Global air traffic control hub in Michigan?

All sorts of different forces are pushing Michigan's economy in different directions. For the future, some would like to see Michigan become a hub for manufacturing green technology, like wind turbines. Others want Michigan to become the next Hollywood. Some are even content to simply rebound with the auto industry.

As we are down about a million jobs since 2000, I am happy to take all of the above and more. However, I have had one idea in mind for several years, and given recent news, I thought I would share and circulate.

Problem:

• There is a global shortage of air traffic controllers;


• We don't have enough in the US, and the ones we do have will be retiring soon;


• Other countries don't have enough either (otherwise we would probably import them), and air traffic around the world is growing;


• Despite the high pay, air traffic controllers are overworked, highly stressed, and, according to recent news reports, falling asleep on the job

Possible solution:

Why can't Detroit become a global hub for air traffic control? The need for the personnel is clear, and I think we could both train and employ air traffic controllers locally. We could develop academies or training/certification programs or have our universities form departments for air traffic control. Instead of studying automotive engineering, perhaps mathematically included university students could pursue air traffic control. Furthermore, given the increasing connectivity, communication sophistication, and advancement in monitoring, why can't monitoring for airplanes/airports around the world be done from Detroit (or Romulus)? Just as we initiated the mass production of automobiles, maybe we can mass produce air traffic controllers and develop a high tech center than tracks and guides planes around the world. This could represent tens of thousands of high-paying jobs, and it is worth looking into. It would benefit Detroit while solving a global crisis.

I'm not sure what the requirements would be and how feasible this idea really is, but I hope the Aerotropolis people look at it. If anybody should think about something like this, it should be us. It really fits what we have here: we have a great airport, are building toward an aerotropolis, have a large talent pool of quantitative/analytical types that graduate each year from our universities, we have a relatively low cost of living, and many other advantages.

Gathering of urban revitalization efforts in Detroit

There is an upcoming conference of national revitalization experts at the Westin Book Cadillac later this week. American Assembly has set up the event and has chosen Detroit for obvious reasons. Some interesting experts will be contributing, including the former mayor of revitalized Turin. For the most part, it appears to be a closed event, but there are a few open sessions, including lunch on Thursday with Mayor Bing to launch the program. If I can find more details about possible registration, I will update this post. Here is the Free Press article where I learned about the event: http://www.freep.com/article/20110411/BUSINESS06/110411039/Experts-meet-Detroit-discuss-urban-revitalization

Detroit Revitalization Fellows Program

I just came across a really interesting opportunity for those who hope to directly help Detroit. Wayne State University, with foundation backing, launched a program a few weeks ago to encourage graduate, post-graduate, and mid-career professionals to join different NGOs and entities working to reinvent the City. There is an application process and two two-year commitment involved. Candidates will be interviewed by different potential employers (e.g., Detroit Economic Growth Corporation, the Downtown Detroit Partnership, Invest Detroit, the City of Detroit, the University Cultural Center Association, NextEnergy, and the Woodward Corridor Initiative) and matched according to mutual fit and preferences. Given the difficulty volunteering directly for the City or some of these groups (which I have experienced personally with the City and DPS), this is a great potential opportunity for passionate, talented Detroiters to apply their skills and help their City in high impact roles. Despite the short lead time, I will likely submit an application and strongly urge interested readers with talent, passion, and skills to apply as well. I think there will be strong parallels between this program and The Collaborative Group's Challenge Detroit project. You can find out more here: http://wayne.edu/detroitfellows/

Bad news from the Census

No one expected good news to come out of the Census for Detroit...however, I don't think anyone thought the results would be so bad and so dramatic either. Last week's Census release indicated almost a quarter of a million people left the city since 2000 (237,500), or 25% of the population. The population hasn't been this small since 1910. While still a top metro area, Detroit could fall to 18th place in overall populatoin. Amazingly, Detroit is the only city in US history that exceeded 1 m citizens, and then fell back below the 1 m mark. Falling below 750 k jeopordizes many channels of federal funding, so the City has already appealed the findings. Now, as I mentioned, no one was expecting good news from this. What we have arrived at is a tipping point...Detroit can either rebound from this latest humbling blow, or it can quickly continue its free fall to oblivion. The need for people to move back to the City has never been greater, but the case to move down there has never been weaker, and the case to leave has never been stronger. Families certainly won't move down there, and they leave when they can. It is up to young professionals, urban hipsters, and the Millenials (who are already changing the world, as we see in the Middle East) to come back, clean up, and revitalize the City. The Midtown coalition of Henry Ford, DMC, Wayne State and their goal of bringing 15 k professionals to move downtown by 2015 is a start. The Collaborative Group's plan to bring tens of thousands of young adults to the City over the next few years is another good initiative. These numbers pale compared to a quarter million...but if a quarter million people can move out of a City in 10 years...they can move back in as quickly too. If Detroit can become the cool place to live, innovate, and rebuild (it already is in many ways - very cutting edge), and it can attract more Millenials who want to be part of something big, then a vibrant core by 2020 is not out of the question. The media are once again all over this story, and for better or worse, all eyes are on Detroit. We may as well take advantage of the attention to make our case and access the help and resources we need to rebuild. Recap: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/23/us/23detroit.html

