[quote=FlyerInHi]BG, did you read the Politico article about immigration needed for Detroit?
If we closed the borders, we would begin to atrophy like Japan. Our wealth would slowly decrease, in real terms and relative to faster growing countries.
We need more legal immigration to keep young and vibrant. If fact, I think we should take in 2 million out of the 4 million Syrian refugees. We can easily do that. But I know that it’s not doable politically.[/quote]
brian, the reason Detroit still has so many vacant homes is 1) most of its well-paying jobs disappeared long ago, along with the bulk of its former workforce; and 2) its weather is among the worst in the nation all year (even their summers are humid and and full of mosquitos).
That (and crumbling infrastructure in many of its neighborhoods) is the reason why one can still buy a dilapidated single family home (which hasn’t been occupied in at least a decade) for <$50K in Detroit. It is what it is. From what I've read, it seems that some Gen Y have gone in there to start small businesses and try to turn it around, section by section. If an infusion of 2 million Syrians seeking refuge from their war-torn existence can do same and buy/lease (from FNMA/HUD?) the bulk of Detroit's vacant eyesores, fix them up a little and start small businesses themselves, then maybe the city can eventually right itself on the map again.
Detroit is not representative of the rest of the country. It is an island unto itself.
