/News/Good-Neighborhoods-Initia-
tive-Moves-to-Action.: ONA (2014) Live in Osborn Annual Report.
II
ONA (2013). Live in Osborn Action Plan 2014-2016.
III
ONA (2014) Live in Osborn Annual Report.
References

17
The Osborn Neighborhood
The Osborn
Neighborhood
Current Conditions
Commercial Assets +
Community Hubs
The Matrix Center
Franklin Branch of the Detroit Public Library
Calimera Park
Lipke Park + Recreatin Center
St. John Conner Creek Village
Brenda Scott Academy
The Osborn High Schools
Momentum in Osborn
Skillman Foundation
Osborn Neighorhood Alliance
Conclusion
References
19
22
23
23
24
24
24
24
25
25
25
26
27
28
2

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The Osborn neighborhood experiences a number of challenges, but also
has numerous assets. To better understand the current context of the
neighborhood, demographic and historical analysis were conducted
as well as and community member interviews. This research led to
an exploration of the neighborhood’s current conditions, community
destinations, and momentum built around current activity by the many
organizations, foundations, and people working in the neighborhood.
GRATIOTAVE
GREINER ST
SCHOENHERRST
8 MILE RD
7 MILE RD
E STATE FAIR AVE
MCNICHOLS RD
OUTERDR
HOOVERST
OSBORN NEIGHBORHOOD
BOUNDARY
LIVE IN OSBORN
TARGET AREA
DETROIT
BOUNDARY
OSBORN
NEIGHBORHOOD
Figure 2.1
Location of the Osborn neighborhood in relation to the City of Detroit

19
62.6%
58%
Figure 2.2: Family
Households in Osborn
versus Detroit
Current Conditions
Located in Northeast Detroit, the Osborn neighborhood is bordered by
8 Mile Road to the north, Van Dyke Road to the west, McNichols Road
to the south, and Gratiot Avenue to the east as shown in Figure 2.1.
Osborn takes its name from Osborn High School, located at 7 Mile Road
and Hoover Street. Home to approximately 24,000 residents, Osborn
is comprised mostly of family households, 62.6%, which is slightly
higher than the rate of family households in the city has a whole at
58%, shown in Figure 2.2.I
Osborn is also largely an owner occupied
community with a majority of residents, 58.9%, who own their homes.
This homeownership rate is significantly higher than the citywide rate
of 51.9%.II
As Figure 2.3 shows, there are numerous vacant structures scattered
throughout the neighborhood. Osborn has a vacancy rate of 22.4%, which
GRATIOTAVE
MCNICHOLS RD
8 MILE RD
0 0.4 0.8 MILES
VACANT STRUCTURES
LIVE IN OSBORN TARGET AREA
Source: Motor City Mapping 2014;
U.S. Census Bureau; Tiger/Line, 2013;
AREAS OF LOW VACANCYN
NEIGHBORHOOD BOUNDARY
Figure 2.3: Vacant properties in
Osborn
Osborn
Detroit

20
PROPERTIES SUBJECT TO
TAX FORECLOSURE
GRATIOTAVE
MCNICHOLS RD
8 MILE RD
Source: Data Driven Detroit 2014;
Detroit Future City
NEIGHBORHOOD BOUNDARY
0 0.4 0.8 MILES
N
is slightly higher than the citywide rate of 18.4% exemplifying that
vacancy is a real issue in the neighborhood.III
Despite the neighborhood’s
overall rate of vacancy, the map does show that there are areas in
Osborn with lower concentrations of vacancy. In the northeast corner
of the neighborhood and in the southwest corner of the neighborhood
(see Figure 2.3) there are residential strongholds that have remained
relatively occupied. Along with vacancy, Osborn has also experienced
population loss. Between 2000 and 2010, the population of the
neighborhood decreased by 29%.IV
Many residents have incomes that put them at or just above the poverty
line. Only a third, or 36.4% of Osborn residents, are considered to be
financially stable, meaning that they make at least two times the income
Figure 2.4
Properties subject to tax foreclosure in the Osborn neighorhood

21
at the poverty line or more. This leaves two thirds of Osborn residents
who are considered to be in financial distress or worse. A large sector of
the community, 39.5% of residents, make less than the poverty line.V
Given the financial distress of many residents in the neighborhood,
pending tax foreclosures due to unpaid property taxes are an issue in
Osborn. As Figure 2.4 shows, there are number of homes, approximately
1,600, that are subject to tax foreclosure under the 2015 Wayne County
Tax Foreclosure process. These tax foreclosures, if carried through with,
will displace the owners and lead to more vacant housing.VI
For example,
in 48205, one of Osborn’s zip codes, there are 21% more foreclosed homes
on the housing market than is the average in the City of Detroit overall.VII
This surplus of homes on the market further contributes to vacancy and
a lack of occupancy in the neighborhood.
The violent crime rate in Osborn is disproportionately high, as shown
in Figure 2.5. In 2011, the Detroit News called Osborn “Detroit’s deadliest
neighborhood.”VIII
While interviews with community members made
clear that violent crime is not as much of an issue as it was the summer
the Detroit News article was written, the violent crime rate still indicates
that safety is an issue in Osborn. While Osborn makes up 3.6% of Detroit’s
population, 15% of violent crimes occur there.IX
3.6%
Population
Figure 2.5:
Percent of population that
lives in Osborn versus
percent of violent crime
that takes place in OsbornIX
15%
Violent
Crimes
Osborn
Detroit
Osborn
Detroit
Osborn Detroit Wayne Co. State of MI
Math % >95 63 44 35
Reading % 60 28 19 15
Science % 95 77 55 44
Social
Studies %
64 34 22 16
Writing % 36 16 <10 <10
Figure 2.6: Percent of Osborn High School students not proficient in these subjects X
There is no doubt that Osborn’s schools are considered major anchors
in the community, yet Figure 2.6 demonstrates that the schools are
struggling. The three Osborn High Schools have a disproportionate
number of students who are not proficient in all measurements
compared to the Detroit School District, Wayne County, and State
averages.X

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Commercial Assets and Community Hubs
Osborn has a number of high quality assets. The presence of grocery
stores, commercial centers, and cultural, spiritual and recreation
destinations all within one neighborhood is a unique quality of Osborn
according to residents. During interviews, many residents revealed that
they view Osborn as a ‘complete neighborhood’, in that they can access
all the goods and services needed without leaving the neighborhood. The
high access to these amentities can be seen in Figure 2.7 , which details
the locations of grocery stores, pharmacies, anchor institutions, and
commercial centers.
Osborn residents have access to a number of commercial centers in the
neighborhood. Along Gratiot Ave. there is a Dollar Tree, CVS Pharmacy,
GRATIOTAVE
8 MILE RD
E MCNICHOLS RD
1MILE
.5MILES Figure 2.7
Existing community assets in the Oborn neighborhood
OSBORN
NEIGHBORHOOD
BOUNDARY
RAILROAD
MAJOR ROAD
MATRIX HUMAN
SERVICES
SOCIAL
ORGANIZATIONS
SHOPPING
CENTERS
PARKS +
GREENSPACE
INSTITUTIONS
LIVE IN OSBORN
TARGET AREA
MINOR ROAD

23
and a recently renovated strip mall that houses a grocery store and a
neighborhood clothing store. One of those clothing sotres, Villa, not only
provides goods to the community, but also acts as a community center;
they are a part of the Osborn Business Association, provide computers
for community member use and employ local Osborn residents. The
famous neighborhood restaurant, Capers Steak House, lies just outside
of the Osborn boundary near 7 Mile Rd. and Gratiot Ave. The steakhouse,
which opened in 1982, survived the economic downturn unlike
many businesses along Gratiot Ave. and remains a Northeast Detroit
institution.XI
Osborn is also home to numerous community hubs which provide
recreational, cultural, and social services and are a destination by many
Detroit and Osborn residents. Key community hubs, identified by Osborn
community members and stakeholders, are listed and explained below.
These destinations can also be seen on Figure 2.7.
The Matrix Center
The Matrix Center is a community center near the intersection of
McNichols Rd. and Gratiot Ave (Figure 2.8). The center offers support
services designed to break the cycle of poverty through collaboration
with more than 150 mission partners. Programs include clients’ choice
food pantry, computer courses, counseling, employment skill-building,
financial literacy, the arts, and head start programs. Serving more
than 2,500 individuals and families each month, the Matrix Center is a
destination in the Osborn neighborhood. The Matrix Center is also home
to ONA and the Osborn Business Association. Located at the corner of
busy Gratiot Ave. and McNichols Rd. and along the 32 McNichols DDOT
bus line, the Matrix Center is at the crossroads of major Osborn transit
pathways.XII
Franklin Branch of the Detroit Public Library
The Franklin Branch of the Detroit Public Library system is located
directly across the street from the Matrix Center on McNichols Rd,
as illustrated in Figure 2.9. The library features a number of services
including computer literacy programs, personal financing classes, and
book clubs. Interviews with community members revealed that the
library is highly valued in the neighborhood, although usage of the
library has been declining. Many community members attributed this
to the outside appearance of the building which has fallen into disrepair
in the past few years. The outside appearance seems to indicate that the
library has been closed down, possibly deterring new visitors.XIII
FIGURE 2.8: Site of the
Matrix Center
FIGURE 2.9: Site of the
Franklin Branch of the
Detroit Public Library