IDEA: Detroit Conference

Crain's is hosting the IDEA: Detroit Conference this Wednesday at the College for Creative Studies. There will be a number of interesting Detroit activists and a few business leaders sharing their thoughts on business ideas that work in Detroit. It could be worth attending, for both the sessions and networking - I might try and stop by for a session or two.

Here are the details:
Date: Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Time: 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Location: A. Alfred Taubman Center for Design Education at the College for Creative Studies460 W. BaltimoreDetroit, Michigan
Tickets: $99 each, $125 on-site

You can register here:
http://www.regonline.com/builder/site/Default.aspx?EventID=913825

Cut, cut, cut?

It has been a momentous month around the world, as activists are demonstrating the power of ordinary citizens and non-violence in cities from Cairo to Madison. The oligarchs who have long controlled much of the world and what happens in it are right to fear, but hopefully they are realizing that the status quo of the past decades is unsustainable and that everything comes to an end - money, power, dynasties...nothing is forever. That being said, despite the gains made by ordinary citizens, the situation can still go either way (up, Eastern Europe after the fall of communism, or down, like Iraq after the fall of Saddam).

In any case, it is the demonstrations closer to home that are more relevant for Detroit. The newly empowered Republicans in states across the country are starting to act upon what they view as their mandate - to balance budgets by cutting spending. Predictably, there is resistance and protests against these cuts. The most prominent example of the conflict is in Wisconsin. In a nutshell:

• On one hand, you have a Republican governor and legislature succumbing to the same temptation that has stymied American politics and serious reform for the past few decades - overreach; The Republicans want to cut unionized government employee salaries and benefits, ostensibly to balance the budget, but more than that, they want to break unions, key supporter of Democrats, by stripping rights to collective bargaining
• On the other hand, you have a mass of union-supporters protesting the Republican power-grab by demonstrating in Madison; Furthermore, Democratic state senators have fled the state to avoid quorum and prevent any unworthy legislation
• I certainly am no advocate of unionized laziness, negligence and disrespect of the workplace (union's really need to take ownership of this issue to get rid of the stigma), but unions have played and continue to play an important role in our country (not the least to battle for the people against corporate, private interests)
• The situation is ridiculous, especially when both sides agree on the need to downsize government employee benefits; Why is it that with our two party system, both parties seem to feel like they should squeeze out whatever political wins they can while they are in power, and complain, obfuscate, and wait while out of power?

Thankfully, the battle in Michigan is not so heated or divisive, but the outline is the same - we've elected a Republican governor and inherited a tremendous deficit, and given the visceral attitude against tax increases, we are left with more and more cutting. It is two of Governor Snyder's proposed cuts that caught my attention: cuts to education funding and phase out of film tax credits.

• I must admit, I have never been quite clear on how the film tax credit math worked (the "Pure Michigan" investment was a lot clearer to me - for every dollar the state spent, it got more than a dollar back in tax revenues - but a 42% subsidy seemed too high); also, it does bother me a little when we take money from those already here to attract those who are not; that being said, I have been impressed with the effectiveness of the tax credits in building the local film industry and the positive buzz the films have lent the state; it is quite unfortunate to lose that support just as the first local studios are being launched; I hope some kind of compromise can be reached to continue state support for local film production, even if the % is lower, or a moderate cap is set
• As for the education cuts, it certainly would be the last thing I would cut; Communities across the state will suffer from the proposal to reduce state funding by USD 470 per pupil; I'm not sure schools like UofM could still be considered public if these continuous funding cuts are not stopped; Michigan's talent pool has long been one of our strengths, but continued underinvestment in education is killing one of our last pillars; It is broken education systems that result in crime and prisons where over USD 50 k is spent yearly on each inmate; I would rather let all of the non-violent offenders be released with ankle monitors to probation or house arrest and use the savings on education; That being said, pushing for cost savings and concessions and efficiency across the value chain is certainly needed in times like these
• The Detroit education cuts are most stark of course; In the past 10 years, Detroit Public Schools have lost half of its student population, and the deficit has grown under Robert Bobb, despite his heroic efforts to increase efficiency, improve quality and root out corruption; Barring additional funding or state loan guarantees, a bankruptcy-like situation is possible, and 100 of the 134 remaining schools could be closed, forcing 62 students into each classroom; the vicious cycle would continue in this case, as quality deteriorates further and more students are pulled out; Robert Bobb (whose contract was to expire today) has been asked by the Governor to stay on until June, and that will help, but the situation is very bleak

