Keith Butler
Coverage of Keith Butler in the Nexus archive.
- Detroit neighborhood transformed in days after residents say city ignored their calls for help
Residents of Detroit's Dexter Linwood neighborhood reported an abandoned house overrun with weeds, squatters, and rodents, prompting city action after media attention. Within a week, the city's Blight Remediation team transformed the property, addressing overgrowth, removing rodents, and securing the structure, leaving residents relieved and grateful.
- California pulled the plug on new school air conditioners, leaving $200 million unspent
California's CalSHAPE program, intended to upgrade school heating and cooling systems, was cut short in 2024, leaving $200 million unspent. Only 172 of over 4,500 schools with faulty systems received funding due to a complex process, and lawmakers now debate using interest from the funds for an unrelated energy program.
- Detroit grandmother's blight concerns prompt city action on abandoned home next door
A Detroit grandmother and neighbors have raised concerns about a blighted abandoned home in their neighborhood for years. The city has now pledged action, including ticketing the owner, boarding up the property, and adding it to the demolition list.