Posts filed under ‘Lorain Multi Property Owners’
To Stabilize or DE-stabilize that is the question Lorain County
UPDATE!!!! today the 29th of April I drove past the property that was the Olde English Parlour and Lorain Creamery and what a difference in just a few days. The property has had the mattresses and tires and junk cars on the sidewalk of last week removed and the place tidied and cleaned – Thank you City of Lorain
The 10 hundred block of 4th street especially 1026 has been mentioned in the past few days . https://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2018/04/23/a-dangerous-situation-castration-of-justice-lorain/
The Incarceration House
Interesting home , a pretty home and now a mini jail ( in my opinion ) where ,according to court records ( Judge John Miraldi’s court), there is a history. Check out these court cases from Lorain County Court of Common Pleas and John Miraldi’s courtroom – You be the judge – and please check out the indictments
16CR093607 03/25/2016
Then there is court case : 16CA011062 which is apparently ( not being an attorney I have struggled with some of the documentation ) an appeal … but that date is 12/27/2016
BUT this “gentleman – of our neighborhood “ was arrested less than one month later with regard to a heroin bust at 1141 W 14th Street
http://www.morningjournal.com/article/MJ/20170124/NEWS/170129722
Jan 24, 2017 – A Lorain Police Department SWAT Team member watches the front of Matatanes Auto Repair and Towing, 1141 W. 14th St., as narcotics detectives search the business Jan. 24, 2017. The Lorain Police Department Narcotics Unit executed a search warrant at the automotive repair shop and at 911 W. 14th …
Approach the bench – side bar-
Lorain readers will remember this lovely little business at 1141 W 14th used to be the Lorain Creamery / Olde English Parlour . How many of us enjoyed ice cream and a a meal at the Olde English Parlour?
https://sites.google.com/site/loraincreamery/home/production
http://danielebrady.blogspot.com/2009/07/lorain-creamery-scoop-5.html
Photo Dan Brady
http://www.chroniclet.com/news/2012/03/18/Fire-damages-former-Lorain-Creamery.html
and now???? Just drive by , I did – past the trash , junk and mattresses etc. Who let that facility end up the way it has , where are the inspections???? … From Lorain County Auditors Site – Owners Nicolaou Petros & Elena – tax bill mailed to 897 S Lake St. Amherst . Ohio
Oh yes! been down that road before – Whomever it was should have been fired in my opinion….. but I digress back to the courts:
Case number 17CR095700 ( back in John Miraldi’s Court ) 02/14/2017 
You may well be asking WHY am I still banging on about this guy and his court case ? You see there is a little more history on this 10 hundred block.
In my opinion the County and the Courts have acquiesced to having this person serve time ( under house arrest) in our neighborhood thereby “destabilizing” a neighborhood that has its struggles and abuts the downtown which everyone is wanting to “bring back???
He wasn’t originally living in this neighborhood NO! he was arrested at 911 W 14TH ST LORAIN, OH 44052 owned by Barreto Cadido and Megdalia and whose tax bill of $6,273.98 doesn’t look to have been paid in 5 or 6 years .
These streets around downtown could be positive foot traffic for the big downtown renewal but what sort of foot traffic is being sent your way answer me that – Downtown Lorain?
In fact the county , under the Neighborhood Stabilization Program poured money into this block, taking down a derelict house that had stood abandoned for over forty years, upon the advise of another expensive “study” –
Thriving Communities Institute of the Western Reserve Land Conservancy- Sarah Ryzner, the institute’s director of projects, and Paul Boehnlein, GIS and conservation planning specialist had a lot to say starting with two doors down from the now “incarceration house”
The Icon House
https://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2013/11/16/welcome-to-fairyland-aka-in-the-pink-lorain-ohio/ and https://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2013/11/13/away-with-the-fairies-living-in-lorain/
True to their word with much hoopla Lorain County Land Reutilization and Lorain County Port Authority came and took down the Icon House
“So under the auspices of the Lorain County Land Re-utilization Corp – Lorain County Port Authority
whose mission ” Improving Lorain County and Revitalizing Neighborhoods” the eyesore ,that was once a well-loved and cherished home, came down.”
https://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2014/07/16/history-demoed-another-rehabbed-pt-1/
This segues into the rest of the story because thanks to the Neighborhood “Stabilization” Program -the county and co – another historic property The Coleman House – 1031 W 4th was rehabbed see the story here …
https://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2014/07/22/history-demoed-another-rehabbed-pt3/
The county duly rehabbed the house- it was too far gone for an historic rehab, but supposedly helped with stabilizing the neighborhood. More than a few 10’s of thousands went into this “icon” project …We, in the street were pleased someone was recognizing the worthiness and rehabbing.
My question is will the county and courts get on the same page …. please make up their mind because using the “house across the road from the rehab house as a “16 hour a day place of incarceration” is not conducive to stabilizing this neighborhood .
And whilst we are at it and the cost to the “community”- that apparently has no say so in control- I asked the Judge John Mirald etc i- for which I never received and answer :
How much does a drug raid cost us the taxpayers , local, state and federal for our law enforcement to go on these raids as opposed to the amount of sentencing????
MAKE UP YOUR MIND LORAIN COUNTY – DO YOU WISH TO STABILIZE OR DESTABLIZE THIS STREET……… The community who have invested years have rights too………….. OR DO WE?????? Lorain County and Courts enquiring minds would like to know!
My roses their guns – walk away from Lorain?
I don’t need a little Christmas- I need new leaves, blossoms, daffodils, tulips the sound of splashing water from the ponds, grass that is green . I need mother nature to take me away and screen me from those that dwell in the “hood”.
I can look at the snow drops peeking through and imagine I am far far away in a woodland dell instead of the “No Exit” that we are living. I use mother nature and her children – trees and shrubs flowers and vines to build a barrier between them and us.
