Overcoming Bias: Building Authentic Relationships Across Differences

by Tiffany Jana & Matthew Freeman

The Zoom discussion is scheduled for Sunday, June 27, 4-6 PM.

The book is available on Kindle and there are lots of cheap second hand copies available on Amazon.

Visit rosedalepark.org/bookclub for more information and to register for the discussion.

Treasurer's Report

Full Meeting

After taking a break during the 2020 pandemic, the Rosedale 60-Block Yard Sale returns this year on Saturday, June 26*.  “We believe the yard sale can go forward safely this year, as long as people exercise caution, wear masks, stay socially distanced, and are outdoors,” said RPIA President Kimberly Uhuru.  Since we did not hold a sale last year, there is likely to be a bumper crop of goods to sell this year, so spread the word to your friends and neighbors – the Rosedale 60-block sale is BACK!  Come shop till you drop!

The sale runs from 9 am till 3 pm.  Residents who choose to participate are encouraged to wear masks at all times and to provide hand sanitizer for use by their shoppers. 

Residents are also reminded to price their items to sell – “You’re not funding your 401K!  Plus, you don’t want to have to put stuff back into your garage or basement, so sharpen your pencil and make those prices low-low-low!” commented longtime Rosedale resident and veteran yard sale participant Jim Dwight.

For questions or more information, contact RPIA President Kimberly Uhuru, kuhuru@gmail.com.

 *RAIN DATE:  Sunday, June 27, 9 am – 3 pm

Rosedale Park Improvement Association (RPIA) plans to memorialize neighborhood residents who died of COVID-19.  We are developing plans for a small installation at Rosemont Acacia Park that will include the names of all Rosedale residents lost to COVID.  

If you know of a Rosedale resident who died of the virus, PLEASE LET US KNOW!  We don’t want to leave anyone out.  

So far, we are aware of these individuals:  Edmon Carmichael. (Warwick), Gwendolyn Carmichael (Warwick), Regina Vaughn (Rosemont), Florence Coleman-Owens (Penrod), and Alice Gilbert (Ashton).  If you know of others, please send the information ASAP to RPIA President Kimberly Uhuru at kuhuru@gmail.com.  Please share this information.

Dedication of the memorial is tentatively scheduled for mid-July – further details will be made available soon.

What services does your organization provide to the Rosedale Park community?

The Rosedale Park Improvement Association has been in existence for over 100 years. Our neighborhood was first developed beginning in 1916, with sections developed in stages through the mid-1930s.

• So, the kinds of things the RPIA has offered over the decades have changed with the times.
• We offer community events including a Holiday Pancake Breakfast, Easter Egg Hunt and Picnic, June Day activities including a parade and picnic with kids' events, a January Gala banquet, landscaping awards with financial assistance for blocks to plant annuals and bulbs.
• We also coordinate with volunteer groups for regular park cleanups, including an annual cleanup with students from the University of Michigan.
• Our dues include funds for street snow removal, a service that the city does not offer unless a major snow emergency is called.
• RPIA also publishes a bi-monthly printed newsletter sent to every house in the neighborhood (over 1600 houses), and a weekly eBlast this is timelier and more immediate neighborhood news.
• We have four regular membership meetings per year with special guest presentations on a variety of topics of interest to the community.
• We also maintain a block captain network, which is a vital part of keeping our neighborhood in the well-maintained and connected condition it is in.
• We also maintain a website, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter pages.

What role does the organization play in the neighborhood?

• I really have to say that the RPIA is vital to the continuing vitality of the neighborhood. Detroit has seen many challenges, as you may be aware, but Rosedale Park and its sister neighborhoods in the area have continued to maintain a high level of vitality and have enjoyed higher property values as a result. There is a strong connection to the neighborhood, and a large percentage of people who move here don't move away.
• I mentioned the block captain network, and that is an important way we communicate with residents. When there is an issue with a property, the block captain is the person who makes the association aware of any problem and acts as a first contact with the property owner.
• We have several committees who work to maintain the quality of the neighborhood, including a vacant property task force, who deal with absentee owners and investors who might let property conditions fall, and are able to track down those absentee owners (sometimes including international investors) and hold them to a high standard.
• We also have a volunteer Radio Patrol, a Beautification Committee, and so on. Second, we work closely with our local Community Development Corporation, or CDC, the Grandmont-Rosedale Development Corporation. They are a highly respected CDC, which is charged with improving substandard housing in a multi-neighborhood area of Detroit, as well as working with the business community to improve the area. They work with banks, city and state government, and foundations to act as a funding clearinghouse for major projects.
• They are currently redeveloping a vacant IHOP restaurant location into a multi-story mixed-use building on our main business street. They also have worked with the city and state to redesign and rebuild Grand River Avenue in our neighborhood with a new streetscape and traffic calming features. They worked with the Detroit Parks department to rebuild and add amenities to our local parks, including stormwater retention systems.
• They have consulted with the national Main Street organization, and with the Congress for New Urbanism, who have had community design projects in the area. GRDC works closely with all five of the neighborhood associations in their area.
• Third, the leadership of the RPIA and our committees are very well-versed in navigating complex city and county departments. They know who to call, which offices to visit, and how to get things done. Because of that, every elected official and every department is very aware of the way we operate and the importance of RPIA in our community. Our group doesn't just complain, we take action and get things done.

How has Covid-19 changed how the community interacts? What have you learned from having to make changes in the community through less conventional ways?