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Calimera Park
Located just east of the geographic center of Osborn, Calimera Park
is a recreational destination and community gathering space for the
neighborhood. Calimera Park is maintained by, and for, the community,
led by ONA. The park recently received widespread attention for the
installation of ‘The Edible Hut’, a shade structure with a green roof made
up of herbs and edible plants. The Edible Hut has served as a catalyst for
community building and educational programming around health, active
living, and urban agriculture.XIV
Lipke Park and Recreation Center
For many years, the Lipke Park Recreation Center was a popular
gathering space that offered workout equipment and fields for Osborn
residents and community groups. However, due to budget cuts, the
recreation center was closed in 2014. Recent contributions from S.A.Y
Detroit, Score 7 Charitable Fund, and the City of Detroit have ignited
efforts to bring back the recreation center. The center, located at 19320
Van Dyke St., is slated to reopen in 2015 and will have 33,506 square feet
of space including facilities for football, baseball, soccer, ice-skating,
and academic tutoring. The center will also include a 2,500 square
foot learning facility, which will help the center become a destination
for Osborn’s youth and families. Educational incentives, including a
minimum GPA, are intended to promote Osborn youth to stay on track in
school.XV
St. John Conner Creek Village
Located on Outer Drive East, the St. John Conner Creek Village is a
hospital complex home to many services and institutions used by the
Osborn neighborhood and the greater Northeast Detroit population. The
complex includes a hospital with 24-hour urgent care, a mental health
clinic, a family health center, internal care, and ophthalmology services.
Beyond health services, the complex houses Detroit Community
Initiative, the Conner Creek Senior Apartments, the National Council
on Alcohol and Drug Dependency, Norton Homes, the Heat and Warmth
Fund, and a short term Veterans Housing unit. All of which are important
services for the community.XVI
Brenda Scott Academy
Brenda Scott Academy is an elementary school in the Education
Achievement Authority School District, which is a statewide program
aimed at improving public education. The school, located at 18440
Hoover Street, enrolls approximately 920 students and utilizes “student-

25
centered learning” as their educational model. The model involves a
longer school day at 7.5 hours, a longer school year at 11 months, and a
unique focus on mastery of different levels of coursework. The school
provides students with access to a community garden as well as
technology such as laptops.XVII
The Osborn High Schools
Located at the intersection of Hoover St. and 7 Mile Rd., Osborn High
School is a complex of three independent high schools: Osborn College
Preparatory Academy, Osborn Collegiate Academy of Mathematics,
Science, and Technology, and Osborn Evergreen Academy of Design
and Alternative Energy. The schools offer a combined 20 after-school
programs and school clubs for students. Programs include tutoring and
extended day programs, accelerated reading and math courses, urban
farming, environmental clubs, student-mentoring programs, college-
wrap-around support services, and over 200 summer jobs for students.XVIII
Momentum in Osborn
Momentum towards improving the Osborn neighborhood is building.
In 2006 the Skillman Foundation designated the Osborn neighborhood
as one of its “good neighborhoods” as part of the “Good Neighborhood
Initiative.” One of the first contributions of the Skillman Foundation
under this initiative was to facilitate the creation of the Osborn
Neighborhood Alliance (ONA), because the neighborhood lacked a
unifying community organization for Skillman to work with.XIX
The
creation of ONA has contributed significantly to the neighborhood
and togther with Skillman, these two actors have been fundamental in
building momentum in the neighborhood
Skillman Foundation
In 2006 the Skillman Foundation designated the Osborn neighborhood
as one of the neighborhoods in the Good Neighborhoods Initiative (GNI).
The GNI is a 10-year, 100 million-dollar investment in six neighborhoods
across Detroit.XX
According to the Skillman Foundation’s website, the
initiative’s goal is “to ensure that children have clear pathways to
graduating from high school and leading successful lives as adults.
To do that, [they] focus on four areas: high-quality education, youth
development, safety, and community leadership.”XXI
The impact this commitment has had is evident in the existence of a
variety of programs and organizations that have developed out of the
Skillman Foundation’s funding. Most notable in their efforts is the

26
development of the Osborn neighborhood’s identity. Prior to the GNI,
the area was not a cohesive unit; while the area was composed of many
block clubs and institutions, there was no unifying name or organization.
Skillman helped to develop the ‘Osborn’ identity, a name borrowed from
the high school at the heart of the neighborhood, Osborn High. It was
also the result of Skillman’s community leadership development that
ONA, a voice piece and center of community organizing, was founded.XXII
The Skillman Foundation continues to push the envelope advocating
for and supporting improvements within Osborn. The foundation is
currently in conversation with Detroit Department of Neighborhoods
District Manager, Gary Bullock, who is advocating for a rezoning that
would be more favorable to supporting community and economic
development in Osborn. Additionally, the Skillman foundation is
partnering with Wayne State University Safety Citizen Patrols, Youth
Violence Prevention Initiative, and Operation Cease Fire to improve
safety and provide alternatives for youth in the neighborhood. Skillman
is also aggressively supporting educational achievement in Osborn
through partnerships with organizations like the NSO Youth Initiative
project, Cornerstone Math Accelerator, and Heritage Works Arts.XXIII
Osborn Neighborhood Alliance
The Osborn Neighborhood Alliance, a non-profit community
organization, advocates for, builds capacity in, and works as a partner
with residents to make Osborn a community of choice. ONA seeks to
create a neighborhood where children are safe, healthy, well educated,
and prepared for adulthood. ONA’s efforts concentrate on grassroots
initiatives, including community engagement, supporting block clubs,
and revitalizing parks. In addition, they provide human services and
activities for both youths and adults in the community. XXIV
ONA’s efforts have enabled the organization to garner the support of
many community members. Their success can partially be attributed
to their long running publication and distribution of a neighborhood
newsletter, “The Osborn Voice.” The publication is typically published
monthly and keeps community members up to date on developments
and opportunities within the community.
Another growing initiative of ONA is the Osborn Business Association.
Composed primarily of local business owners, the Osborn Business
Assocation has become the voice of the private sector in the
neighborhood. The group holds various events to promote the
neighborhood’s businesses and has been working to attract additional

27
employers.XXV
OBA serves the important role of welcoming and orienting
new business to the culture and norms of the neighborhood to help
ensure those businesses’ success.
ONA has also been successful in attracting the attention and support
of Detroit government organizations, such as the Detroit Land Bank
Authority and District 3 representative Scott Bensen, non-profit
developers such as Life Remodeled, and non-profit groups like the
Greening of Detroit. This has come in tandem with ONA’s shift of focus
from providing services to the community to taking a more direct
role in neighborhood development. To that end, ONA established the
Live in Osborn (LIO) Initiative in 2013. The goal of the initiative is to
revitalize and repopulate the neighborhood. LIO began with targeted
vacant lot clean ups and securing of vacant properties. The initiative is
concentrating efforts within a targeted area as a way to demonstrate to
the rest of the neighborhood what could be done through their efforts.
This target area is known as the Live in Osborn Target Area (LIOTA) and
has been the concentration of many interested parties previously listed.
XXVI
In addition to ONA and the Skillman Foundation there are a number of
active organizations and funders in the neighborhood. Each of them has
also had a profound effect on the neighborhood and has been a part of
the momentum growing in Osborn.
Conclusion
The Osborn neighborhood experiences many challenges: high rates
of vacancy, poverty, and crime, pending foreclosures threatening to
increase vacancy even more, and poor performing schools. While these
challenges may seem overwhelming, there is a core set of assets in
Osborn that demonstrate why the neighborhood has garnered so much
attention from foundations and organizations. There is a large number
of owner-occupied and family households in the Osborn neighborhood.
These demographics indicate that there is a core demographic in Osborn
which are dedicated to the neighborhood by making the financial
commitment to purchase a home and active because of their ties to
major anchor institutions like the schools. Furthermore, the number
and strength of community assets make Osborn a destination for those
seeking services and goods in the Northeast area of the city.
These community destinations have remained stable in the community
and have given community members a sense of pride in that they have