I have been planted here because I chose a young, brown-eyed , perfect teeth of a guy and followed him to Lorain and this house. It has been home for over 40 years now. And the issues and problems with purchasing in a neighborhood that was transitioning has been well documented on this blog.
But in the past 10 years the bank dumps especially with the “Blue House” have lowered property values – caused the neighborhood that was at one point stable and going back to a more respectful quiet and family area to take a nose dive. 1121 W 4th now owned by one MARRERO – RAMOS MIGUEL . His “tenants” who obviously feel we should appreciate their foul language and loud – gun totting lifestyle as they hemorrhage it all over the rest of the block.
2012 I knew that this was going to be an issue from the very first day it sold…… after being dumped by the bank
“Well First Federal Savings of Lorain I have seen and “heard ” the “people” who have come to see your listing . I spoke to a couple of them as the parked on the lawn next door under my dining room window- as I informed them they were parking on another’s property and that it wasn’t a driveway – they knew and didn’t care- they were buying the blue house? SIGH. Oh! and quite frankly I am dreading the rest of the summer thanks to you and your “business” decisions .
You, First Federal Saving of Lorain have, in my opinion, “dumped your unwanted housing” from $56,000 to 28 thousand (buy back )to 13,900 listing just two months later . NOTE sold for $12,500 – Great !!! And let us face it – it was your bank that made the decision just a few short years ago by giving a mortgage to someone unable to pay it in the first place that set in motion this chain of events.
You are responsible, in my opinion, for what will ripple out and effect this neighborhood. Don’t forget, you were also the mortgage holder and foreclosed on the other neighborhood house next door 1125, W. 4th street– now scheduled for demolition
AND then
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
https://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2016/05/17/money-where-your-mouth-is-part-one/
Flash forward 6 years later and many issues – the brown house was demolished- then came the highway cut through and parking wherever the needed to park… boats, trucks and vehicles. I suppose it was just a nuisance to me and mine that we had to live with this disrespectful behaviours.
We finally purchased the lot next door 1125 W 4th (2016) duly fenced , planted shrubs, trees, ponds and plants to make our little corner of the world a place for respite .
I argued there was hope for Lorain and this area , even knowing that it was an uphill battle due to business practices that have made the surrounding neighborhoods a concern for anyone wanting to open a restaurant or bring in an “up market” healthy business. It was going to be local and piecemeal at best. Through a 501C3 we have tried our best to bring something of which we can be proud to the area:
This particular house 1121, W 4th – a rental- with a plethora of tenants in the three bedroom 1 bath home- including a very loud lifestyle,. has a business in the form of a funeral home behind them – The fence behind the funeral home parking lot was knocked down and so now exposes those coming for viewing a view that I am sure isn’t what they were expecting :
March 11th found a “flock” of “yard birds” swilling alcohol comparing guns and shouting in the alley – and witnessed by more than me.
In the front of the house, across the street is a Charter School, and since these people live back to front their trash etc is always s there bidding a warm welcome to the parents dropping off their kids. March 18th
Trouble is we can nothing about the intimidation the “fear of ones safety” and IF WE don’t feel safe in our own street and back garden then does Lorain honestly think walking this street to the local opportunities or parking in the neighborhoods just blocks away is an option.
People read this blog who are not from Lorain- they use it to research the community – they come here to find out about Lorain-
This type of post does Lorain no good BUT it is the truth , it is what has happened all over this Ward 2 thanks to banks local , national and international ( all documented for years on this blog) , out-of-town LLC’s , multi property owners who don’t give a damn and a population that is being held hostage and quiet through fear of retaliation.
This past weekend March 18 my two little grandchildren coming to help their grandfather tidy the new lot – get ready for spring were subjected to a wild-eyed , irate witch calling them and their “Nog” – as she hauled herself on the flat-bed of a tow truck they have parked next to my fence – every form of filth she could muster from her large loud mouth.
The cause of this “in retaliation tirade” because I asked her on Sunday March 4th – as her music cranked up when she parked her vehicle in the alley doors wide open was vibrating every window in the neighborhood .
My request to turn it down was met with a torrent of Spanish peppered with “fu##” bitch .. was given the” talk to the hand” among the profanities pouring from her and I said either turn it down or I call the police –
“you go backa in your house, bitch I don’t need you… I gotta a new car and testing it out”
I said test it elsewhere – as she entered the house the tirade of go into your house mother- fu##er .
Back to this past Sunday – we were lighting the fire pit and preparing to have the kids roast hot dogs ( nice American pastime) apparently Tonya of the Tow Truck decided she no likka my smoke ( which I may add was NOT blowing east but south) and hence the abuse. Well I have news for her I am allowed to be in my own garden with my grandchildren .
Unfortunately , as I looked at the kids faces and what I was seeing , I became disenchanted , angry and fed up !
The littlest one now no longer wanted to be in the garden – he was frightened – they didn’t know what was happening- they aren’t exposed to this sort of behaviors with their neighbors and the oldest ( 8) saying:
Nog, I am sorry you have to live here–
it dawned on me he felt like I was in some sort of hellish world so unfamiliar to him… I was seeing our home through the eyes of an 8-year-old and I didn’t like what I was seeing there .
Yes so am I – I said
There is nothing I can do… This ward has become a “glut of yobos” gone too far – the tipping point tipped.
– and thanks to First Federal policies and devaluing the neighborhood ( in my humble opinion) by dumping this house for $12,500 I can’t even sell this property and my grandchildren will not want their inheritance- far from over the river to grandma’s house we go – it will be “dump it” for what we can get -I am not living there .
So Lorain you will lose again …. take that to the bank!!!!!