At the end of the day, no matter what protestors or propaganda say, reality rules and it comes down to dollars and sense. Michigan and Detroit are in a tough spot financially, and even more painful cuts are needed. As autoworkers have given painful concessions to help our auto companies survive, so too government employees and teachers may have to accept painful cuts for our state and cities to recover. It will not always be this bad and the generous systems of yesteryear may once again have a place in our state, but right now, we can't afford to be generous - we must be real. Cutting is necessary. But reality cuts the other way, and we need to ask ourselves, what can we not afford to cut.

"I like to pay taxes. With them, I buy civilization." Oliver Wendell Holmes, Supreme Court Justice

Operation Hope in Detroit?

My company recently had a volunteer event with Operation Hope (http://www.operationhope.org/) in Chicago, teaching underprivileged kids some basic economic and financial lessons. Frankly, I don't think they teach enough budget and money lessons to children of any background (not even in the best schools), so I am favorably disposed to the objectives of this group. That being said, I'm not sure some of the lessons fit to the ages my colleagues actually interacted with...probably high school is the most appropriate age for many of these lessons. Anyways, I hope this initiative makes some headway in Detroit...from what I hear, they are interested in launching some local operations, so I hope that works out.

On a related note, it looks like the Detroit Public Schools are starting a new program (http://detroitk12.org/businesscorps) to engage more support from volunteers and businesses (http://www.freep.com/article/20110128/NEWS01/110128048/Detroit-schools-kicks-off-volunteer-program-businesses-). I imagine some of the focus is on fundraising, but each partnership between businesses and schools will be unique, so there is a lot of room for supporting DPS students.

Relevant details for interested volunteers:

• The first training session for volunteers from the companies will be held 8 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. next Friday at the Michigan State University-Detroit Center, 3408 Woodward.
• Seating is limited and RSVPs are requested via e-mail to businesscorps@detroitk12.org or by calling (313) 870-3799.
• Training sessions also will take place 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 10 and 8 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. Friday, Feb. 11.
• Volunteers must be fingerprinted, a service that will be offered at all training sessions at a cost of $60, payable in money order, cashier’s check or business check.

Revitalization and Business Conference about Detroit at UM

There will be a very interesting conference tomorrow in Ann Arbor about Detroit-related issues (tonight's event is fully booked), and I encourage everyone to attend. Registration is USD 15, including breakfast and lunch. See below for more details:



Take a few hours to learn more about Detroit, entrepreneurship, and how a city goes through a rebranding and image adjustment. We will be talking to people involved in real estate and development, retail management, major corporations who deal with attracting top talent, and a number of other folks.

Register Now! http://randb2011.eventbrite.com/

Webpage: http://www.revitalizationandbusiness.com

SPONSORS: General Motors, New Economy Initiative of Southeast Michigan, DTE Energy, Zell Lurie Institute, Deloitte, Ross Net Impact, PriceWaterhouseCoopers, Lear Corporation

CONFERENCE SCHEDULE:

Thursday, January 20: A. Alfred Taubman Center for Design - Detroit
6:00pm- 9:00pm (buses leave Ross at 5:00pm)
Review of amazing Detroit Impact projects
Dinner by Slows Bar BQ

Keynote Speaker: Phil Cooley of Slows Bar BQ and NY Times-deemed de facto spokesperson for the revitalization of Detroit, Chairman of the Detroit Works Project

Friday, January 21: Ross School of Business
9:00AM- 2:30PM
Discussion Panels:
If You Rebuild It, They Will Come
Rebranding Detroit
Entrepreneurship in the D

Keynote Speaker: William Clay Ford Jr., Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors of Ford Motor Company, Vice Chairman of the Detroit Lions, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of The Henry Ford Museum, Chairman of the Detroit Economic Club, and Chairman of the Executive Committee of Detroit Renaissance

IdeaLab: Bold and innovative idea jam session with current Detroit revitalizers
Includes lunch and continental breakfast

Gov. Snyder's First State of the State - A Good Start

Last night, Governor Snyder gave his first "State of the State" address, and I must say, I liked much of what I heard. To be sure, I only listened for 15 minutes or so on the way home from work, but he made some good points that fuel my suspicions that he is a pragmatist who will govern from the center.

I'm not sure what to make of his stance against ergonomic standards (I had no idea they were an issue), but his support for the Pure Michigan campaign and his backing of a second international bridge in Detroit are very positive in my view for the state. Also, I like his commitment to cities and his idea to expand his Office of Urban Initiatives to cities like Flint, Saginaw, and Grand Rapids - all of our cities need help.

It is a good start...now he just needs to get the Legislature on board, which is no easy task, unfortunately...

Census Results: Lost Decade, Lost Population

It is no surprise that Michigan lagged the nation in population growth, though it is somewhat disappointing that we actually SHRANK in total population. Indeed, Michigan was the only state to lose population since 2000. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/23/us/23michigan.html

The growing Michiganian diaspora and loss of talent is troubling. Some say we can try to tap ex-Michiganians, but unlike so many countries losing their best to America, our state receives no remittances from former residents. Maybe we can do more to attract investment from non-resident Michiganians, like India courts NRIs, but that would requrie a lot of effort from the public sector.

Given its population loss, Michigan is also losing a Congressional Seat. This is no surprise, but given the Republican domination of all branches of government, the gerrymandering will not be pretty. While it is refreshing to see the Republicans shower our state with many powerful chairmanships, it is likely that their redistricting will cost us a Democratic star in two years, much like we lost Bonior ten years ago. That being said, perhaps it is a good opportunity for some membes of our old guard (Dingell, Conyers, S. Levin) to call it a career and make way for the next generation of leaders. Democratic control of the House may be a ways off, but we might as well take the opportunity to develop seniority in new members. http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Society/2010/1222/What-s-up-with-Michigan-US-Census-shows-its-population-stuck-in-reverse

A new day in Michigan

Elections earlier this month have signalled the start of a new era in Michigan, but I think we have already hit the bottom and are now on the rebound anyways. Our new leaders will just have to make sure that our recovery is more than the bounce of a dead cat.

The Republicans won in a landslide in Michigan as they did across the country. Frankly, I think if Democrats had campaigned solely on the auto bailouts, not a single Republican would have won anything in the state. In the end, however, Democrats shied away from their strengths in Michigan as they did across the country, letting the Tea Party and the Party of No dictate the conversation, and they paid the price. I just hope the rest of us don't pay as well.

Because of the bloodbath on the Democratic side, Republicans will be able to freely gerrymander most of the country, including Michigan, after this latest Census. This is a perverse twist to our democracy, discouraging compromise and promoting extremism in both parties. Indeed, gerrymandering cost Michigan David Bonior (and a shot at the Speakership) in the last go-around.

Still, it is not all doom and gloom. Our Governor-elect, Rick Snyder, certainly has many characteristics that will serve him, and the state, well during his administration. Business acumen, pragmatism, and a willingness to work with others would be a good change of pace, after years of incompetence in Lansing. Having a unified government will at least ease the gridlock of years past - our new government will certainly get things done. I just hope they are the right things. I especially hope that they realize we have already been cutting bone, let alone fat. I eagerly await the day a politician has the courage to call for higher taxes and campaign on that...certainly we can spend and tax smarter, but simply cutting is not an answer.

On a positive note, Governor-elect Snyder has put out a call for Michigan's talent to join him in rebuilding our state. Thousands have already applied for a few hundred spots, but that shouldn't stop you from putting your name in for consideration: http://www.governorelectricksnyder.com/jobs/overview

Pistons to Detroit, or Red Wings to Palace?

The Detroit Pistons (currently residing in Auburn Hills, at the Palace) have been on sale since early this year. In the past month or so, Mike Ilitch, owner of the Tigers and Red Wings, has emerged as the leading bidder for the Pistons, and negotiations are apparently underway. It is no secret that Ilitch has been exploring venue options for the Red Wings and that he has been angling for support to build a new hockey arena in the city. Control of the Pistons would certainly give him leverage (i.e., he could threaten to take the Red Wings to the Palace unless he gets support for a new arena).

If he does buy the Pistons, Ilitch would control 3 of the 4 major sports teams in southeast Michigan, along with most of the key entertainment venues. Ordinarily, such a monopoly could be sub-optimal (see Moroun's Bridge company). However, as some local commentators have suggested, Mr. Ilitch, while certainly in it for the money, deserves the benefit of the doubt. Certainly, I think Ilitch has proven himself to be a great sports team owner, and he would be good for the Pistons. I also think he is a proven investor in Detroit, and in the end, he will do right by the city. I am not going to say I think Ilitch buying the Pistons is the optimal scenario (I could imagine some benefits by having, say, another billionaire like Tom Gores, start to invest in the area), but the Pistons and Detroit could do much worse.