• Covid-19 has had a huge impact on our community. Detroit was hard-hit early on in the pandemic, and our neighborhood lost far too many of our neighbors. I spend a lot of time each week updating Covid-19 news from the city, county, and state to include in the weekly eBlast.
• A fair number of our neighbors are seniors, and thus fall into at-risk groups. We make sure that they know about city-wide testing and vaccine locations, hours, and how to arrange for those services. We have moved our general membership meetings and all of our committee meetings to a virtual model, mostly using Zoom.
• Community events like picnics, banquets, and kids' events have been cancelled for the duration. We have partnered with a sister neighborhood to sponsor monthly blood drives with the Red Cross.

How does your organization work to represent the needs and interests of the community?

I think that my other responses may give you the info you are looking for. Ultimately, I think that we are in tune with what the community is thinking, and we have ways in place to respond.

The City of Detroit is not doing any water cut offs (Read More Here) and buses will remain free (See FAQ section Here). The County will not do any foreclosures during COVID and the proerty tax assistance program has been extended (Read More Here). Also, there is free testing at the Joseph Walker Williams Community Center (Get More Info Here).

The Historic District Commission has recently seen an uptick in bad contractors not following the guidelines set forth by the commission, not getting the appropriate approvals, and not obtaining permits for work. This has caused a lot of pain and cost a lot of money to homeowners that didn't know better. Please check out the warning from commissioner James Hamilton.

Newsletter_Contractor_Warning_03.20.pdf

If you own and occupy your home in the Rosedale Park neighborhood AND you purchased it after 12/31/96, you are likely eligible for a 15-25% reduction on your property taxes!  Many eligible homeowners are already benefitting from this program, known as the Neighborhood Enterprise Zone Homestead property tax abatement.   The NEZ tax reduction certificate is good for 15 years.

How can you tell if you are already enrolled ?

If you are currently receiving two tax bills – one for a parcel #22-xxxxxxx and another for a parcel #27-xxxxxxx – you are already enrolled in this program.  If you purchased your home after 12/31/96 and are receiving only one tax bill, for a parcel #22-xxxxxxx, you need to apply for the NEZH!

Necessary qualifications

Here are the requirements for the NEZH, courtesy of the Detroit Assessor’s Office:

• Your property must be in one of the 52 NEZ Homestead Districts throughout the City of Detroit [Rosedale is one of them].
• You must have purchased the property after 12/31/1996.
• You must both own and occupy the property as your principal residence.
• You must stay current on your property taxes.
• You must commit to a minimum of $500 of improvements to your property over the course of 3 years.
• You must have filed a Property Transfer Affidavit (PTA) and Principal Residence Exemption (PRE) with the City of Detroit, Office of the Assessor.
   

How to apply for the program

You may pick up an application in person at the Coleman A. Young Municipal Center, Office of the Assessor, in Suite 804; you may request one by email to assessorsspecialprocessing@detroitmi.gov; or you may call 313- 224-6989 to ask that one be mailed to you.
Is there a deadline to file ?

The Office of the Assessor accepts applications all year. Please keep in mind that the abatement is effective the year after you purchase the property.
Applications submitted before October 1 will be processed to apply to the following year’s taxes.  Any application submitted after October 1 will be processed the following year.

Necessary documentation

• A driver’s license or state-issued ID that shows your property address.
• The Principal Residence Exemption (PRE) must be on file with the Detroit Assessor. If not, you will need to fill out the application for the PRE.
• If no Property Transfer Affidavit (PTA) is on file with the Detroit Assessor, you will be required to present a certified deed showing ownership of the property and pay the PTA fine for not filing the affidavit timely.
   

I’ve heard that NEZ Homesteads are being extended -  is this true ?

YES !!! If you are currently in the program and are nearing the end of your abatement, you will simply need to sign an affidavit stating that the property continues to be your principal residence and that you will commit to a minimum of $500 in improvements over a 3-year period and a new certificate will be issued for your property.
 

For additional information, contact the Detroit Assessor’s office at the number above.  And feel free to share this information with friends and associates.

If you have fallen behind in your property tax payments, you may be eligible for an interest free loan for up to $30,000 to help catch up. You can read more about it in the Michigan state program's flyer by clicking here.

Welcome to Rosedale Park!

We are a community of nearly 1600 households, located on the northwest side of Detroit. Our neighborhood has received historic designation, in recognition of the fine architectural styles and diversity of our homes. Our neighborhood association, the Rosedale Park Improvement Association (RPIA), was founded in 1929, and is one of our most valuable assets. Check out our web site and learn more about our activities, our publications, and our personnel. Contact us to let us know what you think.

The benefits that we derive from living in this beautiful neighborhood depend upon a commitment to our community and a respect for the rights of our neighbors.

Read the RPIA Creed below:

TOGETHER...the families of Rosedale Park have created a good place to live in - a place that preserves the pleasures of living in a small town though it is part of a large city.

These pleasures emanate from the pride of ownership that maintaining the good appearance of their homes as well as maintaining desirable living conditions.
Through their efforts, civic improvements, social activities and other projects have been accomplished to conserve the joy and increase the pride of the community.

As a resident of Rosedale Park, this is my heritage!

Therefore...in appreciation for the work that has been done to establish this highly desirable neighborhood and to prove us worthy of the friendship of our neighbors, I PLEDGE MY FAMILY TO...

• Treat our neighbors as we would like to be treated.
•  Maintain our home in good condition and appearance in accordance with the requirements set forth by the Detroit Historic District Commission.
• Be law-abiding and counsel our children in good neighborly behavior.
• Drive safely and sanely, obeying stop signs and speed limits in the park.
• Respect our neighbors' right to peace and quiet after dark.
• Control our pets and responsibly care for them.
• Keep our street and lawn clear of litter.
• Put our trash at the curb after dark and not earlier than the evening before collection.
• Promote the continuing friendship of the people who are a part of our community.
• Cooperate wholeheartedly with the aims and efforts of the Rosedale Park Improvement Association and attend its meetings whenever possible.

City Living is Great....It's Best in Rosedale Park!