Welcome back. I’m still Malachi Barrett. 

The City Council’s Public Health and Safety Committee is scheduling a discussion next Monday on new security measures that have made some riders unwelcome in Detroit’s two transit centers.

Metal detectors and an increased security presence were added to the Rosa Parks Transit Center and Jason Hargrove Transit Center at the end of May. Since then, transportation advocate Michael Cunningham II said riders have told him they were not allowed to wait inside the transit centers.

Transit centers remain open to anyone who is “actively waiting for the bus to arrive,” as well as to transit advocates who identify themselves, according to Media Relations Director John Roach.

Department of Transportation (DDOT) Director Robert Cramer said the same concerns were raised at an impromptu Monday meeting. Transit advocates reported some complaints with the metal detectors and consistent instances where riders were asked to leave the transit center. 

Cramer said DDOT, the Detroit Police Department and a contracted security firm are working together to keep transit centers safe. While he’s also heard good feedback that the metal detectors have made some feel more comfortable, Cramer said DDOT is working to improve training and communication to ensure riders aren’t losing access to the transit centers. 

I also encountered issues this month while riding the bus downtown to attend two council sessions. In one case, I entered the building to use the bathroom and was told to leave immediately after by security members who refused to explain why. A week later I was told by security that people must be waiting for a bus to remain inside the lobby.

Cramer previously spoke on the changes at a June 10 council meeting, where he said the metal detectors are meant to increase safety, both “real and perceived.”

“We were at the point where feedback from riders was that they didn’t always feel safe in the transit centers,” Cramer said in a  Tuesday interview. “There’s not one solution … We’re looking to see how it goes. We’ll be following up with riders and others to (ask) how it’s going.

“Other than the comments about the screeners, telling people they couldn’t wait inside. The other feedback I’ve gotten about the metal detectors has been mostly positive.”

While Council was in session Tuesday, Detroit was under an excessive heat advisory, with a high of 84 degrees. Temperatures are expected to rise as high as 96 degrees by Monday, according to the National Weather Service. 

The City Council approved a code of conduct for riders that outlines unacceptable behaviors, including loitering at transit facilities.

Cramer said the line between waiting for a ride and loitering can be fuzzy. DDOT is working to finalize internal policy on how the code will be enforced.

---

What page are we on?

Today’s notebook covers the June 17 formal session.

Dig into the agenda, read Detroit Documenter notes or watch the recording for more details.

Did a friend forward you this? Sign up to catch the next one for free.

Our new election tracker will provide regular updates on campaign happenings, like last night’s mayoral debate. Keep checking this page for more. 

Looking for more coverage of 2025 elections? We’re also interviewing candidates and community leaders for Detroit Next.

Stay on top of upcoming election forums and debates with this Google calendar.

---

Overheard in CAYMC

Detroiters continue to sound off on immigration, racial identity and the city’s role in protecting its residents. Some residents have argued Black Detroiters shouldn’t identify with the plight of immigrant groups, while others highlighted the threat of political violence against all people of color.

Porscha Edwards, a city employee and frequent spectator at Reparations Task Force meetings, criticized Council Member Gabriela Santiago-Romero, arguing she prioritizes the needs of immigrants over Black Detroiters. She also said officials have put more emphasis on Pride Month than Juneteenth, which will be recognized with a flag ceremony Wednesday morning.

“This is a nation of Black Americans who built everything around you,” Edwards said. “Show some respect to the Black Americans of Detroit, Michigan.”

Santiago-Romero said the city is home to Black Detroiters who are part of the LGBTQ community and are immigrants. Attacking those communities means attacking Black residents, she said.

“We are living in a very scary time right now where this right-wing narrative has already seeped into our community and it is tearing us apart,” she said. “Ultimately who wins? It is not us. We are seeing fascism play out in real time and I refuse to accept we are just Black or just immigrants or just queer. We have a community that embodies all of this.”

Council President Pro Tem James Tate responded by warning that the Trump administration has placed Detroiters in a national moment “we have not experienced in our lifetime.” He advocated for unity in response.

