Todd Perkins says he’s the neighborhood mayor Detroit needs

Detroiter to Detroiter | Todd Perkins Calls for Audit, Housing Focus in Bid to Be 'Neighborhood Mayor'

Detroit mayoral candidate Todd Perkins told FOX 2’s Hilary Golston he wants to be “the neighborhood mayor,” focused on building single-family homes, reforming the Land Bank, and launching a full-scale forensic audit on day one. A practicing attorney who has worked with Detroit City Council and served as city attorney for Highland Park, Perkins says he understands what people need—and believes the city must “benefit from the growth instead of watching it.”

DETROIT (FOX 2) - Attorney Todd Perkins says his campaign for mayor is rooted in a simple idea… Detroit’s next chapter must begin in the neighborhoods.

"I am the neighborhood mayor because I recognize the neighborhoods need so much development," Perkins told FOX 2’s Hilary Golston. "Intense poverty… that is a breeding ground for violence."

Perkins is a long-time Detroit-based lawyer and the founder of Perkins Law Group. He currently represents the city of Inkster, previously served as the city attorney in Highland Park, and has worked on both the private and public pressures shaping the city.

"I understand what the people desire and what the people’s needs are being a private practitioner and lawyer," he said. "I know that I’m equipped to lead this city."

Perkins says his first act as mayor would be a full examination of the city’s finances. "First day in office, I want a full-scale forensic audit," he said. It’s a proposal that has been brought up by several candidates in this election.

He also addressed Detroit’s history of over assessed property taxes, which harmed tens of thousands of residents. "There’s an acknowledgment. I think it’s understood that these people were done wrong," he said. "There’s no money to pay them back." Still, he believes accountability is possible. "First and foremost… you want to make sure that never happens again." He suggested looking into locking in prices to prevent future injustices.

When it comes to development, Perkins says the city must return to its roots by building single-family homes. "I’m a traditionalist and I want to get back to building those homes," he said. He believes targeted investment in neglected areas is long overdue and that development should directly benefit Detroiters. "I want to go out into the neighborhoods."

"How do you incentivize homeownership?" Golston asked.

His answer is to center Detroiters in the process, while include big business and Detroit contractors, "so that people in the city of Detroit are benefiting from the growth instead of watching it."

Perkins says many residents are shut out of opportunities to buy and rehab property through the Detroit Land Bank Authority. "I hear so many complaints from individuals that they make efforts to purchase properties but yet they’re not listened to while developers get access to different properties," he said.

He says he’s worked pro bono with residents who bought homes from the Land Bank but struggled to meet its renovation timelines. "We have to give more grace and equity through the Land Bank," he said. He also pointed out that the program was initially intended to be temporary. If elected, he wants to use available homes to bring former Detroiters back and ensure they can access capital to renovate properties and stay long term.

On Detroit Public Schools Community District, Perkins points to chronic absenteeism as a major challenge. He says safety is key, ensuring that students have safe routes to and from school and feel secure in the classroom and in surrounding neighborhoods.

"First you gotta work on the safety component," he said. He also supports expanding access to neighborhood rec centers and after-school services. "You want to provide additional services… creating that partnership with the schools." Perkins also wants to focus on charter schools and ensure DPSCD is held to the same standards as other schools in the city.

Ultimately, he feels it’s the heart of the city where the work must be done. "I want to go out into the neighborhoods," Perkins said.

All of the mayoral candidates in Detroit were offered the chance for 1-on-1 interviews. Many of them will be featured in the days leading up to the election.