My roses against their guns ………. ain’t happening … 
Lorain’s Housing- owners of the dirty diapers- Part 3
And the clog in the system keeps on coming .
https://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2017/10/22/lorains-housing-the-owners-of-the-dirty-diaper-pt1/
https://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2017/11/06/lorains-housing-owners-of-the-dirty-diapers-pt-2/
You would think , this house at 1348 West Erie, after being front page in local media ( print and electronic) predatory property holders investigated by all and sundry ( including the NY Times) https://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2016/08/26/when-vision-is-cloudy-property-holding-llcs-ny-times/ we would not find ourselves back to square one.
Touted as the poster child by realtors as being a negative because of the amount of money having to be put in escrow ( Point of Sale) as being a detriment to home sales in Lorain.
Lorain house sets record with $45,750 escrow requirement by R. Payerchin June 2014 –
Let us revisit once again the housing court history – First up after the dumping of the home by Federally backed mortgage company Fannie Mae to Kaja Holdings for ZERO dollars and NO Point of Sale Inspection, Fannie Mae acquired the property Aug. 2013
| Sale Date: | 8/5/2013 |
| Sale Amount: | $95,116.00 |
| Conveyance: | 2013003968 |
| Grantor: | KRAUSE TODD |
| Grantee: | FEDERAL NATIONAL MORTGAGE ASSOCIATION |
it was purchased February 2015 from Fannie Mae 1 year and 1 month after Point of Sale was introduced to Lorain
Sale Date: 2/3/2015
Sale Amount: $0.00
Conveyance: 2015090327
Grantor: FEDERAL NATIONAL MORTGAGE ASSOCIATION
Grantee: KAJA HOLDINGS 2 LLC
Many trips to housing court and then finally the lawyer (after much publicity) arrived on scene only to be given “time” grace time to fulfill their promises- little discussions at the table to the side with the ” Lorain City Prosecutor ” who agree with giving the benefit of the doubt on more than one occasion ( sigh) First up for Kaja Holdings was attorney
JIANG, LEI
http://eb5info.com/eb5-attorneys/35-lei-jiang
From what I could gather that day of August 12th,2015, the attorney Jaing, Lei was given another court date of September 9th to remedy and or update the situation
Then a lot of toing and froing – another continuance this time December 9th,2015 nearly a year in housing court https://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2015/10/22/housing-court-and-you-lorain-continued/
Fast forward to April 2016 5 months after the December 9th continuance another court date and another attorney this time
Mr. James White http://www.fkwdlaw.com/attorneys/james-r-white/
( who started a dialogue on this blog ) https://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2016/04/07/plump-lady-plummets-and-the-housing-trip-continues/
I had contact with Mr. White through emails about 1348 West Erie and what his clients proposed to do : In fact August 3rd 2016 found the following email :
Hi Loraine- Several of the violations to the exterior have been repaired. The City’s required escrow to perform the repairs has been deposited with an escrow agent with repairs to follow.
Great news “finally something happening BUT…. looking through the paperwork on the home of 1348 West Erie PDF found here : 1348
Mr. White did get that escrow “lowered” from $45, 750 . to $16,680 and then lo and behold the property changed hands AGAIN ( twice – albeit to the same man but different LLC’s- Mr. Farah Issa and Kaja Holdings got their escrow money back!!!!
Mr. Issa was duly notified he had to assume the escrow amount and he apparently did according to the PDF file pages 34,35,36 of the PDF .
and 
Certainly Mr Issa was not unaware of the issues with the house . Contacting the BHP Dept I received this email via Mr. Given SS Director (my bold):
Attached is the file for 1348 West Erie Ave. Page 34,35 and 36 of this document is the current hold of escrow for the property from the new buyer. The escrow was released back to Kaja once the funds were placed for the new buyer. This property actually transferred to Prosperity Investment Fund LLC and then again to FICC Realty Holdings – same agent on the Corporations though (Carmen Camino). They were supposed to be in court on October 11th (the summons shows service on court site) but they did not come to the hearing. I must assume that Law will attempt service again (since they won’t issue warrant on corporation).
“Owner makes plea for house that has been Lorain ‘problem for decade’”
We, Lorain, are allowing this behavior. Where is our Law Dept.? They, including Law Director Pat Riley, are supposed to represent us, fight for us , this home , once loved , still loved has been left rotting whilst the legal system floundered around like the last dying gasps of that fly. Those who represent the legal aspect are accountable for the last 2 years of this history and if this is the way we proceed legally in Lorain then we need to address that aspect!!!One , unless they have researched the disappointing process of legalisms, inspections, housing courts, thinks it is easy but trust me on this after years of the “history ” of 1348 – we, the public are naïve and welcoming the big fat spider into our parlour to devour our quality of housing, buildings and life. It is the biggest foulest filling of the diaper yet and it oozes out a putrid stench ….
Picture: Arleevector)
I try I really do – City of Lorain-OPEN LETTER
WHEN ALL IS SAID AND DONE MORE IS SAID THAN DONE!!!!
I have tried for years to help, give the benefit of the doubt but I am totally “cheesed off” – nothing changes – and why is that – no accountability. I have had retaliation, vindictiveness hurled through words and concrete for my trouble. BUT the tipping point has come…..
Check it out I have paid my taxes , volunteered up the yin yang – been involved for 30 years – took a derelict lot next door ( which we purchased for a nominal sum) but have now put into that lot over $22,000 in the last year . We didn’t have to do that we could have taken down the diseased and dangerous tree and just cut the grass.
Hello, City of Lorain having the new blue cart system, that wouldn’t fit behind our property like the old cans – just so my neighbors didn’t have to look at them cooking in the sunshine – we purchased a little home for them ( another 400 dollars) and covered them with trellis and roses .