28
I
United States Census Bureau (2009-2013). American Community Survey (Table B09109).
II
III
Motor City Mapping (2013-2014). Winter 2013-2014 Certified Results (Data File). Retrieved from
http://d3.d3.opendata.arcgis.com/datasets/7cfed5afb7654e2495ef4c1ead320aa5_0.
IV
United States Census Bureau (2000) Decennial Census (Table P001); United States Census
Bureau (2010) Decennial Census (Table P1).
V
VI
Data Driven Detroit (2014). 2015 Wayne County Tax Foreclosure Properties (Data File). Re-
trieved from http://d3.d3.opendata.arcgis.com/datasets.
VII
Zillow (n.d.). Home Search. Retrieved from: http://www.zillow.com/homes/for_sale/De-
troit-MI/88568242_zpid/17762_rid/42.447623,-82.973599,42.418736,-83.042779_rect/13_zm/1_
sch/1_fr/?view=map
VIII
George Hunter and Mike Wilkinson (2011). Detroit’s Deadliest Neighborhood, The Detroit
News. Retrieved from http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20110902/METRO01/109020387.
IX
Crimemapping (2014). Trend Report for 5/27/2014-10/28/2014 (Data File). Retrieved from:
http://bit.ly/crimemapping.
X
MI School Data (2012-2013) College Readiness: Percentage of Students Not Proficient. Re-
trieved from http://www.mischooldata.org/CareerAndCollegeReadiness/theEnrollmentByThe.
aspx
XI
Capers Steakhouse (n.d.) Dine in Home. Retrieved from http://caperssteakhouse.com/.
XII
Matrix Human Services (n.d.). Matrix Human Services Center. Retrieved from http://www.
matrixhumanservices.net/matrix-human-services-center/.
XIII
Detroit Public Library (n.d.). Franklin Branch. Retrieved from http://www.detroitpubliclibrary.
org/branch/franklin.
XIV
M. J. Galbraith (2013, April 8). Edible Hut for Osborn Neighborhood, Mode Shift. Retrieved
from http://www.wearemodeshift.org/edible-hut-osborn-neighborhood.
XV
Derek Draplin (2015, January 28). Stafford-backed youth center to combine sports and
References
access to all daily needs within the confines of their own neighborhood.
Finally, the momentum set by the Skillman Foundation’s investment and
the dedication of ONA has demonstrated that the community is engaged
and ready to act. Their efforts to date have set the stage for further
work and investment in the neighborhood and add confidence by the
community and other stakeholders that there are a core group of actors
dedicated to combatting the challenges in Osborn.

29
studies, The Detroit News. Retrieved from http://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/
wayne-county/2015/01/27/revived-detroit-youth-center-combine-sports-studies/22429865/.
XVI
St. John Conner Creek Village (n.d.). Facility Information. Retrieved from: http://www.stjohn-
providence.org/newsroom/reporter-resources/facts/fact-sheets/conner-creek.
XVII
National Alliance of Black School Educators (n.d.). NABSE PreK-12 School Tours. Retrieved
from http://www.nabse.org/conference/SchoolTours13.html.
XVIII
Detroit Public Schools (n.d.). Osborn College Prepatory Academy. Retrieved from http://de-
troitk12.org/schools/osborncollegeprep/. ; Detroit Public Schools (n.d.).Osborn Collegiate Acad-
emy of Mathematics, Science, and Technology. Retrieved from http://detroitk12.org/schools/os-
bornmst/. ; Detroit Public Schools (n.d.). Osborn Evergreen Academy of Design and Alternative
Energy. Retrieved from http://detroitk12.org/schools/osbornevergreen/.
XIX
tive-Moves-to-Action.
XX
tive-Moves-to-Action.
XXI
The Skillman Foundation (2006, January 27). Good Neighborhoods Initiative. Retrieved from
http://www.skillman.org/Knowledge-Center/News/Good-Neighborhoods-Initiative.
XXII
(T. Jones, personal communication, March 22, 2015)
XXIII
(T. Jones, personal communication, March 22, 2015)
XXIV
ONA (n.d.) Live in Osborn. Retrieved from http://osborn.wedgedetroit.com/live-in-osborn/.
XXV
ONA (n.d.) Live in Osborn. Retrieved from http://liveinosborn.com/.
XXVI

31
Live in Osborn
Target Area
3The Live in Osborn Target Area
Area Overview
Planning Efforts for LIOTA
Physical Conditions
Horizon of Development in LIOTA
References
32
33
34
36
42
45

32
32
The Live in Osborn Target Area (LIOTA)1
seen in Figure 3.1 is the
geographic focus of ONA’s Live in Osborn (LIO) Initiative and the
recommendations of Building On Momentum. In 2013, ONA established
the LIO initiative with the goal of revitalizing the Osborn neighborhood.
Phase one of the initiative, currently in progress, concentrates efforts in
the LIOTA centered on Schoenherr St. and McNichols Rd.I
LIOTA is meant
to serve as a model of revitalization for all of Osborn and to be replicated
Figure 3.1: Osborn Neighborhood Location
GRATIOTAVE
GREINER ST
SCHOENHERRST
8 MILE RD
7 MILE RD
E STATE FAIR AVE
MCNICHOLS RD
VANDYKEAVE
HOOVERST
MATRIX CENTER
OSBORN NEIGHBORHOOD
BOUNDARY
LIVE IN OSBORN
TARGET AREA
GRATIOTAVE
PARK GROVE ST
GROTTOCT
SCHOENHERRST
PELKEYST
HICKORYST
0 0.05 MILES
Source: Motor City Mapping;
Detroit Future City
N
GREINER ST
MCNICHOLS RD
PELKEYST
MAPLERIDGE ST
1
The LIOTA boundary is a creation of Building on Momentum. The boundary is a result
of combining previous iterations of the LIOTA boundary. Furthermore, it reflects some
modifications in order to encapsulate new developments. Finally, the boundary edges
have been strategically selected to go through alleys instead of streets in order to not split
development between two facing properties.

33
throughout the neighborhood in subsequent phases of LIO Initiative. The
initiative’s vision is as follows:
“Live in Osborn is driving neighborhood change through
strategies that are resident driven, connected to city, state,
and federal initiatives, and stabilizing the neighborhood
for the first time in five decades.”II
Thus far, to move towards the vision of the LIO initiative, ONA has
conducted vacant lot clean-ups and boarded up vacant properties.
Furthermore, ONA has become more active in property development by
purchasing, rehabbing and selling homes in the LIOTA.III
The Skillman
Foundation supports the initiative, and more recently, organizations
such as Life Remodeled and the Greening of Detroit have taken an
interest in helping ONA achieve its vision for the LIOTA. Through
analyzing current plans, physical conditions, and the horizon of
development of the LIOTA, the current state of the target area can be
better understood including the challenges that need to be addressed in
the area in order to achieve ONA’s vision.
Area Overview
LIOTA has two major community anchors: Matrix Human Services
and the Franklin Branch Library. The target area contains stops from
multiple bus lines which lead to popular recreation, shopping, and
employment centers outside of the neighborhood, see Figure 3.2.
Furthermore LIOTA is also adjacent to Gratiot Ave., a major arterial that
feeds motorists and cyclists directly to downtown Detroit. One could
reach the city center of Detroit in 20 minutes by car.Considering 86%
of Osborn residents use a car, truck, or van to commute to work, the
accessibility to downtown by car is extremely convenient.IV
LIOTA contains both SMART and DDOT bus stops. The DDOT 32
McNichols runs east to St. John Hospital and Medical Center, a major
employer of Osborn workers, and west to the north entrance of the Rouge
Park. The 530 Schoenherr SMART bus line runs north to the Lakeside
Mall shopping center in Sterling Heights and south to the Rosa Parks
Transit Center in Downtown Detroit, another area in which many Osborn
workers are employed.V

34
Planning Efforts for LIOTA
There are two planning documents guiding development in the LIOTA:
“Making a Neighborhood Vibrant, Safe, and Connected” (2013) and
the “Live in Osborn Action Plan” (2014). These plans, respectively,
address vacant space activation and housing rehabilitation. “Making
a Neighborhood” and the “Live in Osborn Action Plan” have proposed
singular action items that promote small steps towards the LIO
Initiative’s vision. However, there is currently no comprehensive plan for
LIOTA.
ST. JOHN HOSPITAL
AND MEDICAL CENTER
ROUGE PARK
(NORTH ENTRANCE)
LAKESIDE MALL IN STERLING HEIGHTS
DOWNTOWN DETROIT
(ROSA PARKS TRANSIT CENTER)
70 MIN
30 MIN
40 MIN
35 MIN
35 MIN
15 MIN
40 MIN
20 MIN
DDOT
SMART
OSBORN NEIGHBORHOOD
RAILROAD
MAJOR ROAD
MINOR ROAD
Figure 3.2: Travel times and proximity to surrounding destinations

35
“Making a Neighborhood Vibrant” proposes a green alley and pop-up
retail near the Matrix Center along Gratiot Ave. The plan suggests that
these pop-ups would provide a way for local businesses to disseminate
their goods with little overhead costs, thus supporting entrepreneurship
and local economic growth. Locating the businesses in a vacant lot
adjacent to the Matrix Center would increase activity and use of outdoor
space. This plan touches on the importance of vacant property cleanup
and board ups, homeowner foreclosure assistance, residential counts,
and targeted purchasing and rehabbing of vacant structures but does not
Figure 3.3: Detroit Future City land use
GRATIOTAVE
GREINER ST
MAPLERIDGE ST
PARK GROVE ST GROTTOCT
SCHOENHERRST
PELKEYST
MCNICHOLS RD
PELKEY ST
HICKORYST
GREEN RESIDENTIAL
INNOVATION ECOLOGICAL
0 0.05 MILES
Detroit Future City
N

