John at Church Hill People’s News posted an excellent look at vacant properties owned by local churches along Fairmount Avenue. Being a church shouldn’t excuse being an irresponsible property owner and neighbor. Thanks to CHPN for bringing some attention to this.
Additionally, earlier in the week CHPN posted a story on a house fire on T Street. If the “man on the street” commentary is accurate, it is a sad illustration of broken window theory at work.
Mr. Burrell owns four properties in the city. Here are two of them; one in Church Hill North, the other in Union Hill.
1220 North 33rd Street
acquired in 1997 for $825.00
I think that mass of shingles and wood in the front yard was the porch roof
810 N 21st Street
acquired in 1997 for $3,250.00
The folks over at Baltimore Slumlord Watch just tipped us off to this:
Discussion of a Proposal To Tax Slumlords at a Higher Rate
“We’ve proposed that slumlords should be taxed at a higher property tax rate than law-abiding property owners, to offset the costs to the city associated with vacant property. This idea has already been implemented in DC, and we want the idea to be implemented in Baltimore.”
Virginia’s archaic Dillon’s Rule system adds a layer of complexity to proposals like this at the local government level. Still though, with the recent implementation of Richmond’s Vacant Building Registry Fee, there might be some room to explore a solution within the City of Richmond’s currently mandated authority.
Church Hill People’s News: The Vacant House Queen of Fairmount
It’s personal for him–there are at least 15 vacant Stacy Martin-affiliated properties within 4 blocks of his home.
Hey Stacy, are you planning on renovating this house at 1125 N 31st Street, selling it to someone who will, or just letting it sit there?
We’ve spoken to folks at the Alliance to Conserve Old Richmond Neighborhoods who have been trying to contact Stacy Martin regarding these properties for months now, but with no luck. Here’s the link to the Hermitage Realty Contact Info page in case you want to try your luck at getting in touch with Stacy and finding out what her plans are for these properties.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation has a nice summary of 8 proposed amendments to the Community Restoration and Revitalization Act that could have some bearing on blighted properties here in Richmond. These amendments include increasing the Federal tax credit on projects under $5 million and allowing less substantial rehab projects to become eligible for tax credits.
While these proposals may not create an incentive for your average delinquent property owner, they could provide additional incentives for private developers and non-profits to go after these properties. This is particularly relevant to Richmond, where a significant number of blighted properties would qualify for historic rehab tax credits.
Also, check here for updates (“update” being used loosely; as of this post the information dates to September) on how and where the City of Richmond is doling out stimulus money.
In terms of housing projects, these offer some promise of creating new energy in neighborhoods that have been victims of urban blight. We’ll keep our fingers crossed that these projects stay on track–Southside Community Development and Housing Corporation is currently sitting on a number of properties that would be featured on this blog if it weren’t for their plans to renovate the houses (and their previous track record of successful rehab projects). Let’s hope they are able to continue moving forward with these projects as quickly as possible.
Ok, “scheme” might be giving the Goswamis too much credit. Basically, their business model seems to work like this:
Buy dilapidated house in North Church Hill.
Sit on house for a few years, let deteriorate further.
Try to sell house three years later for a four-to-five figure profit.
Goswami Scheme Exhibit 1: 611 North 30th Street
Purchased in 2006 for $44,000. Currently for sale for $53,000.
some see a chance to reduce urban blight, others see dollar signs
Goswami Scheme Exhibit 2: 2623 Q Street
Purchased for $15,000 in 2006.
In the 3 years since Goswami purchased it, this house could have been renovated. But that's not how the Goswami Scheme works
Goswami Scheme Exhibit 3: 1201 North 32nd Street
Purchased for $32,500 in 2006. Currently for sale for for $40,000.
Goswami Scheme Exhibit 4: 605 North 30th Street.
This one is a family affair:
Purchased by Shashi Goswami in 2007 for $35,000. Sold three months later to Rashmi Goswami for $40,000. Currently for sale for $55,000.
To top it off, both Shashi and Rashmi Goswami have mailing addresses at 4000 Cogbill Road. The backyard of the house looks onto the golf course of Meadowbrook Country Club.
Oliver Lawrence reports to jail tomorrow to begin a 30-day stint. Afterwards he will move into one of his properties on North 19th Street and serve the remaining 40 days of his sentence there under home confinement.
Here’s coverage of the story from the Times-Dispatch.
This theory has had its share of criticism in the decades since it was first articulated, but illustrates why delinquent property owners should be held accountable.
Broken windows and then some in Barton Heights
Earlier in the year, Baltimore Slumlord Watch provided its own take on broken windows, which is worth reading and keeping in mind when considering why we are highlighting delinquent property owners here in Richmond.
It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out why derelict properties are a bad thing. One house can bring down an entire block, and then the whole street, and then a community. Like a set of dominos, the broken window syndrome happens when we stop caring about things like trash and blight, and worry about only the “big” issues like drug dealing. They go hand in hand.
From the Examiner:
With the sort of bold gambit that is sure to get the attention of the city’s other slumlords, Assistant City Attorney Greg Lukanuski asked [this morning for] a novel sentencing approach for recently convicted property owner Oliver Lawrence. Echoing the 1991 movie “The Super”, Mr. Lawrence will spend his 70 day sentence under ‘house arrest’ in one of his own properties, in addition to paying $176,000 in fines. While the tactic has been used in other court cases around the country, it is believed to be a first for Virginia.
[...]
The lengthy, but successful effort, to bring Lawrence to justice does not end here, however. His many other properties in Hanover, Petersburg and Henrico also face scrutiny, as building officials from those jurisdictions are sharing information with Richmond. In addition, talks are underway with just re-elected Richmond Sheriff C. T. Woody about Mr. Lawrence also participating alongside the inmate work crews cleaning vacant lots as part of his incarceration.
This may be the first use of the house arrest alternative for a property case, but staff in Code Enforcement hope it won’t be the last, as they continue to make headwtay on controlling blight. The case was continued until Monday the 9th.
Thanks to Isaac Graves at the Examiner for staying on top of this, and Church Hill People’s News for the tip.
worth a thousand words
One would like to think that Mr. Parham is scraping together financing to rehab 2117-2119 Cedar. Check out the foundation/retaining wall. Mr. Parham ought to do something about this before he has a collapsed house and several lawsuits on his hands.
a high-stakes game of jenga?
Something tells me that when Mr. Parham pulls into the driveway of his McMansion at 6745 Monitor Road near Willow Oaks Country Club, his mind isn’t troubled by thoughts of demolition by neglect and urban blight.
worth $339,000.00
