Detroit, MI
Detroit program highlights issues with heirs’ properties in specific neighborhoods

DETROIT – Owning a home can be life-changing not only for the homeowner but also for their descendants.
Homes can be a mechanism to build generational wealth.
“This is just not a home to lay your head down,” said Jeanine W., who has a home on Detroit’s east side that has been in her family for generations. “My daughter is now residing in her great-great grandmother’s bedroom. Who can say that.”
Her great-grandmother, Jesse, bought the home sometime in the late 40s or early 50s.
Jeanine became the latest owner following the passing of her grandmother, Virginia.
“She knew the importance of going down, deed work,” Jeanine said.
However, many Detroit homeowners don’t take the necessary steps to keep their homes in the family.
According to a report released this year by the think tank Detroit Future City, about 5,500 family-owned properties inherited through generations have unclear ownership.
They’re known as heirs’ properties.
“They believe that they are in the property because it was inherited. But there’s no will. There’s no trust. And their name is not actually on the deed,” Detroit Future City CEO Anika Goss said.
Although heirs’ properties are all over Detroit, the report found the neighborhoods with the highest concentration of them are Schaefer 7/8 Lodge, Schulze, and Bagley on the west side, Airport Sub, Hawthorne Park, and Cadillac Heights on the east side, and Boynton in Southwest Detroit.
“It’s a significant problem that can really detract from the growth and opportunity in our neighborhoods,” Goss said.
Heirs’ properties are more at risk of falling into disrepair.
Heirs may be unable to get homeowners insurance or access home loans or grants for home repairs.
“If you have a succession plan for the house where there’s a clear, owner and successor identified, it is more likely that house will remain occupied, that it will remain intact,” The Villages CDC Executive Director Mac Farr said.
That’s the focus of The Villages CDC’s Keep It In the Family program.
“We make sure that folks actually own their homes. And if they don’t, then we’ll put them on the legal track in order to get them set up,” Farr said.
Jeanine knows the payoff of doing so and said her daughter will, too, one day.
“My great grandmother, I hope she is smiling down,” Jeanine said.
Copyright 2024 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit – All rights reserved.

Detroit, MI
10 prospects Pistons should consider at pick No. 37 in NBA Draft

Detroit — The Detroit Pistons currently have one pick (second round, No. 37 overall) entering the NBA Draft. Unless president of basketball operations Trajan Langdon makes a significant move, the Pistons will remain quiet as they enter Day 2 of the draft on Thursday.
Despite not having a first-round selection, Langdon believes the Pistons still have a great chance to add an impactful player. Heading into Wednesday’s first round, here are 10 prospects the Pistons might be able to add with their lone draft selection.
▶ Johni Broome, center, 6-9, 249, Auburn
Broome seems like the most impactful prospect the Pistons might be able to draft with the No. 37 pick. He is one of the best defensive big men in this draft class, leading the SEC in blocks with 154 over the previous two years while averaging 17.5 points per game and 9.7 rebounds.
Langdon recently stressed the importance of building depth, especially during the Pistons’ first-round series when Paul Reed took the lead on replacing Isaiah Stewart’s production against the New York Knicks. Reed is among the few players to enter free agency in July. Adding Broome would provide Detroit with a dependable backup option if Reed departs.
“We were fortunate that we had Paul,” Langdon said. “I think if we didn’t have a guy as talented as Paul, another player would not have been able to hold water like Paul did for us at that time.”
▶ Ryan Kalkbrenner, center, 7-1, 252, Creighton
Kalkbrenner’s height makes him one of the most intriguing Day 2 prospects. At 7-foot-1, he is a dependable rebounder and rim protector who could keep the Pistons’ defense afloat when called upon by coach J.B. Bickerstaff. During his five-year career at Creighton, Kalkbrenner averaged 6.8 rebounds and 2.4 blocks. He also developed into a solid stretch big after shooting a career-best 34.4% on 3-pointers last season.