36
provide an implementation strategy for these additional ideas.VI
The “Live in Osborn Action Plan” is a five to ten year strategic
acquisition, rehabilitation, and tenant marketing plan for twenty
vacant structures in the LIOTA. The plan aims to begin the LIO initiative
by redeveloping housing in LIOTA. Through this redevelopment, a
precedent could be set and the momentum gained through rehabbing
and occupying these structures will reinvigorate the target area.VII
As
it stands, the plan does not address other factors that affect housing
demand such as crime, educational institutions, and connectivity.
Detroit-wide planning documents also have implications for LIOTA.
While not formally adopted by the City of Detroit, the Detroit Future City
(DFC) Framework is guiding discussions and decisions for future land
use in the city. As Figure 3.3 shows, there are two land use designations
in LIOTA under the DFC framework, green residential and innovation
ecological. The green residential land use category, which covers all of
LIOTA north of Greiner St., was developed to address the large amounts
of vacant land in Detroit that many believe are unlikely to experience
infill development. Green residential land use suggests vacant structures
and lots be permanently transformed to green open spaces that support
existing residential development.VIII
The DFC land use designation for the portion of LIOTA south of Griener
St. is innovation ecological. Future land uses under this designation
are meant to support ecological development rather than building
development.IX
This land use designation is actually in conflict with
ONA’s development plans in LIOTA, especially considering the Matrix
Center’s presence in an innovation ecological zone.
While the conflict between ONA’s plans for the LIOTA and the DFC
land use designations need to be resolved, the green residential land
use designation, along with the two existing LIOTA plans, are a guide
for development in the LIOTA. Developers, community organizations,
and foundations can all utilize these documents as starting points for
understanding the tenor of development in the LIOTA.
Physical Conditions
In order to better understand the physical conditions of LIOTA, data
analysis and a visual assessment were conducted. The current state
of structures and movement through the LIOTA were explored and the

37
current physical strengths and challenges were identified.
Structures + Parcels
Osborn and LIOTA homes are primarily brick structures. The quality of
the area’s building stock once gave reason for it to be referred to as the
“Pride of the East Side.” Although not nearly to the same extent as in the
Figure 3.4: LIOTA Vacancy map
Source: Motor City Mapping
OCCUPIED OR POSSIBLY OCCUPIED
VACANT STRUCTURES
0 0.05 MILES0.1
VACANT LOTS
GRATIOTAVE
GREINER ST
MAPLERIDGE ST
PARK GROVE ST
GROTTOCT
SCHOENHERRST
PELKEYST
HICKORYST
E MCNICHOLS RD
PELKEY ST
HICKORYST

38
neighborhood’s past, structures in LIOTA have remained in fairly good
condition, most likely due to the quality of their buIld.
The LIOTA has one of the Osborn neighborhood’s highest concentrations
of vacancy. As Figure 3.4 illustrates, of the 168 parcels in the target area,
66 are vacant. This 39% vacancy rate is significantly higher than the
neighborhood’s overall vacancy rate of 22%. Considering the likelihood
that at least a portion of the 44 structures in the “maybe occupied”
category should be included in this statistic, the vacancy rate is likely
higher. However, the incidence of blight is relatively low. Figure 3.5
shows the condition of structures in LIOTA; as this map shows, only
FIGURE 3.6: Existing
housing stock in Osborn
housing stock in Osborn
GRATIOTAVE
GREINER ST
MAPLERIDGE ST
PARK GROVE ST
GROTTOCT
SCHOENHERRST
PELKEYST
MCNICHOLS RD
PELKEY ST
HICKORYST
EMPTY LOT
GOOD
0 0.05 MILES
Source: Motor City Mapping
N FAIR
SUGGEST DEMOLITION
POOR
Figure 3.5: Condition of structures in LIOTA

39
40’ 6‘ 6’ 24’24’ 6’ 6’
Parking ParkingBuilding Building
SECTION 1. GREINER ST SECTION
40’ 27‘ 6’10’ 6’ 34’
Parking ParkingBuilding
SECTION 2. SCHOENHERR ST SECTION
1
1 2 2
GREINER ST
MCNICHOLS RD
GRATIOTAVE
Figure 3.8: Existing conditions
of the Osborn streetscape

40
10% of the 128 structures in the target area are in poor condition or are
suggested for demolition. This leaves the other 90% of structures in
good or fair condition, indicating that they are potentially rehab-ready.X
Examples of homes in the LIOTA can be seen in Figures 3.6 and 3.7.
One other piece of information worth noting is that there are several
properties in LIOTA that are owned by public entities such as the Detroit
Land Bank Authority (DLBA). XI
This could ultimately have a positive
impact on the community as publicly owned properties are much easier
and cheaper to acquire.
Further, vacancy may be a contributing factor to the perception that
LIOTA is an unsafe area. Information taken from a community focus
group made clear that if more people lived in LIOTA, community
members would feel safer in the area and would even frequent the area
much more often. However, as it stands, many community members do
not frequent the LIOTA other than to visit the library or Matrix Center.
Streets, Sidewalks, and Alleys
The condition and layout of streets, sidewalks, and alleys that make up
the public infrastructure of the LIOTA present additional challenges to
residents and visitors of the area. As the section in Figure 3.9 shows, the
current streetscape is wide and underutilized. Large setbacks and wide
right-of-ways coupled with multiple, often empty, driving and parking
lanes create a sense of vastness and distance. This makes the structures
in the LIOTA seem disconnected and much farther apart than they
actually are. A scarcity of landscaping in the public right of way between
the sidewalk and street also contributes to a lack of connectivity
between structures.
Additionally, both sidewalks and alleyways in the area range from fair to
poor condition, more often poor (see Figures 3.10 and 3.11). The sidewalk
network is not complete and a lack of maintenance has led to gaps in the
system as a whole, illustrated in Figure 3.12. While ONA has cleaned up
some of the alleys in the LIOTA, such as the one illustrated in Figure 3.11,
other alleys in the area had extensive dumping and were unsafe due to
missing manholes. Alleys in the neighborhood once provided important
connections between residential blocks, but many are now and will
remain stagnant spaces if not cleaned up and made safe.
There are also systemic problems in car traffic flow in LIOTA. Namely,
there is an unnecessary and problematic one-way section of Greiner St.
between Gratiot Ave. and McNichols Rd. While this one-way section may
sidewalk conditions.
alley condition post clean-
up by ONA
FIGURE 3.9: Lack of
street trees on existing
right-of-way
gaps in sidewalk network

41
have been necessary at one point, it currently creates a dead space due
to lessened car traffic. This street also proves to be a traffic hazard as
some motorists were observed still using the street as if it were a two-
way. Furthermore, while traffic was heaviest on McNichols Rd. during a
site visit, high traffic speeds due to the large right of way on Schoenherr
St. seemed to create unsafe conditions for pedestrians, bikers, and
motorists.
The conditions of structures, streets, sidewalks, and alleyways in LIOTA
present opportunities and challenges to achieving the LIO Initiative.
MATRIX HUMAN SERVICES
GREENING OF DETROIT
0 0.05 MILES
Source: Data Driven Detroit 2014
N
PRIVATE DEVELOPMENT
LIFE REMODELED
PROPERTIES
GRATIOTAVE
GREINER ST
MAPLERIDGE ST
PARK GROVE ST
GROTTOCT
SCHOENHERRST
PELKEYST
MCNICHOLS RD
PELKEY ST
HICKORYST
Map 3.13: Current and planned developments in the Osborn neighborhood

42
While a strong housing stock exists in the area, vacancy is also
widespread. Vacant homes have remained in good condition largely
because of the quality of the housing stock. Despite the high rates of
vacancy, many homes appear to be rehabable and do not need to be
demolished. Therefore, the LIOTA’s built environment could remain
relatively dense. The layout and condition of streets, sidewalks, and
alleys creates an uncomfortable sense of distance and vastness in
the area, as well as significant barriers for pedestrian travel. These
conditions need to be addressed in order to improve movement through
the LIOTA.
HORIZON OF DEVELOPMENT IN LIOTA
ONA’s work to target funding and development in LIOTA as part of the
LIO Initiative has begun to lead to new development. Both public and
private partners for the LIO Initiative have emerged and there are several
major projects taking place in LIOTA over the next six months that could
lay the groundwork for future development in the target area.
In the fall of 2014, Life Remodeled, a mission-driven nonprofit focused
on neighborhood redevelopment, selected Osborn as its next target
neighborhood. Through a major volunteer event scheduled for late
summer of 2015, Life Remolded will be carrying out a campaign to
renovate sections of the Osborn High School complex, demolish 20
homes, renovate 21 homes, and board up 300 homes.XII
While this will
have a massive impact on the neighborhood as a whole, Life Remodeled
has also worked in concert with the ONA and concentrated some of the
home renovations in LIOTA. Eight properties are to be purchased and
renovated and sold affordably to a family with a student at Osborn High
School.XIII
These eight properties can be seen in Figure 3.13.
Greening of Detroit has also made plans for property in the LIOTA.
They are working closely with ONA to convert the site of four vacant
structures, seen in Figure 3.13 and 3.14, into an environmental education
demonstration site. This educational site will bring students interested
in learning about ecology and sustainability and teach them tangible
skills in maintaining green spaces.XIV
The education provided will then
support green development under the green residential land use from
the DFC framework in LIOTA and Osborn. Not only will this project
activate a vacant lot in LIOTA, it will also provide skills to Osborn youth
who can become active stakeholders in helping to redevelop their
neighborhood.
FIGURE 3.14: Site of
the potential Greening
of Detroit environmental
education demonstration
center

