Annual Wayne County Tax Auction

Wayne County is having its annual tax auction again. I believe the auction will run through Thursday. You can check out the properties being sold at www.bid4assets.com, but it is too late to register this year. The interesting twist this year may be the participation of a nonprofit group (the same folks behind Loveland) to buy properties with the public good in mind (kind of like a Land Bank), using a "social" funding mechanism: http://detnews.com/article/20111020/OPINION03/110200401/1409/Non-profit-to-be-foreclosure-auction-stand-ins-in-Wayne
It is great to see the Loveland platform being used like this: http://whydontweownthis.com/
Great work by that team - I look forward to reading about the impact there. I am also trying to bid on some properties this year for the first time, but so far, no luck.

Water and Michigan: Great Lakes Week

This week, there are some important meetings happening in Michigan to discuss one of the most precious things on Earth: Water. Thankfully, we have been blessed with plenty of fresh water in Michigan. However, that does not mean we should take it easy in terms of water conservation and water technology leadership. Saudi Arabia and Texas lead the world in oil and gas technologies, because that is where the oil is (albeit, without much of a conservation mindset). We should lead the world in water technologies, for our own self-interest if nothing else - The Free Press makes the point that if other places can extend their water resources, they won't be so inclined to steal ours: http://www.freep.com/article/20111009/COL32/110090546/?odyssey=obinsite.
If you want to follow the Great Lakes week live, Detroit Public Television is offering live streaming: http://www.freep.com/article/20111012/OPINION05/111011059/Live-coverage-Great-Lakes-Week?odyssey=modnewswelltextFRONTPAGEs