Questions raised over Detroit’s ability to hold landlords accountable for properties left blighted

Vivian Gray spent a lot of time thinking about ways to improve her yard.

To hide cracks in the front walkway, she installed a path of cobalt blue carpet.

Her lawn, always crisply cropped, featured not one but two mini-sculpture gardens.

Free time was spent crisscrossing the city looking for discarded trinkets that could be added to the mix.

"I emphasize to my young people, it doesn’t matter where you’re at: Take pride," the 55-year-old said on a balmy Monday in May, explaining that just because she and many of her neighbors were considered "low-income," it didn’t mean they didn’t care about creating a safe and welcoming environment.