▶ Rasheer Fleming, forward, 6-9, 240, Saint Joseph’s
Fleming has been projected as a late first-round pick, but some mock drafts have the third-year forward falling to Day 2. As a Swiss Army knife, Fleming is one of the top hidden gems who could be a second-round steal. He is coming off a career season where he averaged 14.7 points and 8.5 rebounds in 35 games for Saint Joseph’s.
▶ Koby Brea, forward, 6-6, 202, Kentucky
Brea might be the best shooter the Pistons can target at their draft position. In one season at Kentucky he made 43.5% of his 3-point attempts while averaging 11.6 points per game and led the SEC in 3-point shooting percentage. Proving that he was one of the best shooting wings in the nation, Brea shot 43.4% from beyond the arc during his four seasons at Dayton.
▶ Kobe Sanders, forward, 6-9, 207, Nevada
Sanders is a dynamic offensive weapon that fits Langdon’s mold of intriguing wings. He has great size and shooting ability — two essential attributes Langdon highlighted on Tuesday. After transferring to Nevada from Cal Poly, Sanders scored an average of 15.8 points on 46.0% shooting from the field and 34.2% from deep. He is also an underrated playmaker who averaged 4.5 assists last season.
▶ Bogoljub Markovic, forward, 6-11, 190, Serbia
Markovic is another wing who fits Langdon’s criteria for the draft. He is a sharp-shooting forward who shot 37.0% from behind the arc while playing in the Adriatic League. Markovic is also a respectable rebounder, averaging 6.8 boards.
▶ Chaz Lanier, guard, 6-4, 206, Tennessee
Lanier is a prospect who could hear his name called in either round of the draft. He has the intangibles to improve the Pistons’ backcourt depth, especially when it comes to his 3-point shooting. He averaged 18.0 points on 39.5% shooting from behind the arc in his only season at Tennessee.
▶ Ben Saraf, guard, 6-5, 200, Israel
Saraf is a crafty playmaker and one of the best pure point guards in this year’s draft. He averaged 4.3 assists as a member of Ratiopharm Ulm, showcasing his skill set as a young guard who has excellent vision and feel for the game as a floor general.
▶ Tyrese Proctor, guard, 6-4, 183, Duke
Proctor could be one of the biggest steals in the second round. He is one of the best two-way guards who established himself as a reliable secondary ball-handler. As the lead point guard for a stacked Duke team, Proctor averaged 12.4 points and 2.2 assists as a junior.
▶ Javon Small, guard, 6-1, 190, West Virginia
Small possesses all of the ingredients to develop into a dependable secondary guard. With two years of experience in the Big 12, Small averaged a combined 16.8 points and 4.8 assists while at Oklahoma State (2023-24) and West Virginia (2024-25). He can also hold his own on the defensive end as a solid perimeter defender.
coty.davis@detroitnews.com
@cotydavis_24
Detroit, MI
Who’s going win the Rocket Classic? The News’ golf ‘experts’ take their best swings

Detroit ― Picking winners at professional golf tournaments is no breezy task. There are 156 players in the Rocket Classic field this week at Detroit Golf Club, and theoretically, anyone can get hot and win.
We’ve seen surprises over the years, like inaugural winner Nate Lashley and two-time winner Cam Davis, whose only two PGA Tour tournament victories (2021 and 2024) have come right here at Palmer Park.
We’ve seen the favorites win, like Bryson DeChambeau in 2020 and Tony Finau in 2022.
And we’ve seen the fan favorite win, with Rickie Fowler’s thriller in 2023.
In other words, good luck with those picks.
Our resident golf “experts” are taking their best swings, and trying not to shank ’em.
