|
| Author
|
Post |
 
|
|
Cory M Lorincz
F L I N T O I D
|
My grandmother several years ago tried to purchase an abandoned house fromthe land bank. This house was next door to hers. My grandmother had offered to purchase the house so she could remodel the house and increase her standard of living.
Today this house is falling apart. The siding is falling off and the doors and windows are boarded up. When trying to revitalize this city and the surrounding communities should we really be demolishing houses that could have been revitalized.
Currently I reside in a home that was abandoned. I remodeled this home, and it is one of the nicest in my neighborhood. If revitalization of Flint is one of the goals of the Land Bank why did this happen.
Recently my grandmother's story was in the Flint journal:
FLINT -- Great-grandmother Shirley Bradley lives a few blocks from one of the city's busiest streets, but like thousands of people in Flint, she's right next door to no one.
And "no one" is turning out to be a lousy neighbor.
Even though city crews have demolished hundreds of vacant houses in recent years -- possibly more than at any time since the clearing of land for the construction of I-475 more than 30 years ago -- thousands of dilapidated homes remain.
For Bradley, 82, the two-story house next door -- stripped of half of its white siding -- is a daily annoyance that never leaves Fielding Street, an otherwise healthy residential area just north of Corunna Road.
"My little (great-grandchildren) want to play. I can't even let them outside," she said. The day the house with the plywood-covered doors comes down will be "the happiest day of my life."
"I'll stand here and watch it come down and not cry a tear," she said a few days before Halloween. "If we could get rid of that, we'd get rid of most of our problems."
There are stories such as Bradley's all over Flint: Residents who are discouraged by run-down, abandoned buildings in their neighborhoods even though they see some progress citywide.
They see their property values going down while their homeowners' insurance goes up.
A Flint Journal analysis of city demolition records shows that for everything that has been done -- nearly 800 homes and garages demolished since the state takeover of Flint ended in 2004 -- years of around-the-clock work remain to be done.
The Journal review also shows:
Austin Avenue might be the most unrecognizable street in the city by the time all planned demolition is completed. More houses -- 22 -- have been torn down on the east-west street on the extreme north side of the city than anywhere else since the end of the state takeover. Another 21 houses on the same mile-long stretch of street are still targeted for demolition.
Of more than 800 houses on the city's demolition list, the vast majority are located north of the Flint River in some of the poorest areas of Genesee County. The to-do list includes 627 properties north of the river and just 196 south of the river.
Fourteen separate streets have 10 or more houses on the city demolition list -- the heaviest concentrations of eyesores and neighborhood blight. The streets are: Alma, Austin, Broadway, Flint Park Boulevard, Foss Avenue, Grand Traverse, Holbrook, Lorado, Marengo, Pasadena, Russell, Ruth, Saginaw, and Wolcott.
More than 64 percent of the 823 structures scheduled for demolition are located west of Saginaw Street.
Since Jan. 1, 2006, four streets have had 10 demolitions or more with at least 10 more still scheduled for demolition: Austin, Russell, Wolcott, and Holbrook.
"There's certain streets (where) you think, sooner or later, there isn't going to be anything left," said John Gazall, chairman of Flint's Building Board of Appeals.
The board hears the pleas of property owners -- some of whom beg, others who cry, and some of who just don't show up -- as their houses are ordered for demolition with costs added to tax bills.
Many will end up in foreclosure, leaving taxpayers to foot the bill for city crews to tear them down, fill in the foundation holes and dispose of the waste.
"I've been on the board since fall of 1999," Gazall said. "When you deal with 60 to 80 houses a month, you would think that at some point it would slow down, but I don't see that happening" yet.
Top officials for Flint and Genesee County don't either, but county Land Bank Chairman Dan Kildee and Bill Ayre, Flint's transportation director, both believe the trend will reverse if funding stays in place or can be increased.
Ayre hopes for as much as $2 million from the state's Cities of Promise program next year.
"There's been a lot of starts and stops over the years because of funding problems," Ayre said, "but when we turn that corner" of more houses being torn down than being abandoned "those properties that are sitting there, all of a sudden, they'll be more value to them.
"All the houses in the city will end up with bigger value. When it's going to turn, I don't have a feel for it yet (but) I think we're more than holding our own."
Both Ayre and Kildee believe there are thousands of vacant homes still in the city, far more than the 800 which are on track to being torn down at taxpayer expense.
Flint's home abandonment rate jumped sharply as the city's population and wealth went into free fall with the loss of General Motors jobs in the 1980s. Property values dropped so low that lots were being sold for as little $50 at county tax sales in the 1990s.
"The rate of abandonment is still probably greater than the rate of demolition," Kildee said. "Over time the rate of demolition will catch up. There will be a settling ... and then we get ahead of this thing."
Borrowing by the Land Bank this year is helping fund the renovation of two former Flint hotels: the Berridge and Durant, and also leaving as much as $1 million for additional neighborhood demolition in 2008.
Over the last five years, the Land Bank has contributed to Flint's geared-up pace of demolitions, paying for about 800 tax-foreclosed properties that the Land Bank took out of circulation rather than reselling to potential landlords or speculators.