So why is it when most of the street is adhering to rules for the past weeks( since the new garbage rules came out ) – I have watched garbage piles ( from the same address walk up and down the street for 9 weeks before it disappeared one night, grass that gets cut whenever.
and now for the 2nd week looked at mattresses infested with bed bugs ( Dale the Bed Bug Exterminator came and sprayed) WHY for the 2nd week have we looked at 2 box spring and mattresses leaning up against a dividing hedge.
Well I suppose it hides from view the red dump truck that is once again making it and its load part of the streetscape for the past 4 years – goes away and comes back like an unwanted relative. And around the corner more garbage and trash.
OK I get it some people will not follow the rules, don’t care or too lazy to follow but WHY should the rest of us have to put up with it…… why make any rules at all…… the Building Dept representative on facebook saying their side of the story
Heather Graves All of these lovely comments. I have one question and one question only to each and every one of you. When you go to work in the morning, afternoon, evening whatever the case may be…when your boss tells you to do something -you do it correct? I went through all of the comments. So…most of them are complaining because he is doing something. Others are complaining because he’s not citing in their neighborhoods. You do realize you can’t have it both ways correct? You can’t expect him to only cite what you don’t approve of. By all means make the complaints. The building department will do due process. If it’s a ghost foreclosure..meaning the bank gave orders to vacate and then never took possession…that house could sit there for YEARS, and then all of you can assume that it’s owned by the City of Lorain. Then there are the homes that are owned by someone that lives in Florida. What does anyone expect from that? Put out a warrant and send a pair of cops to go pick them up? I think you all need a reality check as far as what can and can’t be done in this city. I know…because I work in this department. As far as the gentleman that had his house taken a picture of after he took a picture of the inspector. Can you stop for a second and consider what these guys go through everyday? Constant complaints on them…threats…you have no idea. I get it…there is a genuine distaste for city workers, but please consider that we aren’t all bad. Most of us just want to go to work; work and go home without being yelled at, criticized and called names. We are all making our living one day at a time just as everyone else. I hope you all read this and at least a slight part of the other side.
You have my sympathy Ms. Graves but you and the staff are getting paid a million or so to do your jobs if it is so impossible to do them then maybe we should rethink the department and what will work…….. because I am not getting paid to look at trash and see property values tank WE ARE PAYING FOR THE PRIVILEGE ……….
A tale of two- do nowt – get nowt- Lorain
Part One– https://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2017/05/11/a-tale-of-two-city-houses-downing-of-quality/
Part Two– https://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2017/05/13/a-tale-of-two-continued-lorains-cast-offs/
Part Three – https://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2017/05/16/a-tale-of-two-a-tale-of-woe-lorain/
Part Four- https://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2017/05/22/a-tale-of-two-the-who-the-how-why/
Part Five- https://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2017/05/24/the-tale-of-two-the-how-supporting-cast/
Part Six- https://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2017/05/29/a-tale-of-two-the-why-land-of-iz-not-woz/
And here we go back onto the non express journey of one of the two properties used in this series. This house has a lot of history!
https://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2016/08/26/when-vision-is-cloudy-property-holding-llcs-ny-times/
May 2012-
1348 West Erie ,located on the entrance way to Lorain’s entertainment and business district ( also a bit of an oxymoron), has had a plethora of news articles, blog posts, discussions and yet today sits pretty much in the same condition as it was ( except this week the grass was cut and the window in the attic closed the door in the garage is still wide open !)but apparently some repairs were made in a couple of years of back and forthing – roof not being one of them
Oh! complaints were made for years- the Morning Journal used it as an example in their Point of Sale post – in 2014
http://www.morningjournal.com/general-news/20140620/lorain-house-sets-record-with-45750-escrow-requirement
realtors squabbled – this is why you will never sell another house in Lorain brigade -( Point of Sale) Well that didn’t stop the owners of 1348 West Erie – what is the point?????
Another bank dump from Fannie Mae and past the date of Point of Sale –
https://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2015/09/24/the-housing-tale-a-history-not-a-mystery-just-bank-business/
the point being they didn’t go through POS and a journey to the court room for the “housing court” – but that is only a misdemeanor .. cost of doing business?????? ( $110)
Sale Date: 2/3/2015
Sale Amount: $0.00
Conveyance: 2015090327
Grantor: FEDERAL NATIONAL MORTGAGE ASSOCIATION
Grantee: KAJA HOLDINGS 2 LLC
The Kaja journey continued in 2015 they spent a great deal of time wasting paper and man hours ( for which we the tax payer are footing the bill) in housing court
We had two different attorneys for Vision/ Kaja and the last attorney James White stated to me in August 8th of 2016
Several of the violations to the exterior have been repaired. The City’s required escrow to perform the repairs has been deposited with an escrow agent with repairs to follow.
Oh good something has happened at last thought I…… what happened was the property changed hands again to
Prosperity Investment Fund LLC – and on the 3/3/2017 it was back on the court docket now this becomes a little confusing because the auditors site has Kaja Holdings selling to Prosperity Investment Fund LLC – on 1/10/17 for the sum of $30,000 dollars– This LLC came into being 8/29/2016
The City of Lorain filed in Housing Court 03/03/2017 a charge that a certificate of Inspection was required and the defendant was Prosperity Investment Fund LLC and taxes are and were still owed
Delinquent Special Assessment: $952.02
Unpaid Taxes: $2,074.78
Full Tax Year: $5,327.83
Total Taxes Paid to Date: $0.00
But wait for it on the 15th of June 2017 we have another LLC coming into play 2/13/2017 FICC Realty Holdings LLC – and the property ( which still owes taxes ) being sold ? ( transferred) according to Auditors site just 4 days ago from this writing .
