Conyers: Nearly $2 Million Dollar DOJ Grant Awarded To Wayne Co. Prosecutor’s Office

WASHINGTON – Yesterday, Vice President Joseph Biden and Attorney General Loretta Lynch announced the award of $41 million in U.S. Department of Justice grants to 20 jurisdictions around the country, including Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office, under the National Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI).  The Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office, led by Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy, will receive $1,999,109, the full amount applied for by that office.

In addition, the Vice President and Attorney General announced that the Michigan State Police and the Flint Michigan Police Department are being awarded funding to eliminate the backlogs of untested sexual assault kits under a similar initiative by the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, with money obtained from settlements with international banks who violated U.S. sanctions.

  

Dean of the U.S.. House
of Representatives
John Conyers, Jr.

Detroit has experienced a crisis involving over 11,000 unanalyzed sexual assault kits that were uncovered in 2009.  The Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office, working with the Detroit Sexual Assault Kit Action Research Project and with financial assistance from the National Institute of Justice, has tested over 10,000 of these kits, resulting in over 1,000 associations with offenders through the national DNA database.  As the Prosecutor’s Office continues its effort to address this problem, there is additional work to be done and criminal cases to be pursued. 

Congressman Conyers stated, “I have been a strong advocate for funding to assist the efforts of Kym Worthy and the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office to address the crisis involving unanalyzed sexual assault kits.  I welcome the announcement of additional federal assistance that will help vindicate the interests of survivors of sexual assault and apprehend and bring cases against the perpetrators so that the public is protected from additional assaults.”  

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REP. CONYERS CALLS FOR MORATORIUM ON PROPERTY TAX FORECLOSURES IN WAYNE COUNTY

DETROIT— Today, Congressman John Conyers, Jr. (MI-13) released the following statement urging a moratorium on property tax foreclosures and improved access to services for Detroiters facing today’s deadline:

“Today is the final day for anyone facing property tax foreclosure to get assistance.  I urge any Detroiter who thinks they might be facing foreclosure by Wayne County to visit the Wayne County Treasurer’s office at 400 Monroe Street in Detroit, call 313-224-5990 or email at taxinfo@waynecounty.com.  For more complex issues with property tax foreclosures, call the United Community Housing Coalition at 313-963-3310, or their emergency number at 313-405-7726.  Today may be your last chance.”

Dean of teh U.S. House
of Representatives
John Conyers, Jr.

“I remain gravely concerned over the fate of the tens of thousands of Wayne County residents that could lose their homes to property tax foreclosure.  While I greatly appreciate the hard work done by the Wayne County Treasurer’s office to keep people in their homes, including providing an extension, additional time is needed to protect our residents from being kicked out of their homes.  Detroiters already suffered through a foreclosure crisis caused by the discriminatory lending policies and incompetence of our nation’s biggest lending institutions.  We cannot tolerate another round of foreclosures and evictions – much less one carried out by our local government that has a duty to serve our citizens.”

“Despite the economic hardship faced by many Detroit families, too many Detroit homeowners are being obligated to pay taxes when they are eligible for a statutorily-mandated poverty exemption.  Furthermore, the City of Detroit has not carried out its duty under Michigan’s Constitution (Art.  IX, § 3.)  to assess the actual value of properties on an annual basis.  The failure of local authorities to fulfill these two legal requirements means that many homeowners owe inaccurate and unreasonable amounts in property taxes—in some cases, the owed taxes exceed the actual value of the home.”

“Finally, foreclosing on occupied homes actually hinders the goal of raising revenue.  Selling these homes at auction only gathers a tiny fraction of the revenues owed in taxes, while the eviction of families from their homes increases blight, depresses surrounding property values, and destabilizes neighborhoods.  For these reasons, I strongly urge Wayne County Treasurer Raymond Wojtowicz to immediately implement a moratorium on property tax foreclosures until there is an appropriate remedy for these families and our community.”

# # #

As of last month, 31,000 properties were facing property tax foreclosure in Wayne County, and about 9,000 of those properties are occupied, according to Wayne County Chief Deputy Treasurer David Szymanski.  Detroit’s Loveland Technologies estimated that, of the 58,000 blighted properties in Detroit, 50,000 of them were impacted by tax foreclosure.  An investigation by The Detroit News into area home sales and property value assessments found homes that were sold for under $100 were valued by local authorities at nearly $46,000.

On May 27, Congressman Conyers hosted a tele-town hall on the property tax foreclosure crisis featuring representatives of the County Treasurer’s office and other legal assistance organizations, in which over 8,600 Wayne County residents participated.

Those facing property tax foreclosure are urged to immediately seek help by visiting the County Treasurer’s Office at 400 Monroe Street in Detroit, calling 313-224-5990 or emailing taxinfo@waynecounty.com.  For more complex issues with property tax foreclosures, residents can call the United Community Housing Coalition at 313-963-3310, or their emergency number at 313-405-7726.

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Conyers: Second Chance Act Juvenile Reentry Grant Award to Wayne County Helps Break Schoolhouse to Jailhouse Pipeline

For Immediate Release

Date: Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Contact: Matthew Morgan – 202-226-5543

Conyers: Second Chance Act Juvenile Reentry Grant Award to Wayne County Helps Break Schoolhouse to Jailhouse Pipeline  (DETROIT) – Yesterday, the U.S. Department of Justice awarded a $750,000 grant to the Wayne County Department of Children and Financial Services as part of the Second Chance Act of 2007, a law designed to aid local communities in rehabilitating juvenile offenders.   The grant will assist Wayne County in transitioning approximately 140 young males aged 12 to 18 currently placed in the Calumet and Lincoln Center residential treatment facilities in Highland Park from secure confinement back into the community.  In response to the Department of Justice’s grant award, Congressman John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.) released the following statement:    “The future of our communities depends on breaking the schoolhouse to jailhouse pipeline,” Conyers said.  “To do that we must invest in providing our young people the skills and support needed to successfully transition back into the community.  The Second Chance Act provides local governments with the resources to do this, and helps juvenile offenders become productive members of the community.  I commend the Department of Justice and Wayne County Executive Robert Ficano in working together under the Second Chance Act to secure the resources necessary to achieve this goal.”  As Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, Congressman Conyers helped pass the Second Chance Act in 2007.  As a result of this legislation, the Department of Justice created the Second Chance Act Juvenile Offenders Reentry program to help ensure that the transition youth make from secure confinement facilities to the community is successful and promotes public safety.  The law authorizes grants to state and local governments to promote the safe and successful reintegration into the community of individuals who have been incarcerated or detained.