23-05-2025
Detroit's Manoogian Mansion donor list remains despite calls for transparency
The Brief
A nonprofit manages upkeep at the Detroit mayor's residence at the Manoogian Mansion.
Some questions have been raised about the secret list of donors who contribute to the nonprofit.
DETROIT (FOX 2) - The Manoogian Mansion is part of Detroit's history, donated to the City in the 1960s by its then-owner, Alex Manoogian.
For decades it has been used as the residence for the mayor while in office.
The backstory
"It's a residence on the Detroit River so it requires constant upgrades," said Gene Gargaro, president of the Mayor's Residence Society.
And when that work is needed, the nonprofit which manages the mayor's residence, handles it with help from its donors
"Our group raises the funds and does the oversight for the residence," Gargaro said.
"When the roof leaks, when the paint is peeling, the Manoogian Foundation raises the money and do the repairs, so I'm just grateful for it."
But some are calling for the society's donor list to be made public. One of them is Neil Thanedar, the executive director for the Michigan Campaign Finance Network.
"The city council's own rules and ordinances say they have to approve all of these," he said.
Thanedar said he is the son of Democrat Congressman Shri Thanedar.
"Yes. He's my father," he said.
Neil Thanedar is now a non-profit leader who says he just wants transparency.
During the Mayor Dave Bing administration, city council members did vote to accept a donation for work on the mansion.
"I think it's very simple," Thanedar said. "One, the council needs to approve all these donations and we also believe the donors need to be disclosed."
But the Mayor's Residence Society disagrees.
"I don't think anything is broken," Gargaro said. "There's nothing unique about the fact that it's private. We've had a very successful 60-plus years operating the way we have."
Detroit's City Council President Mary Sheffield also weighed in.
"Whatever requirements and protocols that have traditionally been in place, we will adhere to," she said.
And although that donor list is not being made public, the mayor's residence society did reveal one of the funding sources.
"The Manoogian family have been the primary funders of the society," said Gargaro.
But for now the other donors will remain private and this nonprofit will continue pushing for transparency.
"The transparency just helps us understand whether we can judge as the public and as investigators, whether something looks right or wrong from there," Thanedar said.
The Source
Information for this report is from interviews with Gene Gargaro and Neil Thanedar.
