Renter advocates call for reforms in Detroit

• Speakers at the orientation called on Detroiters to organize within their housing communities to shift the power balance from owner to organizers.

What's happening: Wealthy investors pool capital to gobble up resources, Evan Villeneuve of Detroit Right to Counsel coalition, tells Axios.

• "They're able to purchase properties above what the market rate is then pass the buck on to the renter by doubling your rent."

What they're saying: "We need to organize people house by house, block by block," says Lewis Bass, who serves as the Tenants Association secretary.

• "Every day is a new uphill battle going through these situations," says Jai Kaiser, who's temporary living situation in a Southfield hotel as part of the city's "hoteling" program will become unclear next month.

What we're watching: Funding is still needed to secure legal representation for Detroiters facing eviction, Villeneuve tells Axios.

• The city is mandated by Oct. 1 to set up an office for eviction defense. "As of now, that office has not been set up. We need (Mayor Mike Duggan) to act with a sense of urgency and we're not seeing that," Villeneuve says.
• Villeneuve says he also hopes to see some form of rent control for the city, which has been prohibited by state law since 1988.
• Recent legislative efforts to repeal the law have been unsuccessful.