There are a few vacant properties in Hawthorne and Jordan that I watch over, well, like a hawk. So much so that even when driving by, I can tell out of the corner of my eye that there is a new notice posted on the door. Most of the time, I can tell the difference between a water shut-off notice, a tax-forfeiture notice, condemnation, work permits, and other such "regulatory plumage" even at a distance. I've impressed friends and colleagues by knowing the difference not only by the color of the notification, but even the tape used to affix, or the format and typesetting that is visible at a distance.
It's not often that an entirely new sort of notice shows up, and when it does I am immediately fascinated. That's exactly what happened today at the infamous "Mr. Slummy" property at 2515 3rd Street North. That's when I saw...
...a new kind of tax delinquency notification.
What is exceptional here isn't just that the property appears to be in a state of tax forfeiture that will revert ownership as of tomorrow (or today if you're reading this on the 28th), but that the document format is new and that it's attributed to the County auditor. Most likely Mr. Amro won't redeem, and the property will go into tax forfeiture as early as May of this year.
As a quick aside, the boarding job here allowed a glimpse inside the property:
Neighborhood housing committees have been told that the County can accelerate tax forfeiture proceedings when properties are registered as vacant. It would appear that this is precisely what is going on here. So I went to another prominent vacant house with delinquent taxes, "The Brick House" in the Hawthorne EcoVillage.
Sure enough, a similar notice is posted there as well.
From the looks of it, these properties and hopefully many others will be out of tax-forfeiture limbo in the very near future. With recent changes to the tax forfeiture sale process, the chances that they will end up in good hands are better than ever.
Progress! By which I not only mean the properties are moving forward, but the fact we've pushed back another slumlord owner. Slumlords shouldn't even TRY to set up shop in our neighborhood. Let would-be slumlords look upon this example and take heed.
ReplyDeleteQuestion is - What is the County going to do with them?
ReplyDeleteWe need the City / County to be better partners and provide better incentives for rehabbing and homesteading these structures!
CORRECTION: The initial post listed the Mr. Slummy property as 2511 3rd St N. The actual address is 2515 3rd St N. The brick house will almost certainly be rehabbed. The neighborhood has not yet taken a position on the 2515 3rd St N property.
ReplyDelete