Do Something
If the content on this website pisses you off or makes you sad (and we hope it does both), don’t despair: you might be able to help.
If you know, or have questions about, vacant properties or delinquent property owners in the City of Richmond, City of Richmond’s Department of Community Development is a good place to start. A few pestering phone calls or emails can go a long way, especially with overwhelmed City Employees. Also, the vacant property registry is a great way to track down contact information for delinquent property owners, although the information available to the City isn’t always up to date. Follow this link to report a property maintenance violation to the City.
Also, the Alliance to Conserve Old Richmond Neighborhoods has worked since 1998 to save blighted, historic buildings in various neighborhoods in Richmond. If you, or someone you know, is interested in buying or selling a blighted historic building or vacant lot in an historic neighborhood, contact them. For an organization working with limited staff and resources, they do incredible work in Richmond.
If you currently rent from a delinquent landlord, check out the River City Residents Association, a local non-profit organized to be a resource for Richmond area renters.
October 21, 2009 at 3:10 pm |
There is a vacant property caddy corner to my home in Southern Barton Heights. I believe the address is 1716 Monteiro Ave. The home has been abandoned for several years and is properly boarded up. It is a beautiful old home that sits on a large lot and would really brighten up the block if it were to be restored. Please let me know if there is anything I can do to assist you in finding a better future for this home! Thanks.
October 27, 2009 at 2:17 pm |
I live in the 2200 block of E. Broad, Church Hill. There is a house on my block that has been vacant since the seventies. 2204 E. Broad St. Some of my neighbors have offered to buy it from the owner, PEARSALL EVELYN P & EVELYN P TR, but they refuse to sell. These folks own some other properties on the same city block that are also in terrible condition. It is a connected town house and I feel sorry for the woman sharing the wall. Says she hears bricks falling in the house. Such a shame. The staircase has been removed and some of the windows are boarded. An excellent example of Greek Revival rotting away because of someone too stuborn to do the right thing.
November 5, 2009 at 12:09 pm |
I live on the 21st block in Union Hill. My house is attached to a property that is in terrible shape(602 1/2 N. 21st St). The city boarded it up last week after I begged for months b/c I was concerned people were going in and out of the house.
The wall that we have in common is falling apart. You can pull bricks out of their side of the wall. I also believe moisture is getting into the house because I have a mold problem this year. If their wall goes then I guess mine does too.
The sad part about it all is that it is the “only” vacant house on a well preserved block. The owners are deceased but their children do nothing but let the house fall apart. At times, the kids will mow the grass. It is ridiculous that they can take care of the grass but won’t do anything to the house itself.
November 6, 2009 at 2:01 am |
[...] If you want to DO SOMETHING, or for more information, visit http://richmondslumlordwatch.wordpress.com/do-something/ [...]
December 14, 2009 at 12:25 am |
I live on the 600 block of Hancock Street in the Carver community. the house across from me, 606, i think, has been abandoned and boarded up since I moved here almost 3 years ago. the neighbors say it has been like that since before I got here. the house is one of many that oliver lawrence owns. it it beyond repair, hopefully someone will come along and take care of this eyesore.
January 3, 2010 at 6:04 pm |
Hard to fight this problem when our Mayor of Richmond has buildings that are in severe stages of disrepair on Hull St. in Manchester and will not repair, sell or tear down the bighted buildings @1500 block on Hull St.
January 14, 2010 at 6:21 pm |
EVERYONE: call Delegate McClellan and ask her to add Richmond to this bill: http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?101+sum+HB363. It increases the maximum registration fee required of an owner of a building that has been vacant for a continuous period of 12 months from $25 to $250 for the town of Pulaski, but we may be able to add Richmond.
Also, a group of us will be working with Jennifer McClellan this year to develop a bill that will create a mandatory one-year suspended sentence for any blighted property. Oliver Lawrence evaded justice for years because each one of his cases was abated without a suspended sentence, so each case was a brand new case, and he had no record. Hopefully, we can develop this bill for next year’s Legislative Session. If you want to support this effort, please write McClellan throughout this year showing your support!
July 15, 2010 at 7:15 pm |
I am a recent Richmond transplant, having moved here from Memphis and before that Minneapolis. I have always had a love of history and so settled in Shockoe Bottom. With a partner, a longtime Virginia resident, I have started a real estate investment practice. Our mission is to assist in the real estate value adjustment that has to occur as part of our economic recovery. To that end our goal is to purchase economically or physically distressed properties and get them back on the market at prices that people can afford to buy or, more likely to rent. As an adjunct to that we see a tremendous opportunity for historic preservation.
We are targeting homes that will ultimately retail in the $75-$115K range, suited to lower/middle income families. Our marketing strategy is two-fold, 1) to establish relationships with a core group of rehab buyers that trust our due diligence and will be consistent buyers of our properties and 2) to provide an entrée to entry-level investors that may not have the expertise to know how to identify a good deal. For this second group we have also started moving towards a turn-key option, including contractor’s bids and rehab options.
We believe that, if done properly, this can provide a valuable service to those people in transition as a result of the economic downturn and also help in maintaining the culture and character of historic Richmond.