Only a few demolitions have been on Asylum Street near downtown, but it's made things better, said Gary Howard, 39, whose brother lives in the same block.
"The landlords will rent to anybody that has money ... and people steal left and right" from a vacant house, said Howard, who lives near Court Street.
There's more at stake than the quality of life for neighbors when houses are left to rot -- home owners who remain are losing the value of their homes when too many nearby go vacant.
The price of homeowners' insurance is also high -- if you can buy it at all -- when there's a concentration of vacant properties.
"The neighbors all want those houses gone. We're concerned about property values. When we take the houses down, property values go up," said Ayre, who said some residents have trouble buying homeowners insurance.
Property owners such as Bradley, who lives on Fielding Street just north of Corunna Road, said thieves become comfortable when a house is abandoned. It gives them a hiding place and a base of operation.
"I stood in my bedroom window and watched them take the aluminum siding off that house," Bradley said, pointing next door. "My car has been stolen three times, and they set a fire on the back porch."
Pearl Ward, 66, of Foss Avenue moved into her parents' house here 30 years ago. The neighborhood becomes harder to live in with each passing day -- fewer people who own the homes they live in, more open drug use, vacant houses, dog fighting, and crime.
Ward was happy to see a demolition crew recently knocking down two houses on Foss but said there are others falling quickly into disrepair at the same time on the same block.
From her enclosed front porch, Ward looked across the street at a string of remaining houses -- some vacant and some of which have become high-turnover rentals.
"They don't care about the property. It's not theirs so they don't care," she said of some neighbors. "They come and they stay one month and then they be gone.
"My mother and father owned this house. This neighborhood was really nice when they first moved here -- very nice -- but drugs took over everything. Now you're even scared to walk out your door," she said.
Dawan McClendon, 30, has lived near the corner of Foss and Summit avenues for the last two years with his 7-year-old son and his son's mother.
It's a hard place to stay because the abandoned homes attract thieves and drug addicts.
The house across the street from McClendon was torn down a few weeks ago and another immediately to his east also was demolished. There are several empty lots a block in each direction where other houses have been torn down as well.
"The neighborhood is pretty good. It's close-knit. We watch each other's houses -- make sure nothing goes wrong," McClendon said. "(But) it's hard living (here), driving around when that's all you see. Nobody's waving 'bye -- just boarded-up houses." |
|
|
Wed Dec 12, 2007 11:37 am |
|
|
brianstarr
F L I N T O I D
|
| i just wanted to say that i totally agree with what the guy said about the land bank and demolition and i also would like to say that the demo helps not getting to the areas that really need it i feel they need to do a better job of concentrating on the neighborhoods that need the demo help that includes mine where out of 23 houses on the block 12 are boarded up and rotting .i guess thats what happens when you have people in the building inspection department that have the attitude that its easier for the city to do nothing and just let these places rot and fall down on their own |
|
|
|
Wed Dec 12, 2007 12:08 pm |
|
|
last time here
Guest
|
damn brian, that many buildings on your block? are they land bank or
city properties? i think your idea of concentrating on streets that have
multiple "junkers" is a good idea!
i wonder if it would be interesting for the city and the school systems to
work something out that would allow some of these lots to be used as
an agriculture class learning tool. at harvest time, allow each school to
use a stand at the farmers market to sell their goods and/or donate
the crops to seniors.   |
_________________
Guest post |
|
|
Wed Dec 12, 2007 12:19 pm |
|
|
Cory M Lorincz
F L I N T O I D
|
If the land bank would have sold the property to Mrs. Bradley ( my Grandmother), my family and I would have remodeled it for her. The tax rolls would have benifited, and the neighborhood would have had a drop in crime.
Maybe the Land Bank should be trying to get these homes, together with redevelopment grants, and sell to prospective homeowners (not landlords).Sure some homes need torn down, but this particular home was a viable house and could have been repaired.
They let the home sit there for 4 or 5 years till it looked bad enough to tear down, and crime had taken hold.
If this home would have been lived in maybe my grandmother's car would not have been stolen several times, resulting in her losing a vehicle permanantly. Now Mrs. bradley has to borrow a truck, she can't afford the full coverage required to cover theft. ( fixed income)
Is this really our city and government looking out for us? The LandBank was Rep. Gonzales's (Dem 49th district) pride and joy. I hope we can expect more now that he is in our legislature. |
|
|
|
Wed Dec 12, 2007 12:34 pm |
|
|
last time here
Guest
|
i'm curious cory, what was their reasoning for not selling it to your granny?
i thought thats what they did? reclaim and resell with the intent of making
it a contributing property taxpayer?  |
_________________
Guest post |
|
|
Wed Dec 12, 2007 12:37 pm |
|
|
Cory M Lorincz
F L I N T O I D
|
| My grandmother had a lien on the property from suing the previous owner. Lien rights are lost when taken over by the land bank. The house was rough estimated value about 10k which is what she offered. The land bank told her they would sell it to her for 35k. I used to run a building company and have worked with alot of real estate. The house would have apraised at that time for 10k or under. |
|
|
|
Wed Dec 12, 2007 1:12 pm |
|
|
Cory M Lorincz
F L I N T O I D
|
It is impossible to resell to the community if you are asking 2 to 3 times market value of a property. They have told my grandmother as of recently, that the land bank recieves more in insurance money from having to demolish the home than they would have for selling it. That sounds more like legal fraud to me.