That being said, if the deal happens, there are still many possible ways it can unfold. If money were no barrier, it would certainly help revitalize the downtown/stadium area to have both the Pistons and Red Wings play in a new arena in the city (tens of thousands of people in the city for sports almost every other night, ~170 nights a year instead of ~130). However, in my view, neither the City nor Ilitch can afford a new stadium right now and credit is still tight, so I can't imagine anything coming up in Foxtown or anywhere else anytime soon. Maybe the Red Wings muddle along at the Joe, but they should probably move to the Palace for the short to medium term. The Palace is still in excellent shape and could easily host both the Pistons and the Red Wings for the next decade, so the Red Wings' stadium emergency is alleviated. In the long run, both teams should return to a new stadium in the city - maybe in 5-10 years, the City would be in better shape to support a new stadium, but even then, I don't think that the public should foot much (if any) of the bill. That being said, it certainly hurts Detroit's near term revitalization efforts to pull the Red Wings out temporarily - we just can't afford to spend that money right now. We'll see what happens.

Some other open questions on this topic:

• Would it be feasible or make sense for the Pistons or Red Wings to play most of their games in the Palace and a handful in the City (either at the Joe or Ford Field)?
• How could the Joe be incorporated into COBO's expansion plans, if it is abandoned by the Red Wings?
• Since the Palace will still likely be a highly functional facility in 5-10 years, would it be able to survive/thrive without either the Pistons or the Red Wings?

Help from New York

I was pleasantly surprised to read about two separate and independent efforts to help Detroit from outside. For decades, Detroit was forgotten, but given the attention of recent years (from the Time house, the bailouts, the movie stars, etc.), people have noticed and want to help.

Time's Detroit Blog today posted about a group of Detroit expats living in New York City (a very heartening post: http://detroit.blogs.time.com/2010/10/25/only-635-miles-from-home/) who have started coming together to try and help the city from afar. One of the founders was working in a third world, central Asian republic, Kyrgyzstan, when she realized that Detroit needs just as much help, if not more. So far, it is focused on building networks and awareness, but it could become more. The effort (http://www.635mile.org/) has had a couple of meetings so far, and it could spread to other cities. It is also sending a delegation to Detroit in November for a "fact-finding" mission...it might present interesting inside-outside partnership opportunities.

That is only one of the NYC-based efforts helping Detroit that I read about today. The second effort is more indirect, through a global micro-grant site (kickstarter.com). Given the influx of artists to Detroit and groundswell of creative class activity, there are many art, film, and creative projects that can (and do) benefit from the funding opportunity presented by kickstarter.com. Detroit has been benefiting from out-sized donations for art-as-renewal projects by people around the world believing in Detroit and wanting to be part of the solution. For activists seeking to get started on a small project (e.g., micro-gardens maybe?), this could be a good start. This Free Press article has more details on the phenomenon: http://www.freep.com/article/20101025/NEWS05/10250375/1322/N.Y.-Web-site-gets-cash-from-all-over----a-lot-of-it-goes-to-Detroit

"Mower Gang", Reverse Vandalism, and Detroit Velodrome

After reading some data (that Michigan median household income is 21%, or $12000, lower in 2009 than 2000 - http://detnews.com/article/20100928/METRO/9280389/Census--Recession-took-greatest-toll-on-Michigan) proving what we already know (that Michigan has been hurt worst by this recession and over the past decade), I was thankful for a feel-good story.

Here is another positive headline of Detroiters taking improvement efforts into their own hands and not waiting for permits or bureaucracy or the police or funding: http://detnews.com/article/20100928/OPINION03/9280373/Renegade-rehabbers-get-Detroit-Velodrome-rolling

This group, the "Mower Gang", just started in August, and is cleaning up city parks that have been left to rot by the city. It looks like the most high profile project they have undertaken is to restore the Detroit Velodrome at Dorais Park (a bike racing track built in 1969, after the riots actually). They will have it ready for an ad hoc fundraising race on October 16.

It is encouraging to see that more and more people are taking matters into their own hands to fix Detroit. It is not some kind of anti-government Tea Party sentiment at work here I think, but rather, the realization that sometimes you have to take matters into your own hands and if you don't fix it, who will?

Some interesting highlights from the article:

"Billing itself on Facebook as "a crafty crew that refuses to let small budgets and bureaucracy stand in the way of a great playground," they set out to do good in a concrete way, without fuss."