Tony Paul
▶ Favorite: It’s been a frustrating season for former U.S. Open champion Wyndham Clark, with his temp reaching a boiling point at the U.S. Open at Oakmont, where he destroyed a locker. But he’s got a decent history in Detroit, with a tie for eighth in 2022 and a tie for 17th in 2019, and he’s coming off one of his better showings of the season (and his best since March), finishing tied for 17th at the Travelers Championship. (Vegas: +3000)
▶ One to watch: Tom Kim used the Rocket as his springboard onto the PGA Tour in 2022, with a Sunday 63 vaulting the then-20-year-old to a seventh-place finish. He won the very next week, his first win on the PGA Tour. Kim is an electric player who’s not afraid to fire at the pins, leading to lots of low-scoring potential. If his iron game is on at Detroit Golf Club, he could turn around what’s been his toughest season on the Tour. (Vegas: +6600)
▶ Dark horse: Cameron Champ lost his PGA Tour card for 2025, so he’s had to claw for opportunities. The Rocket will be just his seventh appearance on the PGA Tour this season, but in two of the last three, the CJ Cup and the Canadian Open, he’s fared well, with a tie for 15th and a tie for ninth, respectively. It’s easy to forget, too, that he’s a three-time winner on the PGA Tour, who has a T12 and T20 in four showings at the Rocket. (Vegas: +12500)
▶ My pick: For this, we’ll go with another Cameron (one of three in the field this week, including two-time champ Cam Davis) ― Cameron Young, who, against all odds, hasn’t yet won the PGA Tour. He’s got four top-10s this season, including three in his last six starts, and he’s been in contention in previous years at the Rocket, a shorter course by Tour pro standards that he can manhandle so long as he keeps the driver somewhat on the grid. (Vegas: +2500)
John Niyo
▶ Favorite: Keegan Bradley keeps making life more difficult for the U.S. Ryder Cup captain. But the captain has no one else to blame, because the way Bradley is playing he just might have to name himself to the roster. Bradley is coming off a win at the Travelers Championship after a pair of top-10s in three starts before that. And since he seems to love Donald Ross courses, don’t be surprised if this turns into more than just a scouting trip. (Vegas: +1800)
▶ One to watch: Taylor Moore doesn’t know what it feels like not to finish in the top 10 in Detroit. That’s all he has done here in his first three years on tour, with last year’s T10 being his worst showing. Moore battled an injury earlier this spring and missed the cut in his last start three weeks ago, but his form coming in hasn’t mattered in the past. (Vegas: +8600)
▶ Dark horse: The Rocket Classic becomes a putting contest. And that certainly plays to one of the strengths in Harry Hall’s game, as the Englishman once again ranks among the Tour leaders in putting and birdie average. He also has posted top-25 finishes in his last five starts, including final-round 65 Sunday at the Travelers. (Vegas: +3500)
▶ My pick: Ben Griffin already has won twice this year, and his last five starts have all ended in top-15 finishes, including this past week at TPC River Highlands. Behind those aviator sunglasses he wears, there’s a golfer who seems as driven as anybody right now on the PGA Tour. He plays a lot, he can go low, and even though this will be his Detroit debut, Griffin figures to be in contention again this weekend. (Vegas: +2000)
Angelique S. Chengelis
▶ Favorite: Collin Morikawa is winless so far this season, but has a couple of runner-up finishes and is due for a breakthrough. What better place than Detroit, where he tied for second in 2023, losing in a playoff to Rickie Fowler. He’s a six-time PGA Tour winner, including wins at the 2020 PGA Championship and the 2021 Open Championship. His two runner-up finishes this season were earlier in the year, the second at the Arnold Palmer Invitational in March. Morikawa tied for 10th at The Players Championship and tied for 14th at the Masters. (Vegas: +1200)
▶ One to watch: Keegan Bradley is the captain of the U.S. Ryder Cup team, but he also arrives in Detroit with plenty of momentum, coming off a win at the Travelers last Sunday. Bradley has entered 15 events this season and has five top-10 finishes. He finished tied for 21st in Detroit in 2023 and had his top finish here in 2021, tied for 14th. (Vegas: +1800)
▶ Dark horse: Luke Clanton, 21, the former No. 1-ranked amateur in the world who played collegiately at Florida State, has tremendous upside. He made his PGA Tour debut as an amateur at the Rocket Classic in 2024 and finished tied for 10th He has made 11 of 15 cuts and has two runner-up finishes in his brief time on Tour. (Vegas: +3300)