43
Finally, there are two recent private acquisitions in LIOTA. Figure 3.13
shows the two properties that were recently acquired by separate
developers. XV
Unlike the developments under Life Remodeled and
Greening of Detroit, the trajectory of development for these sites is
unclear. However, the apartment complex on Greiner St. has recently
been under renovations which is a positive indication that there are
plans for occupancy.
The occupancy of the Life Remodeled properties, the Greening of Detroit
site, and the two private developments could have a significant impact
on vacancy in LIOTA. Assuming these sites are rehabbed and occupied
within the next year, the vacancy rate in LIOTA could fall to 31%, which
is nearly a 10% drop in vacancy. This statistic demonstrates the power
that development driven by the LIO Initiative could have in such a small
space in the neighborhood.
LIOTA as a focus for investment and attention by multiple actors holds
great promise, but many challenges. For ONA to achieve the goal of
revitalizing the Osborn neighborhood starting with the LIOTA, issues
of vacancy, safety, pedestrian conditions, and lack of connectivity all
need to be addressed. However, there is great promise in the momentum
building from non-profit and private development. These developments
coupled with other interventions that address the larger challenges
of the neighborhood and LIOTA could help attain the vision of the LIO

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BLANK

45
I
II
ONA (n.d.). Live in Osborn. Retrieved from http://osborn.wedgedetroit.com/live-in-osborn/.
III
IV
V
United States Census Bureau (2011) OnTheMap Application and LEHD Origin-Destination
Employment Statistics Beginning of Quarter Employment [Data Set]. Retrieved from http://
onthemap.ces.census.gov/.
VI
ONA and Clearzoning (n.d.) Making a Neighborhood Vibrant, Connected, Safe: A Model for
Neighborhood Revitalization.
VII
VIII
Detroit Future City (2013). 2012 Detroit Strategic Framework Plan. Retrieved from http://
detroitfuturecity.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/DFC_Full_2nd.pdf.
IX
Detroit Future City (2013). 2012 Detroit Strategic Framework Plan. Retrieved from http://
detroitfuturecity.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/DFC_Full_2nd.pdf.
X
Motor City Mapping (2013-2014). Winter 2013-2014 Certified Results (Data File). Retrieved from
http://d3.d3.opendata.arcgis.com/datasets/7cfed5afb7654e2495ef4c1ead320aa5_0.
XI
Loveland Technologies (2015). The Great American Parcel Survey [Data Set]. Retrieved from
https://makeloveland.com/us/mi/wayne/detroit.
XII
Life Remodeled (n.d.) Current Project. Retrieved from http://liferemodeled.com/current-
project/.
XIII
(Q. Jones, personal communication, March 2015)
XIV
XV
References

47
Findings
Findings
Finding 1
Finding 2
Finding 3
Finding 4
Conclusion
References
48
49
50
50
51
51
4

48
Findings
Four core findings emerged from research conducted on the Osborn
neighborhood and the LIOTA through stakeholder interviews, a focus
group, data analysis, and a walking tour. The four core findings are:
1. There is no comprehensive planning document for
development in Osborn and the LIOTA.
2. High rates of vacancy in LIOTA and Osborn are coupled
with high rates of public ownership of these vacant
properties.
3. While many of Osborn’s major community hubs are in
close proximity, interviews with community members and
stakeholders revealed that there is a perception of a great
physical distance between these hubs.
4. Osborn has many of the foundational elements necessary
to serve the needs of Detroit families, yet negative
perceptions of the neighborhood have harmed its reputation
and may discourage residents from moving into the area.
Research conducted on the Osborn neighborhood and the LIOTA revealed
a number of important aspects of the community that would be of
interest to urban planners. However, these four findings were chosen as
the major challenges and opportunities in the neighborhood that must
be considered when creating a strategy to achieve the LIO initiative.
These findings are understood to be foundational. Many of these issues
have much larger implications and if addressed could create great
changes in the neighborhood.
FINDING 1
There is no comprehensive planning document for development in
Osborn.
Over the past ten years, Osborn has been the focus of work by numerous
foundations, non-profits, and private entities, and the recipient of a
large amount of investment. While these efforts have been significant
and have resulted in many positive changes in the neighborhood,

49
Findings
these efforts have been uncoordinated. This is mostly supported by
stakeholder interviews and witnessing the number of projects that
are and have taken place in the neighborhood over the past ten years.
While these projects are working towards a similar goal, the lack of a
guiding document for development in Osborn requires that organizations
expend lots of money and time attempting to coordinate in a way that a
planning document could do much more easily. While the LIO Initiative
provides some structure to development in the LIOTA, the initiative lacks
a strategic, comprehensive guiding document to direct implementation
of the vision for the target area. Currently, there is a plan for ONA to
rehab homes but does not provide any guidance to the many actors
who will also work in the LIOTA. This requires that ONA attempt to keep
track of all developments taking place there. While this may be possible
in the LIOTA, it is not possible for the whole neighborhood. These
circumstances demonstrate a need for a comprehensive plan for the
Osborn neighborhood with a particular focus on the LIOTA to carry out
the initiative’s goals.
FINDING 2
High rates of vacancy in LIOTA and Osborn are coupled with high
rates of public ownership of these vacant properties.
A high rate of vacancy exists in Osborn, especially in the LIOTA, and if
current trends continue these rates will only increase in the coming
years. A large percentage of these vacant properties have fallen under
the ownership of the Detroit Land Bank Authority (DLBA). With the
challenge of vacancy comes a great opportunity, there are a number
of publicly owned vacant properties in the LIOTA that were be easy
and cheap to acquire. Furthermore, the DLBA has a record of working
closely with community associations in order to stabilize target areas.
To that end, the DLBA has a number of formal partnership opportunities
available to expedite the transfer of property ownership to community
groups.I
The DLBA has worked with ONA in the past and is continuing to
do so today. The DLBA’s mission paired with their property ownership in
Osborn represents a great opportunity for ONA if taken advantage of in a
strategic manner.

50
FINDING 3
While many of Osborn’s major community hubs are in close
geographic proximity, interviews with community members
revealed that there is a perception of great physical distance
between these hubs.
Osborn has a number of important community hubs that provide
educational, recreation, and social services to Osborn residents
and community members at large. While these hubs are impactful
individually, there is a common sentiment among residents that
these hubs are disconnected in proximity. For instance, residents and
members of ONA have conveyed that even though the Osborn High
School complex is only a 15-minute walk from the Matrix Center, there is
a perception that it is an unwalkable and even unbikable distance. This
problem presents an opportunity to strengthen hubs through increased
awareness and comprehension of the geographic makeup of Osborn,
as well as improving the visibility and usability of transit connections
between community anchors.
FINDING 4
Osborn has many of the foundational elements necessary to
serve the needs of Detroit families, yet negative perceptions of the
neighborhood have harmed its reputation and may discourage
residents from moving into the area.
Interviews with community members suggest that all the needs of a
family can be met within or near the Osborn neighborhood. Foundations
for a desirable family neighborhood are present in Osborn; there is a
number of grocery stores, recreation centers, parks, religious institutions,
and community centers within close reach to residents. Furthermore,
LIOTA’s transit amenities and connection to major arterials lends itself
to direct transit connections to important destinations for working
families: regional employment districts, recreation opportunities, and
shopping centers.
While the Osborn neighborhood was once known as the “Pride of
the East Side,” systemic safety, education, and vacancy issues have
marred Osborn’s reputation. A large focus of the work of the Skillman
Foundation and ONA has been to address these systemic issues.

