I'm wondering if you could combine this with the micro-entrepreneur concept. Instead of "for free" - can this be a service provided by Detroit's citizens, for Detroit's citizens, paid for by blighted property owners? Or can you expand this concept to home repair as well as gardening? Teaching the 47% functionally illiterate population of Detroit a marketable skill such as gardening and home repair may go a long way.

Great post, thanks for sharing it

Congrats on this post being today's onsite Featured Inspiration.

I wonder if Gardening in Detroit area also includes shovelling of snow, spreading sand and salt, on sidewalks during winter? (just a small idea to get you thinking about trying collective efforts in your neighbourhood during season when you cannot plant anything outdoors)

like this idea - maybee painting could be such an act of common doing...

Hey Meena! :-)
Your post reminded me of the Actions exhibition at the CCA. http://cca-actions.org/actions/oranges-lead-nocturnal-walk

#9. Oranges Lead Nocturnal Walk
A Los Angeles law makes all fruit and vegetables growing over sidewalks “public,” so that even trees rooted in private yards may bear public fruit. The collective Fallen Fruit leads walks and makes maps of public fruit trees in the Los Angeles urban area. Fallen Fruit shows residents how to access a harvest of free food, and criticizes city planning that excludes productive planting on public land such as parks. Fallen Fruit holds jam-making parties using fruit collected from the public portions of the trees; they also produce liquor with public fruit. These products, like their ingredients, belong to the citizens of Los Angeles.

Great great questions in this inspiration... *me thinking*

Nice one Meena! Building community vibrancy, a culture of reciprocity, people's skills, local food production systems, and more...