Financially on the short term more money is what you go after, thats business, in the long term the tax rolls would have benifited more from home ownership, as well as the city economy, crime rates, etc.
Since the home was abandonned she has had to make numerous calls to police, and the land bank, in regards to homeless people living at the house and breaking into her property at night.
This house by sitting vacant became a magnet of activity that caused many of the neighbors to live in fear.My grandmother has lived next to this house for about 8 years. For the three years it was occupied prior to landbank ownership there were relatively no problems. Now several people have sold homes and moved from the neighborhood and we are currently looking for A home in a different neighborhood for my grandmaother.
When you have contributed to your community for over 80 years there should be no reason to live in fear.
Especially if the choices of your government create the problem that creates the fear. |
|
|
|
Wed Dec 12, 2007 1:23 pm |
|
|
last time here
Guest
|
wow, thats a shame...have you talked to dan kildee personally?
i certainly would. this smacks of being just another moneymaking
scheme. i sincerely hope i'm wrong!! 
your granny is being treated unfairly from what i've read. 
if i was you, i'd make a cold call to dan's office. tell him the story
and offer to take him to the site, i can't believe dan is the kind of
guy that would intentionally do something like this. it is said,
the squeaky wheel gets the grease!!   |
_________________
Guest post |
|
|
Wed Dec 12, 2007 1:29 pm |
|
|
Cory M Lorincz
F L I N T O I D
|
Have you tried talking to our politicians lately. I once sat down with Mayor Stanley in regards to an incident in my grandmothers neighborhood.
After I was sent in circles for about A month I realized that when a politician does not want to solve your problem, they have ways of passing the blame into infinity.
But that will be another post.
I was curious to find out other peoples experiences with the Land Bank and opinions of course.
It would not matter if I went to Dan Kildee now, the house is in shambles and my grandmother would not want it, nor would anyone else.
It is just A shame that these are the choices we have made, by electing politicians instead of people.
Why is that anyways?
We elect career politicians who only serve up platitudes and promises but never solve our problems. I often wonder what we have been thinking, as we exercise our right to vote. |
|
|
|
Wed Dec 12, 2007 1:38 pm |
|
|
last time here
Guest
|
well cory, i'm sorry for your grandmother's predicament. i never
assume all politicians are useless feeders from the public trough. some
of them actually do care. again, sorry to hear your granny's story.  |
_________________
Guest post |
|
|
Wed Dec 12, 2007 2:00 pm |
|
|
Cory M Lorincz
F L I N T O I D
|
I agree, not all politicians are bad but unfortunatly most the ones I have met are far from what I expected.
I have not personally met Mr. Kildee and was basing my opinion on the majority, more than any particular individual.
You are correct we do have some really good ones. I was refrencing what may be considered A career politician and we have plenty of those as well. |
|
|
|
Wed Dec 12, 2007 2:09 pm |
|
|
Tegan
F L I N T O I D
|
Its shame that the land bank didn't sell the house to your grandmother. I know that comment doesn't lend much to the conversation.
I think that the city and the land bank should shift most of their focus away from demolition and towards getting more properties back on the tax rolls. While demo might initially solve a drug house problem, demolition RARELY does ANYTHING to
revitalize
a neighborhood. |
|
|
|
Wed Dec 12, 2007 5:29 pm |
|
|
Cory M Lorincz
F L I N T O I D
|
| I think they are trying to slowly phase out neighborhoods till all houses are gone. Then maybe they will rebuild. |
|
|
|
Wed Dec 12, 2007 6:37 pm |
|
|
Ryan Eashoo
F L I N T O I D
|
|
Sometimes I think the demolitions are warranted, but others times its not.
|
_________________
Flint Michigan Resident, Tax Payer, Flint Nutt - Local REALTOR - Activist. www.FlintTown.com |
|
|
Wed Dec 12, 2007 6:59 pm |
|
|
Dave Starr
F L I N T O I D
|
| There are 4 houses on the street I grew up on that have been empty for over 12 years. They're boarded, but the back doors have been kicked open. Inside, they're a mess.; plumbing gone, plaster falling, roofs rotting, totally beyond salvaging. Our son lives in the house I grew up in, right across from 3 of the houses and next to the other one. He calls and calls and calls; inspectors come out & look, nothing happens. He's at the point where he doesn't think anything will be done until they either get burned or totally collapse. |
_________________
I used to care, but I take a pill for that now.
Pushing buttons sure can be fun.
When a lion wants to go somewhere, he doesn’t worry about how many hyenas are in the way.
Paddle faster, I hear banjos. |
|
|
Thu Dec 13, 2007 9:26 am |
|
|
|
Forum Rules:
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Register
Profile
FlintTalk.com Forum Index
> Political Talk