51
Findings
Recognizing these efforts in combination with the array of amenities
and transit connections available within the neighborhood presents an
opportunity to bolster the identity of Osborn as a neighborhood for young
families in order to become more attractive to future residents.
Conclusion
The four findings presented identify existing issues and represent
opportunities that could greatly strengthen efforts to realize the
LIO Initiative. A comprehensive neighborhood planning process,
partnerships to address vacancy, improving the connection of
community hubs, and bolstering Osborn’s image as a neighborhood of
choice for families will be key opportunities to address in order to better
achieve the LIO Initiative.
Land Bank Authority (2014). Community Partnerhsip Overview. Retrieved from http://www.
buildingdetroit.org/community-partnership-overview/.
References

53
Strategies +
Recommendations
5Strategy 1: Developing Community
Ownership
Recommendation 1
Recommendation 2
Recommendation 3
Recommendation 4
Recommendation 5
Strategy 2: Activating Community
Spaces
Recommendation 1
Recommendation 2
Recommendation 3
Recommendation 4
Recommendation 5
Recommendation 6
Recommendation 7
Strategy 3: Increasing Connectivity
Recommendation 1
Recommendation 2
Recommendation 3
Recommendation 4
Recommendation 5
References
54
56
59
63
64
64
67
67
71
74
75
75
77
78
80
80
83
85
87
88
89

54
Building on Momentum presents three strategies, in support of ONA, to
capture and capitalize on existing momentum in LIOTA in order to make
Osborn and the LIOTA a neighborhood of choice.
1. Developing Community Ownership
2. Activating Neighborhood Spaces
3. Increase Connectivity in LIOTA
Each of these strategies is supported with specific recommendations
based on case studies, conversations with the Osborn community,
and research. While the strategies work in concert and build off one
another, the first strategy, developing community ownership, serves as
a foundation the other two strategies can build off of in order to better
achieve the vision of the LIO Initiative. Strategies two and three focus
on physical interventions and can be seen in Figure 5.1, while strategy
one concentrates on policy changes which will have an impact on the
built environment of the LIOTA. These strategies and recommendations
represent a set of holistic tangible steps ONA and partners can
take to accomplish their vision of a revitalized LIOTA in the Osborn
neighborhood.
STRATEGY 1: Developing Community
Ownership
Building on Momentum’s first strategy is to increase community
ownership of land as a way to decrease vacancy, increase
residential occupancy, and prevent future foreclosures.
ONA has expressed interest in taking a more direct role in development
of the Osborn neighborhood and to utilize LIOTA as a demonstration
space to spark further development. Within LIOTA, many structures are
blighted and vacant. In neighborhoods that are experiencing similar
levels of blight and vacancy, there tends to be two strategies: reduce
Strategies +
Recommendations

55
N
BUILDING INTERVENTIONS
EXTENDED LIBRARY
PUBLIC SPACE
GREEN SPACE
ALLEY WITH BOLLARDS
BIKE RACK
CROSSWALK
BIKE LANE
GREENING OF DETROIT
PROPERTY FOR INVESTMENT
STREETSCAPE
housing supply or increase housing demand.I
ONA has indicated that reducing housing supply within the Osborn
neighborhood has not resulted in stemming the tide of neighborhood
decline. Furthermore, research shows that demolition of vacant
Figure 5.1: Strategies + Recommendations Site Plan

56
properties has a negative effect on neighborhoods, as its sends a
message that vacancy and abandonment is permanent, which provides
little incentive for current residents to remain.II
While removing a
blighted structure eliminates a dangerous building and eyesore in the
neighborhood, it has the potential to serve as another source of blight
and vacancy.
There are many interventions that can be used to increase housing
demand and reduce vacancy, which fall broadly into two categories:
direct and indirect. Direct interventions to increase housing demand
include:
Direct interventions to increase housing demand include:
Provide financial incentives for new homebuyers and rehabilitation
projects
Insure new homeowners against loss of equity from declines in
market value
Create programs to keep homeowners who are facing tax foreclosure
in their home
Repurpose vacant land into non-market productive uses
Spark development through assuming the role of developerIII
Indirect interventions to increase housing demand include:
Improve upon a neighborhood’s assets to attract investors and
homebuyers
Increase programming and services that provide amenities to attract
and retain residents
Beautify the physical landscape through lot clean ups and board ups
of vacant buildings IV
Much of ONA’s work thus far has been indirect interventions aimed at
improving the physical condition of the neighborhood and providing
services to residents. While important, the indirect approach may not be
enough to increase demand on its own. Therefore, strategy one provides
direct intervention options that ONA could support in order to increase
housing demand in LIOTA, with potential for growth into the Osborn
neighborhood.
Recommendation 1: Support the Creation of a Community Land
Trust
Building on Momentum recommends that ONA support the creation of a

57
Community Land Trust for the Osborn neighborhood to work in concert
with ONA to achieve the vision of the LIO Initiative.
After the Skillman Foundation chose the Osborn neighborhood as one of
its “Good Neighborhoods” as part of the “Good Neighborhoods Initiative”
there has been continued momentum building in Osborn. More
organizations are working to improve conditions in the neighborhood
than ever before and community partners are working together to
take on challenges facing the neighborhood. Over the next year, Life
Remodeled and the Greening of Detroit will be important actors inciting
growth in the LIOTA. Now is the time to build upon the momentum,
to strengthen the cooperative community relationships, and to build
the capacity for the community to take a direct role in revitalizing the
Osborn neighborhood. Through the creation of a community land trust
(CLT), the Osborn community could take direct ownership of land in
LIOTA and in the Osborn neighborhood, setting a strong foundation for
future growth and continued momentum.
A CLT is a nonprofit, community-based development organization
designed to ensure community stewardship of land.V
It encourages
and assists communities in gaining control over land use; community
ownership of land can help communities to:
Reduce absentee ownership of property and have a say in land
development decisions
Provide affordable housing and maintain housing affordability over
time
Promote homeownership through homeowner programs
Partner with homeowners to reinvest equity back into the
neighborhoodVI
Osborn CLT could be productive in all four areas mentioned above.
However, given the challenges and opportunities in the neighborhood,
the first two roles mentioned above could be taken on by the Osborn CLT
to reduce vacancy and increase occupancy in the neighborhood.
Reduce Absentee Property Ownership and Take on a more Active
Role in Land Development
Through gaining ownership of land, a CLT can help prevent absentee
property owners. By definition, absentee property owners do not live in
the communities where they own property; the absentee property owner
is physically and relationally disconnected from the community the

58
property is in. Absentee property owners contribute to neighborhood
decline by exasperating the problem of vacancy and blight.VII
While
there are many examples of investor-owners who contribute to the
health of communities, many investors, especially in struggling housing
markets, purchase properties as an investment with little to no intention
of improving upon the property.VIII
Because of their disconnect from the
community, absentee owners do not directly experience the impact of
their actions. A CLT could address the problem of absentee property
ownership by taking ownership of properties rather than letting an
absentee owner purchase them as an investment.
Furthermore, a CLT can be used to influence land use development.
Osborn currently has several vacant properties with the potential
for future development. A CLT could direct development by ensuring
that it has a positive impact on the neighborhood. The CLT would be
able to influence what type of businesses could locate and open on
currently vacant properties, which would address the issue of unwanted
businesses such as gas stations, liquor stores, or other businesses that
do little to contribute to the health of the neighborhood. In addition, the
CLT could expedite the reuse of property and ensure that properties are
maintained. Simple reviews of aerial photographs of LIOTA revealed that
a number of properties in LIOTA were occupied as recent as 2009; for
various reasons, those properties became vacant and up until recently,
when ONA took the initiative to board-up several properties in LIOTA, the
properties were open to the elements. CLT could work to prevent such
vacancies and ensure that any properties that did become vacant, were
well maintained until reuse of the property was achieved.X
A CLT that
has been especially successful and is acknowledged nationwide is the
Dudley Street Neighborhood Initiative (DSNI). DSNI’s story can be found
in Case Study 1.
Promote Affordable Housing
The CLT also has the power to increase and maintain housing
affordability while promoting homeownership opportunities.
Considering the high rate of poverty in Osborn, affordability of housing
is imperative. A CLT can make a home affordable by separating the cost
of the land from the cost of the home. Using philanthropic and public
subsidies, the CLT purchases or develops homes in a targeted geographic
area and then sells those homes at an affordable price. The homeowner
purchases the home outright and enters into a ground lease with the CLT,
paying a monthly ground lease fee to the CLT to support its operations.
The long-term renewable ground lease includes restrictions designed
to be both beneficial to the homeowner and the community. One such
Case Study 1:
Dudley Street
Neighborhood
Initiative
The Dudley Street
Neighborhood
Initiative (DSNI) is a
nonprofit community-
based organization
in the Roxbury and
North Dorchester
neighborhoods of
Boston. DSNI formed
in 1984 when residents
came together to revive
their neighborhood that
had been devastated by
arson, disinvestment,
and neglect. In 1988,
DSNI formed Dudley
Neighbors, Inc. (DNI) to
play a role in housing
and community
development. DNI is a
community land trust
focused on preserving
affordable housing and
providing residents
with tools to control the
development process.
As of March of 2015,
DNI has produced 225
new homes and owns
land under several
commercial properties.
Within the next decade
there are plans to
develop an additional
250 homes.IX

