DETROIT (Michigan News Source) – For several years, blight removal has been a priority for Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan in his ‘Blight to Beauty’ strategy.

But the program has been plagued with scandals that have put city residents at risk over claims of contaminated soil being used by city contractors.

Digging up dirt.

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The city of Detroit recently issued a 90-day suspension to Brian McKinney and his business Gayanga Co. from doing any further work.

The city claimed McKinney’s construction company used contaminated dirt from a Northland Mall redevelopment in Southfield to backfill residential properties in Detroit. The city’s Office of Inspector General (OIG) found that the dirt located at 33 of the 41 properties failed to meet the state’s residential standards.

McKinney has disputed the city’s claim.

Another suspension.

In 2023, the city of Detroit’s Office of Inspector General claimed that city-hired contractor Den-Man Construction Services had used “unapproved backfill material that did not meet environmental standards” and also had “improper invoicing.”

The OIG suspended Den-Man Construction Services from working with the city and stated, “The suspensions were issued based our knowledge of the potential harm to the health, safety, and welfare of Detroit residents.” Den-Man had been awarded $12 million in demolition contracts from 2017 to 2019.

The city claimed that Den-Man invoiced the city for $1.1 million that the contractor said was used to buy dirt but was obtained at no cost.

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In addition, Detroit ordered Den-Man to replace the fill material it used at seven of its residential demolition sites. Random testing of those homes found the material didn’t meet city or state standards. It cost the city $3.5 million to do the tests. The city also ordered Den-Man to do testing on another 127 demolition sites it worked.

Den-Man is liable for more than $4 million in restitution to the city, according to the state attorney general.