The economic downturn around the world has affected many countries and cities. In the USA the plight suffered by the city of Detroit has been getting steadily worse over an even longer period of time. With a population of around two million in the fifties, since then nearly one million people have left the city.

The decline in car production over the past few years leading to mass job losses, has had a catastrophic effect all over the city and state of Michigan. With loans they could no longer afford, people’s homes and properties in many area’s of Detroit have been left abandoned by them when the banks foreclosed and forced them out.

What’s made this situation even worse is that many of these homes could not be resold, so have been left empty and abandoned leading to large number’s becoming looted and stripped of everything that could be taken and used.
The human cost is staggering, because not everyone has gone, many don’t want to leave their properties so stay on if they can, resolutely surviving in some districts surrounded by empty and crumbling ruins.

All this is hard to imagine walking around the busy downtown business area with it’s art deco and period architecture, as incredibly, not everywhere is affected. Detroit is still a great american city with an amazing history, this to me makes the problem even more poignant.

Ron Bambridge photographer.