... Urban Decay. A significant percentage of housing parcels in the city are vacant, with abandoned lots making up more than half of total residential lots in many large portions of the city. With at least 70,000 abandoned buildings, 31,000 empty houses, and 90,000 vacant lots, Detroit has become notorious for its urban blight. Detroit has been described by some as a ghost town. Parts of the city are so thoroughly abandoned they have been described as looking like farmland or even completely wild. ...