"As the 23-year-old Didorosi says on the Thunderdrome website: "A lot of young people are starting to ignore their parents' warnings and rediscover a lot of great stuff (about Detroit)." "

"In the meantime, "reverse vandalism" seems as if it ought to be legal."

Didorosi: "Ignore the past, ignore the rot, and just do: make, improve, fix."

"Detroit Lives" documentary

After seeing the new "Detroit Lives" 32-minute film with Johnny Knoxville, Nolan Finley wrote a piece today that I surprisingly agreed with quite a bit (http://detnews.com/article/20100926/OPINION03/9260306/1008/A-new-vision-for-Detroit).

Basically, the film got him to thinking that maybe the grand vision of Detroit's renaissance as imagined by the "corporate class" isn't the only way or even the best way to bring back Detroit. Maybe, the more direct, hands on, activist approach by the "creative class" is what can bring more lasting results.

The most key passage from his editorial:

"Where the smug urban pioneers of my generation settled in the best neighborhoods, this new breed thrives on Detroit's gritty side.

They're scraping and painting old houses and moving in. They're tearing boards off empty storefronts and opening micro businesses. They're mowing parks, planting gardens and painting murals without asking permission or waiting for master plans.

They have none of their parents' fear of the city, venturing well wide of downtown.

They've discovered Detroit is just the place for those with more ideas than money.

Their faces are often covered with beards and tattoos, but they get the same resistance as the suits do because those faces are mostly white. They break through by embracing Detroit for what it is, and staying in it day and night."

On a side note, the News is sponsoring a local premiere of the film this upcoming Wednesday. The showings will be at 7 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. at the Burton Theater, 3420 Cass. You can e-mail RSVP@notedcomm.com with "Detroit News" in the subject line, specifying which screening you want to attend, to RSVP.

Army of Detroit

In recent months, I have considered how to most effectively combat Detroit's crime troubles. For forty years, the situation has deteriorated as everyone knows. Blight has crept after poverty upon neighborhood after neighborhood, with crime and violence following suit. The police department has proven grossly inadequate, with most serious crimes going unsolved. Crime prevention is a novelty, and citizens have no faith in the system. Some burglars target the same home multiple times, and as police have no impact, we have situations like the Tigh Croff case, where Mr. Croff had his house burglarized numerous times in a short span, so he tracked down and killed the criminal. Of course, vigilantism and extra-judicial executions are not an ideal solution either. More effective deterrence would be ideal in the short run (while over the long run, addressing the many underlying causes of criminal behavior).

I thought perhaps an "Army of Detroit" would be an interesting solution to Detroit's crime troubles. Much like the "surge" strategy employed by the US Army in Iraq and Afghanistan, I would like to see a strategic increase in civic activity, engagement, and even citizen watch patrols in targeted areas, gradually covering the whole city. On Angel's Night, Detroit sees tens of thousands of volunteers protect the streets and deter violence. Of course, it would be a massive challenge to secure so many volunteers year round, but by cleaning up one neighborhood after another with a smaller volunteer base, until the criminals are pushed out fo the city, I think it could work. The Army of Detroit would not just be citizen watch patrols (of which there are several throughout the city), but a concentrated dose of volunteerism, including tutoring, greening, and other engagement. By publicizing and promoting the effort, hopefully criminals will get the message and leave without too much resistance or conflict. At the end of a surge in a target neighborhood, ideally, the local citizens could take ownership of their own protection and well being.

As I mentioned, neighborhood watches are already in place in parts of the city. To some extent, they are successful. In a recent example, one neighborhood mobilized and formed an ad hoc coalition to successfully track down some brazen criminals. The people have power in their hands, if they chose to use it. I see two weaknesses in the current approach to neighborhood/citizen watches that the Army of Detroit could try to avoid. One is coordination – the watches are haphazard and I don't know that criminals are even aware they exist. A second issue is deterrence – for the most part, these watches are reactive and simply report crimes. The watchmen typically are not armed. However, I think that if all ~140 square miles of Detroit had two armed watchmen patrolling every hour of the day and night, criminals would have no place to go. There are risks, but doing nothing is a risk that has paid off poorly for Detroit…

To get something like this kickstarted, I had an idea to acquire a small apartment complex and offer free lodging to some residents in exchange for periodic neighborhood patrols. If I had other properties in the neighborhood, the rental and inherent value of these investments would rise, enabling me to fund further patrols.

This would take a lot of work, but I think the "Army of Detroit" could be quite fruitful.

What do you think?

