A
SSOCIATED
N
EWSPAPERS OF
M
ICHIGAN
P
AGE
5
October 27, 2011
I
NKSTER
- N
ORTHVILLE
- P
LYMOUTH
City ‘aggressively’ marketing foreclosed homes
‘Reel Film’ entries sought
Mark Lloyd takes his job title
seriously.
Lloyd is the director of planning
and community development for
the City of Inkster and getting fore-
closed homes back into the commu-
nity has become one of his priori-
ties…not that he doesn't have plen-
ty of others.
The city became aware that they
could sell the properties faster than
letting them go through the county
foreclosure process. “We had to
take it upon ourselves to get owner-
ship of these properties and then
resell them,” Lloyd said.
“We have about 850 properties
and 65 structures we have gotten
through demolition or sales,” he
said, and about 60 of those struc-
tures are residential.
The properties are sold as is
with no implied or written warran-
ty.
Lloyd and his department have
begun to market the properties,
particularly the residential build-
ings in an effort to return the homes
to neighborhoods. “It benefits
everyone,” he said. “The emphasis
is getting home ownership for peo-
ple in Inkster. We're considering all
reasonable offers for the proper-
ties,” he said. “The quickest way to
change the character of a neighbor-
hood is to get these homes occu-
pied.”
Lloyd admitted that the he and
others in the city were in the midst
of a bit of a learning curve on the
best ways to market the properties,
“but we're learning” he said.
To establish the value of a prop-
erty, the city takes a look at the
assessed market value and then
looks at three properties in the
area of comparable size and condi-
tion.
“We've established our price
internally that way,” Lloyd said,
“but we want people to make an
offer. If it's too far off the average
we've established, they'd have to
justify the offer by pricing repairs
that had to be done or other things,”
he said.
Right now, the city has proper-
ties valued from $6,500 to $65,000,
Lloyd said.
“We're considering any reason-
able offer. We've been talking to real
estate people and we've been suc-
cessful. We've sold six properties in
the last two or threemonths. I think
we'll seemore success,” he said.
A problem the city often encoun-
tered is people occupying the fore-
closedproperties.
“We do our best to help relocate
themand find themways to buy the
home or find another place,” he
said.
The homes can be viewed on the
city website, under available prop-
erties in the community develop-
ment section, Lloyd said.
“This is more proactive than let-
ting the county take our land,” he
concluded.
One of the homes currently being maintained by Inkster.
Organizers of the Northville Art House
Reel Michigan Film Festival are already
planning a repeat of the event for next sum-
mer.
The film festival, which accepts only film
projects produced in Michigan, is a project
of the Northville Art House which benefits
the charity efforts of Northville Civic
Concern. The exhibit of original films is set
for June 23 next year, as part of the Arts and
Acts festival sponsored throughout down-
townNorthville.
To be accepted for inclusion in the event,
the films must be Michigan-made or
Michigan-themed shorts or 25 minutes or
less, including credits. All genres are wel-
come, a spokesmannoted, fromstudent films
to the experimental. Reel Michigan 2012 is
the perfect platform for Michigan filmmak-
ers to showcase their many talents, she
added.
Industry speakers and possible work-
shops will also be part of Reel Michigan
2012.
To enter, filmmakers must complete a
form available by contacting
ReelMichigan@gmail.com. The form must
be signed and dated and included with the
entry on a DVD in a case. Eligible projects
will include any project filmed with any type
of camera and digitally made films. All
entries must be submitted on a DVD only
with the completed entry form and fee to
Reel Michigan,c/o Northville Art House, 215
W. Cady St. Northville, MI 48167. Entry fees
are $15 before April 23, 2012 and $20
between then and April 27. Student entry
fees are $10 and $15.
For more information, email
ReelMichigan@gmail.com.
Annual art exhibition
aids band New York trip
Three days before they leave for New
York to march in the Macy's Thanksgiving
Day Parade, the Plymouth CantonMarching
Bandmembers will have one last fundraiser
to helpwith expenses.
The annual Plymouth Canton Marching
BandHoliday Arts and Crafts Ensemble is a
juried art and craft exhibition hosted by the
Plymouth-Canton Music Boosters.
Exhibitor include makers of handcrafted
jewelry, season holiday gifts, floral arrange-
ments, purses, wood crafts, glass works,
clothing and linens, paintings, painted glass
ornaments andmore.
In addition to the 105 or so exhibitors,
there will be food, baked goods, door prize
giveaways, raffles and entertainment by
local musicians and artists throughout the
day.
Admission to the event is $2.
The arts ensemble will take place from 9
a.m. until 4 p.m. onNov. 19 at PlymouthHigh
School 8400 Beck Road, Canton. The school
is onBeckRoad just south of JoyRoad.
For more information, phone (734) 454-
9052.
All the proceeds from this one day event
go towards the band and color guard pro-
grams at the Plymouth Canton Educational
Park.