59
restriction is that the homeowner agrees to resell the home at a price
set by an affordability formula detailed in the ground lease. When the
homeowner sells the house, a portion of the increased value of the
home goes to the homeowner, typically 25%, and the CLT receives the
remaining percentage. The CLT reinvests the increased value back into
the home, keeping the purchase price low for the next homeowner and
preserving affordability for future low-income households. Under the CLT
model, the equity generated by increased land and housing value is used
for resident welfare and neighborhood interests, rather than as profit
for individual landowners.XI
Additionally, restrictions within the ground
lease require that CLT homes be owner-occupied. In this way, a CLT can
help to further stabilize the neighborhood by increasing numbers of
homeowners who are traditionally more invested in the community than
renters.XII
For more information on the steps to take to become a CLT, see Appendix
B.
Recommendation 2: Partner with the Detroit Land Bank Authority
The Osborn CLT should establish itself as a community partner with
the DLBA in order to gain ownership of publicly owned land in the
neighborhood and increase housing demand.
The DLBA is a public authority dedicated to returning vacant, abandoned,
and foreclosed property in Detroit to a productive use. Such uses
include side lot expansion, community partnership and demolition,
and purchase through a public auction. Land banks, which are financed
through government and philanthropic support, donations, and property
sales, are created under state law to efficiently acquire, manage, and
develop vacant and abandoned properties.XIII
To partner with the DLBA, the Osborn CLT could choose from three
different types of community partner designations: endorsement partner,
blight removal partner, and/or redevelopment partner.XIV
While the
endorsement partnership and blight removal partnership would be great
opportunities for ONA as a community organization, the redevelopment
partnership option offers the most potential for an Osborn CLT. A closer
look at what is required to become a community partner with the DLBA
can be found in the sidebar.
In a redevelopment partnership, the Osborn CLT could propose the
acquisition of more than ten properties. The proposal would need to be
A closer look
at Community
Partners
A ‘community
partner’ is a formal
relational designation
that a community
organization can
hold with the DLBA.
The requirements to
become a community
partner include holding
a 501(c)(3) tax exempt
status, being current on
property taxes, having
not lost title to property
through foreclosure
due to nonpayment of
taxes within the past
three years and being
free of material blight
violations or fines. XV

60
accompanied by a development agreement that details the amount and
type of investment, as well as a timeline for development. The cost of
properties is negotiable depending upon the amount of the investment.
This type of partnership requires approval by the DLBA and Detroit City
Council. XVI
The large number of properties in Osborn owned by the DLBA
provides an opportunity for a CLT in a redevelopment partnership. As
seen in Figure 5.2, the DLBA currently owns 22 properties in LIOTA.
GRATIOTAVE.
DLBA OWNED PROPERTY
0 0.05 MILES
Detroit Future City N
FIGURE 5.2: Properties in LIOTA owned by the DLBA

61
Many of these properties are located in clusters and there is a high
concentration around the proposed development of the Greening of
Detroit demonstration area. As seen in Figure 5.3, over 300 properties
owned by the DLBA lie just outside of LIOTA, while there are more than
1,300 properties owned by DLBA in the Osborn neighborhood as a whole.
Many of these properties are in good condition and have great potential
for rehabilitation.XVII
This presents an opportunity for the CLT to expand
its efforts outside of LIOTA and continue the partnership with the DLBA
for further development.
While most properties owned by a public entity fall under the authority
of the DLBA, several properties are owned by other governmental
organizations. Those organizations include: the City of Detroit Planning
and Development Department, the U.S. Department of Housing and
Urban Development, and the Michigan Land Bank Fast Track Authority.
XVIII
Properties owned by these entities present further opportunities
for the CLT to partner with public agencies. In Detroit, it is commonly
GRATIOTAVE
8 MILE RD
MCNICHOLS RD
OSBORN NEIGHBORHOOD
BOUNDARY
RAILROAD
MAJOR ROAD
DLBA PROPERTIES IN OSBORN
MINOR ROAD
0 0.4 0.8 MILES
U.S. Census Bureau; Tiger/Line, 2013
N
FIGURE 5.3: Properties in Osborn owned by the DLBA

62
understood that property falling under ownership of one of these
institutions will eventually be transferred to the DLBA. Figure 5.4
highlights the eight parcels within LIOTA and 100 parcels just outside
of LIOTA owned by the City of Detroit Planning and Development
Department. While the DLBA owns just a portion of the more than
2,100 public entity-owned properties in Osborn, it has an expansive
presence in both Osborn and all of Detroit. A redevelopment partnership
between the DLBA and an Osborn CLT would provide the opportunity
for an Osborn based organization to become an active developer in the
community by quickly and cheaply gaining ownership of land in a way
that would be difficult if much of the vacant property in the LIOTA were
privately owned.
OSBORN NEIGHBORHOOD
BOUNDARY
RAILROAD
MAJOR ROAD
PROPERTY OWNED BY CITY OF
DETROIT PLANNING +
DEVELOPMENT
MINOR ROAD
GRATIOTAVE
8 MILE RD
MCNICHOLS RD
0 0.4 0.8 MILES
U.S. Census Bureau; Tiger/Line, 2013
N
FIGURE 5.4: Properties in and around LIOTA owned by
City of Detroit Plannning and Development

63
Recommendation 3: Create Partnerships Between the CLT and
Planned Developments
The Osborn CLT could begin to build its land ownership portfolio by
partnering with planned community developments by Life Remodeled
and the Greening of Detroit.
The Greening of Detroit and Life Remodeled have plans to develop
several sites in LIOTA. The Greening of Detroit plans to establish an
urban ecological restoration demonstration site and Life Remodeled
has plans to rehabilitate eight homes. By partnering with these
organizations, the Osborn CLT can gain legitimacy as a land owner and
ensure stability of these parcels for years to come.
The Greening of Detroit
The Greening of Detroit’s urban ecological restoration demonstration
site will be developed on Mapleridge St. between Schoenherr Rd. and
Grotto Ct. (see Figure 5.5). The CLT could acquire the property from the
DLBA and then enter into an agreement with the Greening of Detroit
to establish a demonstration area. The Osborn CLT would maintain
ownership of the land and the Greening of Detroit would sign a long-
term lease agreement to utilize the land. This would create a partnership
between the CLT and the Greening of Detroit where both organizations
would have a continued say in how the land was used, with an intention
of it being used in a way that both meets the needs of the Greening of
Detroit and the community at large, while building the Osborn CLT’s
portfolio. Furthermore, if the Greening of Detroit decides to ever stop
using the site, it will not become vacant, or will not stay vacant long
under the Osborn CLT’s ownership.
Life Remodeled
Life Remodeled has plans to rehabilitate eight properties within LIOTA,
of which four are owned by the DLBA. The Osborn CLT could support
Life Remodeled by purchasing the property from the DLBA, which could
then become an additional part of the CLT’s portfolio. The Osborn CLT
could then maintain ownership of the land and enter into long-term
lease agreements with the new homeowners once the homes have
been rehabilitated and sold through Life Remodeled. The Osborn CLT
could utilize subsidies through the CLT model to assist Life Remodeled
in making these homes affordable and as owners of the land, ensure
their affordability overtime. Three of the four other properties that Life
Remodeled is targeting for rehabilitation are privately owned. It may be
in both the interest of the Osborn CLT and Life Remodeled to consider

64
alternative properties that are owned by the DLBA. There are numerous
two-unit structures along Mapleridge St. that are owned by the DLBA
and listed in good condition.XIX
If Life Remodeled were to expand their
work in the LIOTA, the Osborn CLT could urge them to target this fairly
stable block made up of single family and two-unit brick homes for
concentrated development. In this way, the Osborn CLT could produce
more impactful results by creating fully occupied blocks as opposed
to spreading out the development over several blocks. This would be a
powerful demonstration of redevelopment in the LIOTA with the Osborn
CLT as the main actor.
Recommendation 4: Stabilize the community through foreclosure
prevention
To stem increasing vacancy in the neighborhood, Building on
Momentum recommends the Osborn CLT take an active role in
preventing future foreclosures in the neighborhood.
Similar to many Detroit neighborhoods, Osborn is facing the potential
loss of many residents through the Wayne County Tax Foreclosure
process. As demonstrated in Chapter 2, there are more than 1,600
properties throughout the Osborn neighborhood facing tax foreclosure in
2015. Of these properties, more than half of them are currently occupied.
XX
The Osborn CLT could assist homeowners facing tax foreclosure to
remain in their homes.
Using the model of the UCHC example in Case Study 3, the Osborn CLT
could work with homeowners who are facing tax foreclosure to help
them navigate the process of setting up a payment plan to prevent
foreclosure. In this way, homeownership in the neighborhood could
be stabilized and homeowners can stay in their homes despite facing
financial hardship.
Recommendation 5: Incite new development in the LIOTA: Develop
a limited equity cooperative multi-unit affordable housing and
artist-in-residency development
The Osborn CLT can move from stabilizing to developing the LIOTA by
acquiring, rehabbing, and occupying two different types of housing in
the LIOTA: A Limited Equity Cooperative Multi-Unit Affordable Housing
Complex and an Artist-in-Residency Development.
There are many opportunities in the LIOTA for an Osborn CLT to develop
Case Study 2:
The United
Community
Housing Coalition
(UCHC)
UCHC is a nonprofit
housing assistance
organization located
in Detroit, MI.
UCHC has provided
comprehensive housing
services to homeowners,
community
organizations, and
the homeless since
1973. UCHC has a two-
pronged approach to
combating housing tax
foreclosures.XXI
The first
prong includes helping
homeowners navigate
the process of paying
past-due taxes and
entering into payment
plans. The second prong
is enacted if the home
goes up for auction;
in this case, UCHC
attempts to purchase
the home and enter into
an agreement with the
current home occupant
to pay back the purchase
price, often a fraction of
what the homeowner
previously owed on back
taxes.XXII