“Recognize we’re all under attack,” Tate said. “We have to have a mentality of not separating from each other. When we look at what’s happening on the federal landscape and how it’s affecting people in Detroit, (my district) has a large Afro-Caribbean community, Africans who live in our district are productive and doing great work. They fled true chaos and were threatened with their lives. That doesn’t mean we should provide more assistance to these individuals than to residents who have been here a long time.

“It’s just going to be a matter of time before it comes knocking on our door. When we remove those folks, who is going to be there to help defend us?”

Another resident identified themself as an undocumented immigrant who has lived in Detroit since she was two years old. They said Detroit should not become a sanctuary city because it would “put a target on our back,” instead advocating for protecting existing policies that prevent local police from being involved in immigration enforcement.

---

Nearly 800 new homeowners through down payment program

Up to 1,000 new homeowners are expected to be created when a third round opens for Detroit’s Down Payment Assistance Program.

City officials said the program created 788 new home owners since it began in 2023. It’s paused for new applications, but offers income-eligible residents up to $25,000 to buy a house in the city. Participants must also complete a homebuyer education course.

Chelsea Neblett, chief of housing solutions and supportive services, said the city expects to reopen the program in the near future using federal disaster recovery funding provided to address impacts from 2023 flooding. City documents show Detroit plans to use $10 million from the $346.8 million total for the down payment program.

The program originally kicked off with $12 million in federal American Rescue Plan Act funding provided to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. A second application period opened in summer 2024.

Earlier this month, the City Council approved a resolution asking lawmakers who represent Detroit to help secure $6 million in state funding for the down payment program. The resolution stated that continuing the program is essential to attain residents and advance economic equity.

---

Ethics complaint dismissed

The Board of Ethics dismissed a complaint against Council Member Angela Whitfield-Calloway, alleging she violated two sections of Detroit’s Code of Ethics.

The board  reviewed a complaint submitted by Juwan Outlaw, a former staff member in Whitfield-Calloway’s office. It was in closed session at the request of Whitfield-Calloway, who was not present.

He alleged Whitfield-Calloway violated sections of the code regarding soliciting employees to work on political campaign activities using city property or during working hours, and improper disclosure of confidential information to a third party.

The board unanimously determined that the evidence was not sufficient to prove a violation of the ordinance occurred.

Outlaw was a community relations manager for Whitfield-Calloway and now works for the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department. He filed the complaint in December.

Outlaw did not respond to multiple requests  for comment. Whitfield-Calloway was not present for most of Tuesday’s council session and did not respond to a phone call after the meeting. 

---

Cleanup funds for hazard homes

Detroit is spending $400,000 to clean up properties that are contaminated with fentanyl and other toxic substances.

A three-year contract with Bioclean Team, Inc was approved to decontaminate “public hazard properties.” Santiago-Romero said it was the first time she’s seen a contract for that work since joining the council in 2021.

Construction & Demolition Department Director LaJuan Counts said it’s “a more recent situation we find ourselves in.” There had only been three to four properties contaminated with fentanyl since 2016, but the city is putting resources aside for cleanup after the Detroit Police Department identified a site contaminated with fentanyl.

“It’s so deadly we don’t send people in until it’s contained,” Counts said during a previous committee meeting. “This would give us the ability to clean the site so it’s safe. (We’re) not sure how many we expect to encounter.”

Counts said she couldn’t speak to how the site discovered by DPD was contaminated. The contract requires clean up of sites tainted by biohazards, drug manufacturing and mold.

---

Same-day paratransit booking is live 

DDOT launched a long-awaited update to its paratransit service, allowing rides to be booked on the same day instead of a day in advance.

The service launched Monday and is available from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. The service area and fare of $2.50 is the same as those for DDOT’s standard paratransit service. Call 313-570-6845 to book a ride.

Paratransit is a mandatory requirement by the Americans with Disabilities Act. Riders must apply with the city to be eligible for pickup. Applications are processed within 21 days of receipt.

Completed application forms can be returned to DDOT’s Special Fares Division at 100 Mack Avenue or online to ddotptapps@detroitmi.gov.

Richard Clay, an advocate with the National Federation of the Blind, said the same-day service is something they had been fighting for since 2019. Clay celebrated the new service as a “people’s victory.”