Property Praxis is a collective exercise illustrating the impact of speculation on cities. This map focuses on Detroit.
Though speculative practices vary, these activities often change the role and use of property in neighborhoods and communities. At its most extreme, speculation generates vacancy and abandonment. It is often a practice with minimal investment hastening the deterioration of houses, commercial, and industrial buildings. Speculation is linked to increasing evictions and exploitative contracts (Akers and Seymour 2018).
What you see on this site are bulk speculative property owners in the city of Detroit. It includes the name of owners listed by the City of Detroit Assessors Office. It also includes owner or member names of Limited Liability Companies (LLCs), shell corporations that protect assets and hide identities.
The intent is to offer a more complete understanding of how speculative property ownership is actively shaping the conditions of Detroit neighborhoods. We hope this information allows community groups, activists, and individuals to take a more direct role in shaping the places they live.
For further information: urbanpraxis@umich.edu
Property Praxis is an interactive web application developed by:
- Joshua Akers (Research)
- Alex B. Hill (Design/Research)
- Aaron Petcoff (Web Design/Development)
Bibliography:
J. Akers and E. Seymour (2018) Instrumental Exploitation: Predatory Property Relations at City’s End. Geoforum 91: 127-40.
Urban Praxis 