(As an aside, the "army" imagery has also been adopted recently by a volunteer PR group looking to promote the city; they are less focused on security and more focused on image with their new group, but if their volunteer army expands beyond media into service, perhaps there is room for cooperation - http://www.mlive.com/news/detroit/index.ssf/2010/08/do_you_believe_in_detroit_adve.html)

Why stay in Detroit?

Laura Berman of the News had a good post with three good reasons why someone should move to Detroit. Basically, you can make a difference, you don't have to deal with some problems that other big cities face (e.g., traffic), and the cost of living here is ridiculously low. Now, I share these thoughts regularly with those I try to "sell" on Detroit or provide the same answers when someone asks me why Detroit is a great place to be (especially the first and third arguments...the second is a bit of a double edged sword; I guess the third one is too). What is a negative to others is a really a positive. Ms. Berman has summed up the points nicely, so here they are:

"You're smart, you're talented, you've got new ideas.
In New York, you're a sparrow. In Detroit, you're a prized canary. This is Mecca for you, Mr. or Ms. Would-be Transplant, if you've got the brains and hustle to outwork and out-think the demoralized survivors of decades of renaissances that haven't taken root.
No other major metropolitan area will out-welcome Detroit's welcome. Give us your newcomers with moxie and talent. We'll mentor you, invest in you and invite you to parties.
The flip side of a shrinking Big Metro Area is that some problems shrink, too.
Like big city culture. Cultural attractions that require advance commitments and plans in other cities are a snap here. Whether you want to snag seats for an opera, the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, a visiting ballet company or an NFL football game, you can almost always see it here without using bonus dollars or extra sweat.
You can see a Tigers game this weekend. Tell that to your brother in Boston. And the traffic? You can commute downtown in 20 minutes from 20 miles away -- choose the direction. My brother in Los Angeles can't imagine that.
Detroit's affordable. Really, really affordable.
Here, a young couple can become landed gentry -- house, backyard, good schools -- for a fraction of the cost in a similar community anywhere else. In these shrinking-city days, a shrewd would-be homeowner can pick up a tidy, three-bedroom suburban house for what one used to cost here 15 years ago.
Or, if you're young and adventurous, you can move into Detroit and try out the social consciousness and pioneer spirit progressive young adults mouth so easily from Portland, Ore., to Burlington, Vt. -- places that entertain them but no longer need them."

From The Detroit News: http://detnews.com/article/20100824/OPINION03/8240359/In-Detroit-area--young--talented-have-better-shot-at-being-heard#ixzz0xYzw5xjf

Businesses taking up a challenge

One of the reasons I am motivated to stay and try and help Detroit is the challenge and the opportunity: in Chicago, New York, Dallas, or basically any other major city in America, an average person really cannot have the impact that he or she would in Detroit.

According to this Detroit News article, apparently some companies are thinking along similar lines: http://detnews.com/article/20100722/OPINION03/7220393/1409/Third-World-aura-draws-businesses-to-Detroit

Some highlights:

"If urban turnaround hasn't always been at the top of corporate agendas, it could be moving up the scale, as the mystique of doing business thousands of miles away wears thin and high national unemployment rates create new empathy for Michigan's jobless.
In this climate, few cities offer more visibility or potential reward for such commitment than Detroit.
"Our clients are interested," says Bryan, whose privately held company specializes in health care data base management. "They're trying to contribute to the revitalization of Detroit." "

"Detroit, though, offers some of the low-cost benefits of doing business in the Third World. The rent at 1001 Woodward Ave. -- between $14 and $17 per square foot -- is rock-bottom for a major city.
Detroit's labor costs have dropped so far, even for technology workers, that Bryan tells his Fortune 500 clients they'll pay only 5 percent more to work through Detroit than to send their business to Brazil."

""It's an opportunity to turn around an American city," says Bill Emerson, the CEO of Quicken."

Disaster - Asian Carp

Yesterday, a fisherman caught a live Asian carp fish beyond the last barrier in Chicago before Lake Michigan. As anyone could have predicted, the failure to separate the Mississippi system from the Great Lakes is resulting in yet another invasive species catastrophe. I don't think it is too late, even now, but Obama and Illinois do not want to upset Chicago's transportation and logistics sector and dockworkers. This Supreme Court, so willing to take extreme positions like opening the floodgates to corporate bribery of politicians or essentially banning Free Speech if it involves guiding questionable groups back to the mainstream, has been reluctant to approve even a temporary closure of the Chicago locks. It is as pitiful an example of cowardly leadership as I can think of - another slow moving train wreck in action in Michigan, but no one has the will to overcome the inertia.