65
in the community. The following two developments are both specific
to the LIOTA but also provide a model for development throughout the
Osborn neighborhood.
The multi-unit structure at 18036 Schoenherr Street, shown in Figure
5.5 has been identified by ONA as a key building for redevelopment in
the LIOTA. Located next to the Greening of Detroit demonstration site
and across the street from the proposed open-air pavilion development
(See Strategy 2), this structure is one that the Osborn CLT should target
to acquire and redevelop. Because the building is privately owned, the
Osborn CLT would need to follow the directions for acquiring privately
owned property as detailed in Appendix B. Considering the condition of
the building and length of time the building was open to the elements,
pursuing acquisition of the building through the nuisance abatement
process may be the best option.
Establishing a multi-unit affordable housing limited equity cooperative
(LEC) would provide affordable housing options for the neighborhood
and attract residents who will be engaged in the community. LECs are
a type of home ownership that exists between renting and traditional
homeownership. Residents buy shares or membership into the
cooperative that entitles them to a proprietary lease, giving them the
right to occupy one unit in the building. Generally, a fixed monthly
amount is paid that covers operating expenses and the mortgage for the
building.Similar to the homeownership ground lease programs provided
through a CLT, the LEC makes membership affordable through an initial
subsidy that stays invested in the cooperative. XXIII
LECs promote engagement within the community and attract
residents that are more traditional homeowners than renters. LECs
see participation in the process as a value in and of itself, where self-
management and autonomy allow the opportunity for marginalized and
oppressed groups to become empowered. Research demonstrates that
residents of LECs have:
“reported fewer problems with crime and drugs, live in their
homes longer, take better care of their homes, report a higher
quality of life, and are more involved in their community.” XXIV
LECs create equity to provide for a stable environment and create
incentives for residents to invest in their units to generate positive
externalities in their neighborhoods.XXV
Case Study 3:
The Champlain
Housing Trust
The Champlain Housing
Trust, located in North-
west Vermont, is the
largest community land
trust in the country, with
over 2,000 households in
rental apartments, LECs,
and shared equity hous-
ing units.XXVI
As of 2014,
they had 81 LEC units in
five separate develop-
ments. The Champlain
Housing Trust utilized
their resources to
rehabilitate properties
while partnering with
the Champlain Valley
Mutual Housing Feder-
ation to locate residents
who were interested
in living in the LEC
model. The Champlain
Housing Trust facilitated
the transition of the
property to collective
ownership, and provided
protection for the
property in case the
governance model broke
down, as ownership
of the property would
divert to the CLT. XXVII
FIGURE 5.5: 18036
Schoenherr St

66
The physical development of an LEC is much like that of affordable
rental housing. The difference comes in establishing the LEC and setting
up the governance rules and processes. A prime example of a succesful
LEC model can be seen in Case Study 4 about the Champlain Housing
Trust. Further, reaching out to the legal resources listed in Appendix B.1
will help the Osborn CLT navigate the process of establishing an LEC.
Potential funding for the development of affordable housing units can
also be found in Appendix B.2.
ONA has also indicated a desire to turn the property located at 18011
Schoenherr St. into an artist-in-residency apartment and studio space.
As two separate structures that were once small single-occupancy units,
one structure could be renovated to be a larger live-in space for local
artists while the other could become a studio and gallery space. Through
an artist in residency program, a live/work space could be provided to
artists as a way to attract and highlight talent within the community.
The gallery space could be used to bring attention to the neighborhood,
act as an event space, and host local artists’ work. This has been
accomplished in other areas of the Detroit Metro region as seen in Case
Study 5.
The DLBA currently owns the property at 18011 Schoenherr St. The
Osborn CLT could potentially obtain the property as a community partner
with the DLBA. The process of rehabbing the structure would be similar
to the affordable housing units; however, there may be specific grants or
other funds available for artist programs. Further research is required to
see what funding is available for the development of artist-in-residency
programs.
It is important to note that many artists in residency programs in
Detroit attract majority White artists to what is a predominantly African
American and Black city. One concept that could set apart the artist-
in-residency program in LIOTA is that it could target artists of color,
providing an opportunity for deserving artists who otherwise might
be left out of the growing and vibrant art scene occurring throughout
Detroit.
Case Study 4:
Popps Packing
Popps Packing is
an artistic venue
located on the border
of Hamtramck and
Detroit, Michigan. Popps
packing promotes dialog
and cultural exchange
between local, national,
and international
communities. Popps
offers live-in artists
residency programs
that range from $400
to $1100 per month;
additionally, it provides
space and resources
for artists to work on
their projects, as well
nurture connections
to the greater artist
community in Detroit.
XXVIII

67
Strategy 2: Activate Neighborhood Spaces
The second strategy includes a set of recommendations around
activating vacant spaces, increasing community interactions, and
creating amenities in LIOTA in order to make Osborn a destination
for families.
The following strategy includes a set of recommendations to activate
underutilized and vacant spaces throughout the LIOTA. Interviews with
ONA and community stakeholders revealed a desire to create spaces for
activity in the community that would cultivate community interaction.
Activating outdoor spaces in LIOTA through aesthetically improving
vacant spaces and programming them for community use could bring
more people to these spaces, ultimatly increasing the opportunity
for community members to interact with one another. Increasing the
number of people outside creates more ‘eyes on the street’, which is
widely believed to improve safety and deter illegal behavior. Additionally,
research suggests that ‘greening’ of vacant lots has been associated with
beneficial health and safety outcomes. One University of Pennsylvania
study found that when comparing the difference between lots that had
been transformed to pocket parks, community gardens, or seeded grass
fields with a split rail fences to untreated lots,
“greening was associated with consistent reductions in gun assaults
across all four sections of the city and consistent reductions in
vandalism in one section of the city. Regression-adjusted estimates also
showed that vacant lot greening was associated with residents reporting
less stress and more exercise in select sections of the city.” XXIX
The following recommendations combine both direct and indirect
community approaches to increasing housing demand. Accordingly,
current community assets are improved upon, while vacant and
underutilized land are repurposed in order to provide further amenities
to both attract and retain residents. These recommendations can be seen
on the site plan in Figure 5.7.
Recommendation 1: Matrix Center Entrance Redesign
Redesign the entrance of the Matrix Center to support its role as a crucial
transportation node and an important community gathering space.
The position of the Matrix Center at the intersection of Schoenherr
FIGURE 5.6: Matrix
Center current entrance
way

68
BUILDING INTERVENTIONS
EXTENDED LIBRARY
PUBLIC SPACE
GREEN SPACE
BIKE RACK
PROPERTY FOR INVESTMENT
GREEN ALLEY
0 0.05 MILES
Detroit Future City N
FIGURE 5.7: Site plan detailing proposed recommendations for community spaces

69
Rd. and McNichols Rd., right off of Gratiot Ave. as well its proximity to
a number of bus stops, places it in a key position of movement in the
neighborhood. However, the entrance to the Matrix Center is set back
from the sidewalk, as seen in Figure 5.6, and lacks an identifable sign.
Despite the thousands of people that use Matrix Center’s services, the
center’s entrance lacks design features and elements that position it as
a welcoming community space. The following design recommendations
suggest a redesigned Matrix Center entrance to better support the
center’s role as a crucial transportation node and an important
community gathering space. These design recommendations can be
seen in Figure 5.8, a perspective of what the Matrix Center entrance
could be redesigned to look like.
Shaded Seating
There is currently only one wooden bench by the bus stop for the 32 Bus
Line, which is in disrepair and does not provide shade relief or protection
from the weather. To serve community members visiting the Matrix
Center and those waiting for the 32 Bus Line, improved shaded seating
should be installed in the entrance space.
Bike Parking
There is currently no bike parking in front of the Matrix Center. To
support access for cyclists to the Matrix Center and encourage more
cycling, bike parking should be installed; this could be done in an artful
way that also adds to the attractiveness of the space.
Paving Improvements
Decorative pavers or designed brickwork leading into the entrance
would make the site more attractive and inviting. These improvements
would better communicate the significance of the area and the building
when entering and provide a clear pathway into the building.

BUILDING MOMENTUM

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