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Unmasking the Motor City: New mapping software by LOVELAND Technologies is helping to fight blight in Detroit

Unmasking the Motor City: New mapping software by LOVELAND Technologies is helping to fight blight in Detroit

Detroit is in the midst of the single-largest tax foreclosure in American History. More than 60,000 foreclosed properties are clustered in the Motor City. The threat of eviction looms over remaining inhabitants and poses the larger long-term threat of a spike in homelessness. The root of the problem—unpaid property taxes—seems untenable when viewed alongside the resulting greater city-wide disaster.

Auctions selling newly “vacated” houses—of which half are still occupied—for around $500 are becoming increasingly common. Any hope for a stab at renovating some of the vacant properties that litter the city, however, is outweighed by the uncertain outcome interested investors face at the prospect of having to devote their time and money to transforming blight-stricken zones into livable residences.

Fortunately, public database LOVELAND Technologies  has taken on the challenge of brightening Detroit’s future. Founded by Jerry Paffendorf, LOVELAND started out by mapping tax-foreclosed and auctioned properties. The company took off when Detroit’s Blight Task, founded by President Barack Obama, grew interested in LOVELAND’s mission and hired them to map every property in the Motor City. LOVELAND Technologies has since developed into a team of employees located throughout Detroit, Michigan and the San Francisco Bay Area.

The company’s aim is simple; to put America online, “parcel by parcel.” An app called “Blexting” gives the public a medium through which to record and publish information and photos regarding abandoned properties, while the more recent “Site Control” gives people the opportunity to create their own custom maps on Loveland Technologies through personal accounts at $30 monthly and group accounts at $10,000 yearly.

Allowing the public to have access to information regarding tax foreclosures and blight that is often withheld by the government opens up the playing field to authorities and investors. The power to research and gain a deeper understanding of the planning and development that may be needed for a parcel is readily available at LOVELAND online.

LOVELAND promotes the belief that giving the public the tools to become more informed is key to finding a solution for Detroit’s blight. As the company propels itself further into action, we’re hoping they’re right.

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