Posted Date: June 18, 2008

Detroit Converts Its Idle Lots Into "Farms"

DETROIT—With so many unwanted properties on its hands as a result of the mortgage crisis, the Motor City is allowing its residents to begin farming on land in front of boarded up buildings and in vacant lots.
    The move comes after Taja Seville founded Urban Farming, a group which will take 20 derelict properties in Wayne County. It topped the nation in foreclosures and now has about 7,000 idle plots.
   “It won’t cost the county anything,” said Wayne Country Treasurer Raymond Wojtowicz. “We’re donating the land. If a person wants to purchase the lot, it will be for sale. Perhaps it will be an inducement.”
The gardens aren’t fenced off, so anyone can wander through and take their pick--for free. Any leftover produce is donated to food banks.
    Under the pilot project, volunteers will tend the garden, and the city will donate water.
    The benefit is less blight since gardens are not targeted by vandals like vacant houses.
   “People are coming out of their homes who wouldn’t come out under other circumstances because they didn’t think there was still a community or a neighbor or a friendly person nearby,” said Gail Carr, one on the city managers.
    Seville, who plans to start garden projects in other struggling cities this season added, “I’ve been around a lot of cities. But I’ve never seen these long stretches of unused land.”   

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