It seems we have another attorney in the line of attorneys…
CARMINE CAMINO
55 PUBLIC SQUARE, SUITE 2100
CLEVELAND,OH 44113
Effective Date: 02/13/2017 Attorney Camino was the registering agent for both PROSPERITY and FICC REALTY LLCs
So here I sit with a plethora of court dockets, inspection certificates, paperwork, news articles , trips to City Council – emails to Administration and attorney’s galore since the story broke in 2012 ( five years on) but the steps in this ongoing property saga are as broken as the one leading to 1348 West Erie Ave.
e
A tale of two- the Why- Land Of IZ not WOZ!!!
Part One– https://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2017/05/11/a-tale-of-two-city-houses-downing-of-quality/
Part Two– https://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2017/05/13/a-tale-of-two-continued-lorains-cast-offs/
Part Three – https://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2017/05/16/a-tale-of-two-a-tale-of-woe-lorain/
Part Four- https://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2017/05/22/a-tale-of-two-the-who-the-how-why/
Part Five- https://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2017/05/24/the-tale-of-two-the-how-supporting-cast/
January 2013 Photo Lorain 365
1. We now know that a property 3620 Clifton purchased in 2011 after five years of being open to the elements was deemed bad enough to be issued a search warrant in Sept 2012-
2. Declared a public nuisance and uninhabitable – the property listed for demolition ( along with two neighboring properties ) Jan 4th 2013
3.Given a reprieve because the “Duo of Will Do” ( Barbee and Johnson) owners pleaded before the Demolitions appeals Board for more time a week later Jan 11th 2013 by that same board . A board that had doubts caved to the “give em a break mentality”
-” and apart from the President who had to recuse himself ( Fire Chief Brown) had previously stated:
” for the record I have personally toured the last two properties (3620 Clifton) and they are a public nuisance. …. these properties are deplorable “
and Chief of Staff Derek Feuerstein ( No vote) we kept 3620 as part of our housing s stock in the City of Lorain.
But to be fair the City of Lorain Building Inspectors were to follow through and make sure the Duo of Will Do” would.
Did they continue to inspect in those ensuing months and years? I asked for all notes, inspections and reports and I received nothing in that regard from April 23rd 2013 through 2016 ??? Did not Mr. Cantu ( now retired- 2017) ever do a cursory contact??? If he did I didn’t receive any documentation .
Lorain 365 blog has its reservations at the time and JUNE 16th 2013
https://lorain365.com/2017/05/14/3620-clifton-avenue-part-three/
Demolition Board of Appeals meetings are held during the week and are impossible for me to attend. At the meeting held February 28, 2013, the owners were given another month to continue their work on the property. They were granted this extra time because they had roofed and secured the house, plus cleaned up the yard.
Since then, 3620 Clifton Avenue has never been mentioned in the newspaper again. I’ve gone by there a few times over the past couple months, but never stopped to take pictures because nothing had changed. When I went by there two weeks ago, I surprised to see that the houses on either side had been demolished recently!
The pictorial tour continued on that Lorain 365 post and the unanswered question from Lorain 365
How long does the City have to let this go on? Are the owners now caught up in the cycle of permit perpetuity? As long as there’s a permit in the window, the City will continue to watch from the sidewalk
AND THE ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION LORAIN 365 IS YES!!!!!!!!
4.April 25th 2013 Mr. Ralph Cantu, the gentleman Building Inspector who first asked for the search warrant had a change of heart and on that date declared to the Demolition Board of Appeals that the roof was nearly completed and he had agreed they Duo of Will do ” were doing what they said they would”.
Mr. Nathanial Johnson – one of the duo declared 4 1/2 months after the initial Demo ruling
“We have only a four by four section left . We tore down the fence and put in three more windows .
Mr. Daniel Rodriguez ( Engineering) Can we make a motion to possibly remove this case from the Board demolition board?
and FAMOUS last words from Mr. Cantu Yes because we could cite him on property maintenance if he doesn’t continue to go on.
” At least for another 4 years – you see 3620 was pushed to the back burner on the blogs – too many other issues with building and inspections reared their collective hydra heads
However in January 2015 this blogger asked Lorain 365 Blog to check out the property and GUESS WHAT , it was still as bad as ever and contacted Mr. Feuerstein as to what was happening with this property where it was in the system and the reply from Mr. Mason ( the then Director of Building Housing and Planning on February 9th 2015
LEON MASON ( no longer with the City of Lorain)
”
As it relates to the Clifton Avenue property (which I’m assuming is 3620 Clifton), it was forwarded to the County Land Bank to begin the foreclosure process. As you may or may not know, the process for demo has changed since the original program, and the county must take possession of the properties….
Due to statute of limitations being reached on some cases pertaining to nuisance inspections from previous years, the cases had to be dismissed. On that same note, the City can again issue notices as well as citations/summons for people to appear in court (e.g. tickets) for housing code violations.
I’m using the data as I type this email, to send letters to property owners whom are in violation of the Untenanted Property Registration ordinance, using the Vacant Property Report………There no longer exists a Nuisance Inspection Task Force; it is code enforcement with hopes on placing a strong emphasis on ENFORCEMENT.”
Sept 2016 and I started asking questions again and it looks like according to the public records request once again April 2016 -3 years after Mr. Cantu we can always inspect .. the property was before the Housing Court AGAIN!!!!!!
….
March 24th-2017 I contacted the Lorain County Auditor because 3620 Clifton had disappeared from their site…. demolished ??? but NO it was still alive and well and was then reinstated…… Can this tale get any better ?How many heads on the Hydra….
1. a property that was deemed such a nuisance, a health hazard, on par with living in a 3rd world county for “insanitary conditions ” and ” according to Chief Building Official Klinar
This building has been deemed a dangerous building and poses an immediate danger to the public health and safety and welfare mandating summary abatement..
All fixed and abated because of a partial roofing and three windows – all the danger made to go away…. but it didn’t did it and the process starts all over again because according to one piece of paperwork hand written notes Chris Yates building inspector “nothing abated 7.18/16 and again 9/13.16 and still no change 11/22/16 …
May 16th 2017 the bloggers again went to inspect
Apart from this property still standing , the time the effort the frustration of 6 years of ownership with the Duo of Will Do and the 5 years before that … what of the waste of time, man power and sheer in my opinion lack of A decent “enforceable ” inspection process that is not equal across the system. This could be the reason this property on Lexington went from this in those same 11 years
to this
and why for the past 11 years we have had this at the “beginnings of Broadway???
This “expensive ” system to quality of life, to the taxpayers IS BROKEN
We are paying salaries for all these people,, INSPECTORS, JUDGES, FIRE DEPT, BUILDING AND PLANNING,SUPPORT STAFF,POLITICIANS ,AND HEALTHCARE AND MAINTENANCE , VEHICLES YOU NAME IT – THIS IS COMING FROM OUR POCKETS and there is a financial cost to us the tax payer…… and that will be the next item on the “AGENDA”
And we haven’t even touched upon 1348 W. Erie the poster child of Point of Sale
to be continued
The tale of Two – THE HOW-Supporting Cast
Original Image Scott Bakalar
Part One– https://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2017/05/11/a-tale-of-two-city-houses-downing-of-quality/
Part Two– https://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2017/05/13/a-tale-of-two-continued-lorains-cast-offs/
Part Three – https://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2017/05/16/a-tale-of-two-a-tale-of-woe-lorain/
Part Four- https://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2017/05/22/a-tale-of-two-the-who-the-how-why/
January 2013 Photo Lorain 365
Let us just have a quick reminder of the facts of 3620 Clifton.
Sept- 2012 Inspections galore prior to getting a search warrant to inspect the “inside and outside of the property The Health Dept., the Fire Dept and the Building Dept. inspections all agreed , it “constitutes a severe safety and health hazard to the community”.
January 4th 2013– The property came before the Demolitions Board of Appeals and all members present including the councilman Eddie Edwards for the area concluded it was a hazard, dangerous, and eyesore open to the elements filled with trash and vermin….
REMEMBER THESE PHOTOS OF JANUARY 2013 ( Lorain 365) AS WE CARRY ON DOWN THE ‘WAY OF THE 3620″
Because, after the glad handing all around and agreement this property should come down gave way to the “Duo of Will Do – Mr.Barbee and Mr. Johnson who owed at that time $431.00 in back taxes (twice what they paid for the property ) and to date they NEVER HAVE paid taxes
So in the months and yes it has been YEARS this property has been “dithered about the ” Duo of Will Do” DIDN’T and now well $2,964.19 OWED. How is this happening ??? well!!!! you might ask.
Mr. Joseph Barbee and Nathanial Johnson (Duo of Will Do) came before the Demolition Board of Appeals a week after their initial decision of January 4th 2013 to “take it down” and cried have pity pity please. And for 13 pages of testimony on that January 11th 2013 day . I have linked those pages at the end of this post. READ IT AND SEE HOW THE SYSTEM FAILS US-
Chief Brown ( who had to recuse himself) Derek Feuerstein ( Chief of Staff) who tried to pin them down the “missing in action Howard Goldberg ( Prudoff’s Community Development ) and Rey Carrion who pleaded their case very well the cast of characters all of whom had their say and they wanted a “plan” as to how the “$17,000 committed to the project would be spent-
Derek Feurestein at one point asked
DF- Can I ask a question does it really make sense to buy a house for $200?
N. Johnston – Because anything can be fixed- if it was a hazard why would you sell it like that ?
D.F We {City of Lorain} didn’t sell you the hazard – It was the COUNTY AUCTION)
ED> Note AH HA!!! and another character has entered into the story of 3620
Richard Klinar ( Chief Building Inspector was also at the meeting) also stated : The time frame on permits and inspections are controlled by the State of Ohio- the City of Lorain has nothing to do with it we can’t shorten or lengthen
Another cumbersome character the State of Ohio
The Duo of Will DO had a credit card limit of $17,000 for the property
and even Richard Klinar had his doubts
“Just a comment , I find it hard to believe you can replace , electrical , plumbing, heating , roof , siding, windows, doors, drywall and insulate for $15,000
I would have chimed “WHAT ABOUT THE FOUNDATION ISSUES” but by that time you could tell the way this was going the 2nd 2nd chance for the property known as 3620 Clifton As I sat in the audience that day hearing Ralph Cantu (Building Inspector) ask as we were leaving
” I don’t know why you people {bloggers} are so hard on George (Schneider) ( who had also been at the meeting appealing one of his “portfolio of properties coming down) he is such a nice guy!
NOTE TO SELF – maybe a building inspector should be required to inspect properties not like or dislike the property owner.hmmmmmmm
BUT the end result of that meeting the demolition was put into abeyance for another week………… and then from Lorain 365 blog who covered this property from the very beginning …
“It is my understanding that the owners of 3620 Clifton presented an acceptable plan to the Board and will have to bring proof of progress to the next meeting on February 28th.
I will be there.
The work started
Photo Lorain 365
The only way the Building Department knows if these serial second chancers are completing the work to code is if they report back to say the work is done and request an inspection. The Building Department can only drive by and look at the outside of the house from the public sidewalk or an adjoining property (with the owner’s permission).As long as the outside looks good and the house is secure, there’s nothing else the Building Department can do unless they are invited inside by the homeowners. That needs to change. Stop the repeated prostitution of problem properties in Lorain. Break this vicious cycle before it completely breaks this city for good. It’s time, Lorain.
The pages of testimony
doc into
Doc1
Doc2
Doc3
Doc4
Doc5
Doc6
Doc7
Doc8
Doc9
Doc10
Doc11
Doc12And four years later
To be continued………………
A tale of two – a tale of woe – Lorain
Original Image Scott Bakalar
Part One– https://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2017/05/11/a-tale-of-two-city-houses-downing-of-quality/
Part Two– https://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2017/05/13/a-tale-of-two-continued-lorains-cast-offs/
In our quest to find how Lorain’s housing stock in the 44052 went from this for example ( sold for $100,000 in 2005)
(photo Auditor’s site)
to this in just 12 short years 
Photos Councilman Dennis Flores – 1939 Lexington
ED Note a visit to Mr.Flores’ Face book page as he walks his ward is worth a visit – ( rose-colored glasses a requirement for those that get depressed easily)
https://www.facebook.com/dennis.flores2
In that 12 year period we had Craig Foltin (R) for Mayor and a couple of appointed mayors eg. Romoser filling out the last weeks of his term as Foltin left for more lucrative climes, Mayor Krasienko (D),(2008-2012) and current Mayor Ritenauer (D), 4 Safety Service Directors 3 (Community Development Directors ( that department segued into Building Planning and Housing) BUT the common denominator is and was the Building Dept. and inspections.
Foltin – Building Inspectors department came under the direction of Bill Desvari who was told to be nice ( see file Broke Homes- Chronicle Telegram) brokehomes
I won’t go into the legal issues faced by Desvari the Chief Building Inspector or even the legal issues of S/S Miller, and the serious legal issues of Krasienko’s S/S Director – Robert Gilchrist or the fact the long time Community Development Director Sandy Prudoff went to jail in that period.
What I do know for sure down spouts have been seen as an important , very important code enforcement issue. https://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2015/02/01/ode-to-a-downspout-named-don-lorain/
I have to wonder why the dangling downspout at 1939 Lexington didn’t receive the same “inspection process” 😉
However, Lisa Miller and Lorain 365 has been on an “inspection process” of her own concerning 3620 Clifton
Part 1 https://lorain365.com/2017/05/12/3620cliftonavenuepartone/ 1 /13/13
Part 2 https://lorain365.com/2017/05/13/3620-clifton-avenue-part-two/1/19/13 and now we have the third in the series as Lisa revisited the “home” six months after the concerns of the Demolition Board of Appeals
Part 3 https://lorain365.com/2017/05/14/3620-clifton-avenue-part-three /6/16/13
“Since then, 3620 Clifton Avenue has never been mentioned in the newspaper again. I’ve gone by there a few times over the past couple months, but never stopped to take pictures because nothing had changed. When I went by there two weeks ago, I surprised to see that the houses on either side had been demolished recently!
How long does the City have to let this go on? Are the owners now caught up in the cycle of permit perpetuity? As long as there’s a permit in the window, the City will continue to watch from the sidewalk
Last Sunday Lisa and her camera revisited the “home” 4 years after that initial “inspection” of the 2nd , 2nd chance given to 3620 Clifton
Part 4 https://lorain365.com/2017/05/15/3620-clifton-avenue-today/ and they put up a parking lot – well not exactly it has just morphed in to “yard parking – and maybe the city inspection process was marred by the tree being in their line of sight.
There is a reason we have still got this lovely property .
I requested a public records request for information and documentation that followed this property and the poster child of 1348 West Erie from the city . It should be noted I received the information all 80 odd pages of it within hours , can’t complain about that efficiency.
Next up the talk the talk that enabled this fiasco……….
to be continued……
3620 photos Lorain 365 https://lorain365.com/
A tale of two- continued Lorain’s cast offs
Original artwork Scott Bakalar
Part ONE – https://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2017/05/11/a-tale-of-two-city-houses-downing-of-quality/
The tale of woe that has become Lorain’s deplorable housing , especially in the 44052 and 55 didn’t get where we are today by accident. So many years citizens, council people , newspapers and yes ‘Bloggers” pointed out there were situations needing to be followed through.
Multi- property owners going in 4 years from 34 properties to over 300 and the majority in poor condition, proofs those same people were trading properties back and forth to dump them ( so as not to be the registered owner when the Lorain Building Dept. came to call – the process had to start all over again. ). Then the “bank” dumps , unreachable predatory property LLC -majority being out of town- and so many reasons compounded to make the system broken BUT we also have ourselves to blame!
But first let me introduce you to Lorain 365 – Lisa Miller https://lorain365.com/ who wrote about one of the properties back in 2013 – in fact this property is the one we will be focusing upon — Let us start at the beginning: I was introduced to 3620 Clifton by Lisa on a winter’s day in January…..
Once upon a time in the Lorain
3620 Clifton Avenue – Part One
3620 Clifton Avenue – Part One
As Seen In Lorain: 3620 Clifton Avenue and the second chance
Posted on January 13, 2013 by Lisa
“Even though it was noted by Demolition Board member, 5th ward Councilman, and neighborhood resident Eddie Edwards that “Before the sale, the house sat empty for about five years, with its doors and windows open and generally falling apart…” and “The new owners also waited a year before taking action to repair it…” AND the Board went out to see this house for themselves AND took the Fire Chief with them AND talked to the unhappy neighbors – the owners have $17,000 and a plan and that was enough for the Board to grant them a second chance”
ED Note you will see
in the Lorain 365 post this was the original state of the home and was sold to the owners for 200.00 and it just gets better from there – this and the following post is a MUST READ, even if you just look at the photos included.
And then Part Two – a week after the first post as Lisa revisited the property that needed a roof and a few other things to stop it from being demolished .
3620 Clifton Avenue – Part Two
ED NOTE: However the one thing that always worried me ‘WHO IN THEIR RIGHT MIND ALLOWED THIS CARBUNCLE OF A TWO STORY ADDITION ON THIS LITTLE SLAB HOUSE IN THE FIRST PLACE!!! I am not an engineer or architect but to put this “weighty” two story addition on a one story slab home, “a cabuncle on the bum of pre blight” was not a well thought out “plan” – even I know this was so wrong and not just from an atheistic viewpoint.
3620 Clifton Avenue – Part Two
3620 Clifton Avenue – Part Two
As Seen In Lorain: 3620 Clifton Avenue and the second second chance
Posted on January 19, 2013 by Lisa
As Lisa questioned at the time 4 years ago :
I am amazed that this house, which has been inspected and re-inspected by TPTB (and then some), was deemed worthy of a second chance. Sitting exposed to the elements for at least five years, sold for $200 to two guys who let it sit untouched for two more years (sale date January 2011) – it meant nothing to anybody until the city came knocking with the wrecking ball
To be continued………..
Photos Lisa Miller – Lorain 365
Lorain’s Housing -owners of the dirty diapers- Pt 2
https://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2017/10/22/lorains-housing-the-owners-of-the-dirty-diaper-pt1/
October 19th- 2017 another year another Demolition Board of Appeals . (9:00 am) Hours of sitting scribbling notes and feeling filthy – hundreds of photos – disgusting photos of human and animal waste, homes that had been built with families in mind left rotting and decaying , carpets heaving with mold and fleas
and heaven knows what else that was breeding in those structures. The mold in this home had attached itself not only to the surface areas but has literally compromised the wood and structure of the home. Well what do you expect when it had been open to the elements for years.
There is a sub culture in this town using these nauseating dwellings as evidenced by the insides of these structures. These structures are obviously deemed safe from prying eyes by those who frequent the vomitus homes for their illegal and dangerous dealings because no one in their right mind or any sort of consideration of their own worth would enter these places let alone sleep on an excruciatingly filthy couch surrounded by human feces and animal waste, rats and fleas – It just doesn’t bear thinking about .
It is no wonder those that had to inspect had to wear masks and environmental protection gear. The Lorain Police Dept. having to check to make sure the properties were at least free of the dangerous human elements. Hundreds of photos later I was thankful the smells of those places were missing from the presentation.
Everyone was sworn in who intended to speak . I didn’t take the oath for once I wanted to observe and keep my mouth shut……. and then Deja Vu. One of the homes 4310 Meister Road – empty and decaying for 5-7 years
Since this was an appeals board, people could appeal the property being put on the demo list. A property LLC representative came before the board offering $70,000 to save this house. There was much discussion and to the needs of the house, all which apparently could be rectified. Oh that is a positive one would think : So why was I sending out panicked mind messages to the Board members ( not having been sworn in) NO! NO! please NO!!
Back I was transported to another demo board of appeals 3620 Clifton on January 2013.
1. We now know that a property 3620 Clifton purchased in 2011 after five years of being open to the elements was deemed bad enough to be issued a search warrant in Sept 2012-
2. Declared a public nuisance and uninhabitable – the property listed for demolition ( along with two neighboring properties ) Jan 4th 2013
3.Given a reprieve because the “Duo of Will Do” ( Barbee and Johnson) owners pleaded before the Demolitions appeals Board for more time a week later Jan 11th 2013 by that same board . A board that had doubts caved to the “give em a break mentality”
You can find the series and reports ( all documented ) https://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2017/05/29/a-tale-of-two-the-why-land-of-iz-not-woz/
The fact the gentleman at the mic was well meaning didn’t change my mind. You see he had not purchased or even had letter of intent to purchase from the supposed owner of the property ( another of those wonderful banks) –
he did not have a business plan or list of contracted subcontractors showing the intent to do the work or even a check as a gesture of intent.
As the representative of the legal dept. spoke those words (paraphrasing because I was instantly sent back to another time -2013) “we can always re-inspect……. aaaaaahhhhhhhhh”and FAMOUS last words from 3620 Clifton
Because those same words uttered led to 3620 sitting for another 4 years and having to start the process all over again…….. see the photo at the top of this post. The Statute of Limitations ran out.
When we (Lorain 365 Blog) https://lorain365.com/ researched the process of 3620 Clifton , we found that inspections are not all what they are cracked up to be . For instance for the inspectors etc to go through the inside of these properties there is a lot of legal procedures. The city has to get a search warrant. ( these are for these abandoned homes).
We found the properties could only be inspected from the street or neighboring property ( with permission) in the case rehabbing a property ( residential) unless the inspectors were “invited in by the owners”.
Should electrical or plumbing permits are pulled they can fall under inspection process.
BUT what if people don’t ask them in or pull those permits – and that does happen a lot believe me – happened to the house next door to me on both sides – one is now demoed). You see not everyone follows the rules ( if they did we wouldn’t have these structures in the first place!!!!
http://www.vdh.state.va.us/epidemiology/DEE/otherzoonosis/Mold.htm
I was very interested in the mold abatement – and it seems an unscrupulous builder, contractor could very well come in spray the bleach , chemicals put up new drywall change out the carpets and Voila…..you are non the wiser…… unless the Building Dept are asked in………. Yes I can see that happening with especially the out of town LLC’s – I don’t think so!!!!! From the City of Lorain BHP dept.
We, the law abiding citizens and property owners , are not protected by a system that has no accountability – and so it continues – back to 1348 West Erie next time …….. Welcome to my parlor (Lorain) said the fly to the spider – slice us and dice up
To Be Continued
November 6, 2017 at 5:02 pm 7 comments