Detroit fades away: The decline of Motor City as seen through Google Street View

By Alex Greig

Published: 08:47 EST, 8 June 2014 | Updated: 12:07 EST, 8 June 2014

A Detroit blogger has compiled a compelling series of images from Google Street View to show the devastating decline of the city's residential neighborhoods since the 2008/09 financial crisis.

Alex Alsup, who spends his days examining property data at LOVELAND Technologies, began his blog GooBing Detroit to document how dramatic the deterioration in those few short years has been.

'I feel like many people think Detroit has been in rough shape for decades - that the deterioration isn't anything new,' he says. 'It's just not the case. The financial crisis was a new and incredibly fast and destructive wave that is still rippling across the city.'

Alsup says that the financial crisis came at a time when home values had already been steadily declining for years, yet property taxes remained extremely high.

As city services and infrastructure declined, people began to leave, unable to sell a property worth only $20,000 for which the annual taxes were about $3,000.

Alsup says there have been upwards of 70,000 tax foreclosures since the financial crisis. Now, properties are auctioned off by the city for $500 apiece to people who often do nothing with them, and the large number of properties that don't sell have often been destroyed.

The result is the post-apocalyptic appearance of some of Detroit's neighborhoods, which go from inhabited and well-kept in 2008 to overgrown in 2010 to burnt-out or demolished in 2014.

Exeter Street 2009: In the midst of the financial crisis the homes on Exeter Street appear to be still inhabited

Exeter Street 2011: Just two years later, half the homes have been completely demolished and another is clearly abandoned, with graffiti on the outside

Exeter Street 2013: By August of 2013 the street is abandoned with both remaining homes in this section burnt out and in ruins

Coventry Street 2009: This neat street in 2009 features occupied homes with mowed lawns and cars out the front

Coventry Street 2011: Two years later, the home in the middle of the picture has clearly been abandoned and its formerly neatly trimmed hedges have all but obscured its facade

Coventry Street 2013: Two years after, the center house is either gone or so overrun by foliage that it's impossible to see

Hazelridge Street 2008: In 2008, Hazelridge looks like a normal suburban street

Hazelridge Street 2009: Just a year later and the homes to the left of the picture are already looking unkempt and uninhabited

Hazelridge Street 2011: Houses have disappeared from the street by 2011 without a trace

Hazelridge Street 2013: Nature is reclaiming the street which has clearly been vacated

South Leigh Street 2007: Before the financial crisis this corner of the street was occupied, with bins out for trash collection

South Leigh Street 2009: Old washing machines and other items collected by the owner clutter the front yard of the large home on the corner

South Leigh Street 2011: The corner house looks like it's been hit by a bomb blast and the home next door has also been destroyed just two years later

South Leigh Street 2013: The absolute neglect and deterioration makes it look as if this street has been abandoned for decades rather than a few years