Now, Obama, the Supreme Court, and Chicago/Illinois may be ready to sacrifice the Great Lakes for a few shipping jobs, but I, and most Michiganians, are not. Still, if they do nothing on their end, our lawmakers appear impotent to do anything...jurisdiction is jurisdiction after all. I think I may have a solution, however. It may be radical, will doubtless be the subject of lawsuits, but it is necessary, and we can do it in cooperation with the Canadians and other Great Lakes States who are on our side.

Here it is: Any ship going to or from Chicago, between the Great Lakes and Mississippi systems, must cross water controlled by either Michigan or its allies or dock in the territory of Michigan and its allies. Ships must either cross choke points at Mackinaw, Detroit, Port Huron, Sault Ste. Marie, or Buffalo or dock in Michigan, Wisconsin, or Indiana. I propose we ban any ship that has passed through Chicago's contaminated waters from passing the choke points controlled by Michigan's allies. I suppose an outright ban may be able to stand on environmental grounds (e.g., the ships may be contaminated with Asian Carp eggs - 10 year study needed to evaluate, and in the meantime there is a ban). Any ship caught in Michigan's waters from Chicago could be seized and destroyed. If an outright ban would be overturned, perhaps a $1 bn per ship penalty for ships coming from Chicago could be enacted. These are drastic measures to be sure, but I think they would quickly end the current Mississippi-Great Lakes ship traffic through Chicago as we know it - shippers would just find alternate routes (or simply offload from Mississippi boats, put on trucks, then put on Great Lakes boats in Chicago). With the paradigm shifted, Chicago would have no reason to keep the systems connected, and hopefully, they would act to permanently separate the systems.

What do you think? If you have a better solution, please share it!

Here are a couple of articles talking about this tragedy:
http://detnews.com/article/20100624/METRO/6240415/1409/Michigan-lawmakers-renew-war-on-Asian-carp
http://www.freep.com/article/20100624/NEWS06/6240387/1322/Carp-found-past-barriers-but-locks-will-stay-open

Happenings: Mackinaw Policy Conference, USSF, and Fireworks!

Some important conversations are happening these days. The Detroit Regional Chamber recently concluded its annual Mackinaw Policy Conference. The fate of a second bridge in Detroit was a central topic, but I hope some other tangible leadership comes out of that. Crain's had a good recap, if anyone wants to review the takeaways.

More notably, the US Social Forum will be coming to Detroit next week. It has been described as something similar to the World Economic Forum, but for more...egalitarian and progressive people. Certainly, there promises to be quite a few interesting sessions, though of course, there are also some questionable and odd ones. There is also an entire programmatic stream dedicated to Detroit. I would encourage everyone who has some time to pick some sessions and try to participate and learn something. Visit the site for more info: http://www.ussf2010.org/

Here is why they chose to have this big event in Detroit:

"To win nationally, we must win in places like Detroit. The Midwest site of
the USSF marks a fierce resistance movement for social, racial, gender, and
 economic justice. Detroit has the highest unemployment of any major city in the 
country—23.2% (March 2009)—with nearly one in four Detroiters unable to find
 work. Michigan has had the highest number of unemployed people in all 50 states
for nearly four years. Thousands of living wage jobs have been permanently lost
 in the automotive industry and related sectors. Some think that it will take at least until 2025 for Michigan to recover from the economic collapse and social
dislocation.
What is happening in Detroit and in Michigan is happening all
across the United States. Detroit is a harbinger for what we must do in our communities!
 As grassroots activists and organizers, we work to address the indignities 
against working families and low-income people, and protect our human right to the basic necessities of life. In Detroit, we can make change happen!
The US Social Forum provides this space—drawing participants from
 different regions, ethnicities, sectors and ages across the U.S. and its 
colonies. Community-based organizations, Indigenous nations, immigrants, 
independent workers organizations, unions, unemployed, youth, children, elders,
queers, differently-abled, international allies, academics, and advocacy organizations will be able to come together in Detroit for dialogues, reflection and to define future strategies."

It seems like the USSF believes, as I do (though perhaps in a different way), that Detroit is ground zero for changing the world for the better. There is still hope, but it will be difficult.

On a more lighthearted note, it is that time of year where many people come to the city for the International Fireworks. The Free Press has prepared a guide if you are going to the city next Monday night (June 21st): http://www.freep.com/article/20100618/FEATURES01/100618029/1318/Detroit-River-fireworks-guide - tips to avoid the typical traffic/parking hassles, basically. Of course, if you don't want to go downtown (I went last year, and it was quite nice), a number of alternatives will be available over the upcoming weeks: http://www.freep.com/article/20100618/NEWS06/100618030/1318/