Listen, open space is not all community gardens and ballparks, but the Freep's opening line yesterday for an article on vacant lots took a "the glass is half empty and broken and likely to cut you approach." They write: If vacant lots were painted red, an aerial view of Detroit would look like a bad case of the measles. Gross. And sure. But if they were painted multicolors, it would look like a confetti party! (Or Funfetti, if you are feeling cakey) And that would be awesome. But in further depressingness, the Freep says Detroit lots are un-loved. "There's so little market demand that much of the vacant land will remain empty for years, or even decades, as unproductive and untaxed, contributing nothing to the city's recovery." Ouch. Apparently Detroit lots are like a bad ex-wife? Sounds like a Camille Grammer 'sitch. How are we going to get out of this mess? Time to call some lawyers to deal with Prop 4. That's the the reason it is so hard for the government to take private land for public use, meaning in many cases we can't clear blighted neighborhoods to build something new.
· With so much space, so few options -- Detroit's vast vacant lots are a burden [Freep]
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