▶ My pick: Patrick Cantlay might not be the most popular golfer out there, and he missed the cuts at the U.S. Open and the PGA Championship but, he’s coming off a strong finish at the Travelers Championship, where he tied for 12th. Cantlay tied for second in Detroit in 2022. (Vegas: +1400)
Craig Yuhas
▶ Favorite: Collin Morikawa just missed winning two years ago, losing in a playoff to Rickie Fowler and Adam Hadwin. He has had a good year with nine top-25 finishes out of 13 events, including two runner-up finishes. He has a good chance to get victory No. 1 on the season this week in Detroit. (Vegas: +1200)
▶ One to watch: Akshay Bhatia nearly won last year, but he struggled late to finish second. There likely will be some motivation to make up for a missed opportunity. (Vegas: +4500)
▶ Dark horse: Hadwin, the longtime PGA Tour pro from Canada, has come close here (he lost in that playoff to Fowler in 2023), but has come up just shy of winning the Rocket. He flies under the radar at most events, but has game enough to win on the PGA Tour. (Vegas: +15000)
▶ My pick: In the last year, Max Greyserman has turned his game up a notch. He has four runner-up finishes and has made a ton of cuts. I like guys at this event that are on the “verge” of breaking through. This could be the week he breaks down the door. (Vegas: +3500)
tpaul@detroitnews.com
@tonypaul1984
Detroit, MI
This is the best public golf course in each metro Detroit county

University of Michigan Golf Course 18th hole shows views of Ann Arbor
From the tee box on the par-4 18th hole at University of Michigan Golf Course, which gives views of Ann Arbor and requires an approach over a pond.
Junfu Han, Detroit Free Press
What are the best public golf courses in the metro Detroit area? We looked at the six foremost counties surrounding the city and took stock of the plethora of golf course options to come to a conclusion.
There are many wonderful and beautiful public courses in metro Detroit, so it was hard to just pick one from each county. But that’s what Free Press columnist Carlos Monarrez set out to do in 2025, pulling from decades of experience playing the game in these parts.
Our list was based purely on the golf, taking into account many variables including playability, fun, strategy, conditions and views.
Here now is the best public golf course, as of 2025, to play in Livingston County, Macomb County, Monroe County, Oakland County, Washtenaw County and Wayne County.
Click the link on the course name to learn more about each selection.
For the best public golf courses in the entire state of Michigan, we have a list for that, too, thanks to Golfweek.
Best golf course in Livingston County: Moose Ridge Golf Course
Where: South Lyon.
Carlos says: Moose Ridge provides a rare Up North feel in southeast Michigan with plenty of natural beauty and teeth to test every aspect of your game.
Best golf course in Macomb County: The Orchards Golf Club
Where: Washington Township.
Carlos says: The Orchards has beauty, variety, challenge and many upscale touches, making it a mainstay in our rankings.
Best golf course in Monroe County: The Legacy Golf Club
Where: Ottawa Lake.
Carlos says: The Legacy by Arthur Hills is unadorned, windswept beauty combined with variety and challenge.
Best golf course in Oakland County: Shepherd’s Hollow Golf Club
Where: Clarkston.
Carlos says: Shepherd’s Hollow blends a luxe experience with secluded beauty and an Up North feel among 27 of the prettiest holes in Michigan.
Best golf course in Washtenaw County: U-M Golf Course
Where: Ann Arbor.
Carlos says: The University of Michigan Golf Course incorporates beautiful design, variety and beguiling boomerang greens from perhaps the greatest golf architect of all-time, Alister MacKenzie. His only other design in Michigan is the private Crystal Downs, a top-50 course in the world.
Best golf course in Wayne County: The Cardinal at St. John’s
Where: Plymouth Township.
Carlos says: The Cardinal, the first new high-end public golf course addition in southeast Michigan in about two decades, is playable with a classic design from Ray Hearn (who also built Moose Ridge) with immaculate conditions. Someone we know even shot their best score ever in their first round at The Cardinal.
Marlowe Alter is an assistant sports editor at the Detroit Free Press and spraying golf aficionado. You can reach him by email: malter@freepress.com.
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