Fed up with Perfecting Church's stalled redevelopment at Woodward and 7 Mile, the city sued the church and pastor Marvin Winans last week.

Why it matters: The suit shows Detroit's urgency in cleaning up the well-known property and putting it to productive use.

• It also raises the possibility of a potential sale and demolition of the unfinished structure, which has sat empty on prime Woodward real estate.

What they're saying: The church construction project that started 18 years ago "is incomplete, abandoned and a massive example of blight and misuse of land," city lawyers wrote in the suit.

Flashback: City officials cranked up the pressure on Winans last month with a letter demanding a litany of inspection reports and financial records to shed light on the property's condition and development plans.

The other side: "We are shocked and extremely disappointed that the city would take this course of action in the dark of night, and in our opinion, not acting in good faith," Winans said in a statement.

• Perfecting Church believes it is "up to date" in addressing the city's concerns, Winans added.

State of play: A city inspection of the building's exterior earlier this month found dilapidated fencing, overgrown vegetation and burrows that indicate rodents or other animals, according to the lawsuit, which also labeled the property a dangerous public nuisance.

• The church's response to the city's demand letter last month was "grossly insufficient," the lawsuit reads.

Between the lines: If the church won't handle the clean up itself, the city wants to enter the property and fix it up on the church's dime.

• Other solutions raised in the lawsuit include transferring the property to the city and selling it.
• The city also wants to hold Winans personally liable.

The big picture: The lawsuit is part of a broader effort from the city to address blight and force prominent landowners to comply with its property maintenance laws.

We asked you at the beginning of Black History Month for Black Detroiters making history today as we reflect on the past.

• Thank you to everyone who responded. Here are three people you highlighted to remember all year:

Lauren Hood: A member of the Detroit Reparations Task Force, Hood has been working to address racial equity for decades. She founded the Institute for AfroUrbanism in 2021 and is the chairperson of the city's planning commission and Historic District Commission, where she works with neighborhood organizations and developers.

• Learn more about Hood in her interview with the U of M Detroit Center's Distinctly Detroit.

Linda Campbell: As director of the Detroit People's Platform, Campbell has been supporting our city's most vulnerable residents throughout the pandemic while keeping an eye on Detroit's future.

• Campbell is an active public voice, appearing at various community meetings to speak on behalf of affected residents — like the latest District Detroit community benefits meeting.

Ian Solomon: A writer and visual artist, Solomon began Amplify Outside as a way to help connect Black Michiganders with the outdoors.

• He's a source of information, leads groups on camping trips and has collaborated with local organizations to put on sound bath events at Belle Isle and across the city.
• Read more about Solomon's work here and here.

💡 With some Michiganders still lacking power after last week's storm, more bad weather yesterday added to those outages. (Free Press)

⚡️ Attorney General Dana Nessel is calling on DTE and Consumers Energy to issue credits to customers affected by recent power outages, arguing the utility companies should have a grid that can handle expected winter weather. (Detroit News)

💔 An art show at the Swords Into Plowshares gallery downtown delves into heartbreak through the eyes of four queer Black women.

• It explores divorce and breakups — experiences sometimes kept quiet in queer communities amid worries about how they reflect on the push for marriage equality. (Metro Times)

In the seventh episode of BMF Season 2, Meech and Terry are back in Detroit to get the Black Mafia Family back on its feet after retreating to Atlanta in Episode 5.

• The episode includes the brothers traveling to St. Martin in a daring mission to steal K-9's Colombian seller.

The intrigue: Detective Bryant is starting to act crazy in his pursuit to bring down Meech after several failed attempts. He crashes a funeral service and locks B-Mickie in his trunk, forcing him to miss the day his mother passes away.

• B-Mickie had turned on Bryant as his informant and tipped off his old right-hand man, Meech, during an attempted sting operation.

Meanwhile, Lucille and Charles are disappointed that Terry, now with another child on the way, has officially returned to a life of crime.

• Charles has been a disappointment himself by continuing his affair while attempting to repair his marriage — and getting caught in the act by his son, Meech.

What we're watching: Detective Bryant tells B-Mickie he's facing serious charges should he not turn on BMF.

• With two episodes left this season, it's unclear whether he will turn on his old best friend.

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U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-Lansing) is running for the Senate seat vacated by Debbie Stabenow's retirement.

Why it matters: Slotkin is the first high-profile Michigan candidate to jump into the 2024 Senate race to replace Stabenow, Axios' Ivana Saric reports.

• The former CIA analyst is considered a front-runner by Democratic strategists. She beat her Republican opponent last year in one of the most competitive and expensive races in the country.