‘Why Don’t We Own This’ Site Maps Detroit’s Housing Crisis

By Ashley Woods and Kate Abbey-Lambertz, HuffPost Detroit, January 28, 2013

Alsup and Paffendorf said there are many possible uses for their improved site. Detroiters could visualize the privately created Detroit Future City framework, which provides a road map for city development over the next four decades, using WDWOT’s data. Community organizations could build private maps to keep track of abandoned lots in their neighborhood. Organizations working on foreclosure prevention may find the data to be more proactive.

But not everyone sees the open access to information as a good thing. When WDWOT first made information from the massive county foreclosure auction readily available online, some wondered if the site would just help out-of-state speculators to buy up property on the cheap — with no intention of ever improving it.

via ‘Why Don’t We Own This’ Site Maps Detroit’s Housing Crisis With New Tools To Battle Back.

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