Special Assignment - State of the City fact-check, Live Tweets! (IN-PERSON ONLY)
Politics
440 Burroughs St Detroit, MI 48202 (Directions)
Outlier Media
Watch address here: https://www.youtube.com/@cityofdetroit
Your assignment is to live-tweet Detroit Documenters’ fact-checking results during the mayor’s State of the City address. This assignment is in-person only and will take place at Outlier’s office. You will interact with followers on Twitter and relay results from the live fact-checking team via a thread on the Detroit Documenters Twitter account. In-between fact check results, you will live-tweet portions of the mayor’s speech.
Food, bevs and fun times will be provided.
Reporting
Edited and summarized by the Detroit - MI Documenters Team
Live reporting by
Alex Klaus
Detroit Documenters fact-check the mayor's State of the City address in real time, live-tweeting their results.
Detroit Documenters
@DetDocumenters
Good evening! At 7 pm, I’ll be live-tweeting the Detroit Documenters fact-check party for the State of the City address for #DETdocumenters #SOTCfacts. @DetDocumenters @BridgeDet313 @chalkbeatDET @freep @metrotimes @MichiganRadio @media_outlier @PlanetDetroit @wdet @wxyzdetroit
05:46 PM Mar 7, 2023 CST
@BridgeDet313 @chalkbeatDET @freep @metrotimes @MichiganRadio @media_outlier @PlanetDetroit @wdet @wxyzdetroit We have several Documenters ready to fact-check and provide context to claims the mayor makes throughout the meeting. This thread will look a little different than live tweets for most meetings because I will be reporting more on our fact-checking process than the meeting itself.
Mayor Duggan claimed that the Morouns installed all new windows in Michigan Central Station. Our fact-checkers have determined this is true, but Ford ended up replacing all of them a few years later. More from @detroitnews detroitnews.com/story/news/loc…
Duggan claimed Detroit home values have doubled in 2023. City data shows home values have increased 20% on average across the city.
More from the city itself: detroitmi.gov/news/detroit-h….
More from the city itself: detroitmi.gov/news/detroit-h….
He recently claimed that they have cleared 2000 alleys since 2020. Our fact-checkers have confirmed this claim is true. modeldmedia.com/devnews/arts-a…
They're currently showing a video of residents talking about the Joe Louis Greenway. There's a public meeting for Joe Louis Greenway planning is tomorrow: detroitmi.gov/events/neighbo…
Mayor Duggan claimed that Detroit rehabbed more houses than it demolished in 2022. This is for 2022. The city's demolition department recorded 1,974 home demolitions in 2022; the land bank said 2,181 houses finished their rehabilitations last year. +
An additional 1,021 homes were stabilized for future rehabilitation, according to data from the demolition department. bit.ly/3ZLNRAX
“Between 2014 and 2020, more than 15,000 houses in the city were knocked down." "Since 2014, a total of 8,657 homes once owned by the land bank were rehabilitated, with the most coming last year." +
"Nearly 7,000 homes are in the process of being rehabilitated, according to land bank figures.” bit.ly/3F4sClX
Mayor Duggan claimed Detroit's unemployment rate has dropped below 7% for the first time since 2000. Our fact-checkers have determined it has dropped, but it is in part because the number of people looking for a job has dropped, not that more people are employed. (Source below)
He claimed that 87 low-income apartments in Clement Kerns Gardens won’t see rent increases. We've determined this claim needs context. 👇
The effort, the city noted, would begin no sooner than 2022 and would provide all current residents of the Kern with an option to stay in the rebuilt complex or, if they choose, priority to relocate to another Corktown property. + detroitnews.com/story/news/loc…
The rent for those residents would remain tied to their income, said Julie Schneider, deputy director of the Housing & Revitalization Department. The grant would aid in relocation expenses for those who want to move, she added. detroitmi.gov/sites/detroitm…
You can also find more information at the CKG's March 2023 newsletter: detroitmi.gov/sites/detroitm…
Mayor Duggan claims there are no new taxes for District Detroit. Our fact-checkers have determined that the Downtown Development Authority is almost entirely funded by capturing taxes. It's a reallocation of Detroiter's taxes, not an increase. The DPL is impacted by tax capture.
Mayor Duggan claimed Detroit is becoming the next Silicon Valley. Our fact-checkers determined we are not there yet. Automakers like Ford, General Motors, and Stellantis all are investing in software engineering projects. +
Michigan is one of the fastest-growing venture capital states with $300 million invested in 2016 and $3.1 billion in 2020. Silicon Valley saw $21 billion worth of investment in 2021. detroitchamber.com/report-michiga…
The State of the City address has just ended, but Documenters are still fact-checking. Stick around to see our new findings!
Mayor Duggan mentioned Detroit having the lowest poverty rate in 17 years. We've found that in 2005, Detroit's poverty rate was 31%. In 2021 there were also 31% of Detroiters living in poverty. datadrivendetroit.org/web_ftp/Presen…
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census.gov/quickfacts/fac…
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census.gov/quickfacts/fac…
We found more info about Duggan's claim that house values increased. Some suspect residents may be being priced out. Resident advocates are still pressing city leaders to look into the "inaccuracy" and "inequity" in property tax assessments in Detroit. twitter.com/DetDocumenters…
Mayor Duggan claimed Detroit is the national leader in closing the gap between black and white homeownership.
According to Pew, 59% of White Detroiters own homes compared to 50% of Black Detroiters and this gap is one of the smallest in the country (1/2) tinyurl.com/me422emc
According to Pew, 59% of White Detroiters own homes compared to 50% of Black Detroiters and this gap is one of the smallest in the country (1/2) tinyurl.com/me422emc
Duggan claimed tax incentives helped turn the Hudson’s site into the second-tallest building in Michigan. We've concluded it can't be the second-tallest because the project isn’t expected to be “substantially complete” until 2024. It is expected to be 685 feet tall. (Sources 👇)
Detroit hired lawyers and placed them in landlord/tenant courts, preventing 10,000 evictions.
The 36th District Court stopped hearing eviction cases in March 2020, and a federal moratorium on evictions began in September 2020. (1/2)
tinyurl.com/48mkte39
The 36th District Court stopped hearing eviction cases in March 2020, and a federal moratorium on evictions began in September 2020. (1/2)
tinyurl.com/48mkte39
Once courts opened, the city used CERA funds to provide representation for Detroiters.
Not all facts are equivalent but all are important! We're circling back on the claim that the play structure in the Joe Louis Greenway is one of the biggest in the country. (1/2)
At 4 acres, the Earthscape Play structure isn’t even the largest play space in metro Detroit, let alone America. The Innovation Hills Playground in Rochester Hills, MI is one of the largest play spaces in Michigan. tinyurl.com/4pz2es5j
I'm sorry, I meant to say that Duggan claimed Detroit hired lawyers and placed them in landlord/tenant courts, preventing 10,000 evictions. Our fact check is below in the tweet.
twitter.com/DetDocumenters…
twitter.com/DetDocumenters…
We're done for now! If anyone has any more questions, feel free to reach out and we can answer them tomorrow. Thanks for following along!
If you find anything inaccurate, please email documenters@outliermedia.org with the subject “Correction Request”