The RPIA Community Read has selected Caste: The Origins of our Discontents as our next book for discussion.

by Isabel Wilkerson

The Zoom discussion is scheduled for Sunday, February 20th, 4-6PM.

Book available at our local bookseller, Pages Bookshop. 19560 Grand River. You can also get in audio format.

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

The Burton Historical Collection at the Main Branch of the Detroit Public Library has many significant records about the history of Detroit, including this sales brochure from the original developer of Rosedale Park. Even though this brochure is dated 1919, our neighborhood actually dates from 1917, when the development was originally platted and registered with the state. 

The brochure is a time capsule, of sorts. The style of advertising is definitely not seen today, and there are several examples of "coded language" that betray prejudices and deed restrictions that were all-too-common in those days. There are plenty of confusing details, too. It mentions Evergreen Road and Grand River Avenue, and we are familiar with those, but where is "Mill Road," or "12th Street?" Mill Road is now the Southfield Freeway, and 12th Street is now Fenkell Street. 

We hope you enjoy reading this, and we hope it highlights some of the reasons Rosedale Park has been designated a Historic District. Click the link below to see the brochure in .pdf format. 

https://www.rosedalepark.org/docs/Rosedale_Park_sales_brochure_1919-large.pdf

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.

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.

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!