88. Fixing Detroit’s Vacant Land System w/ Robert Linn, AICP
Oct 7, 2026
Episode Highlights:
Who is Robert Linn, AICP, and what does he do with the Detroit Land Bank Authority?
Best practices for handling vacant lots in Detroit.
What are the standards for developers purchasing DLBA lots?
Why is building in Detroit so expensive??
Uncovering hidden costs in utilities, site prep, and permitting.
Streamlining coordination between agencies for faster residential approvals.
Legally buildable vs. economically buildable.
The new pre-development pilot.
“I think we’re watching a lot of learning and reform and growth happen at this very moment
- Robert Linn, AICP, DLBA Director of Planning & Analysis
Show Notes:
00:00 - Intro to Ep 88 and Robert Linn, AICP.
02:19 - What does the Detroit Land Bank Authority do for the city? How did it get started?
05:50 - How the DLBA has been handling Detroit’s vacant lots.
08:13 - Vacant land policies and property ownership.
09:30 - Balancing resident access to land vs. new development opportunities.
12:20 - The standards for developers purchasing DLBA lots.
Reactive vs proactive application paths.
14:55 - How has the city transformed housing over the previous decade?
17:06 - Challenges between the land bank and the ever-changing zoning.
19:51 - The city government’s ambitious housing goal and communication struggles between Detroit’s departments.
26:57 - What barriers are making building infill lots so challenging?
High taxes, infrastructure, and appraisals.
Economically building vs legally buildable.
39:00 - The city’s builder-ready RFP process; solving the root problem.
43:12 - Short term goals and plans for the DLBA.
46:18 - Concluding thoughts for Ep 88.
Resources: