NOT Losing Mr. Foster

[sheclown]

Marc McCullough brought this to Preservation SOS's attention earlier today. 

http://www.youtube.com/v/CUP3oybQR84?version=3&hl=en_US&rel=0

Mr. Foster will begin being fined $250 a day in June for peeling paint.  He has been a Springfield resident for 41 years.

[sheclown]

Mr. Foster's home on Market Street.

[Bativac]

Wow, good thing the city stays out of my neighborhood in St Nicholas. My 75 year old neighbor has peeling paint, rotted woodwork, and a half demolished garage.... but no notices from the city or from code enforcement or anything.

So what's the end game here? If there's lead paint, they can't just pressure wash it off and re-paint, right? And obviously this guy isn't paying a $250 a day fine. So he'll be forced to leave his home of 42 years? And then what? It will sit vacant and be torn down? Or will some investor buy it, throw a little money into it, and then try to flip it? Or are those days gone?

[strider]

What is really sad is that the city could elect to help rather than just threaten and hinder but MCCD doesn't roll that way. Just like they can fine and eventually demolish with tax payer dollars and then lien the property, they have the authority to repair things and then lien the property.  The city simply chooses not to do that, much better to hinder than help anyone after all. This is also a great example of how a seemingly innocent idea like an anti blight initiative can have huge negative impacts on a community. MCCD in this case is causing far more blight than it is preventing.

[Debbie Thompson]

Gloria DeVall has a Facebook page started to get the painting done. Donations of paint and primer, or funds to purchase, and offers of help to scrape and paint will be welcome, I'm sure.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Make-It-Happen-Mr-Foster/1419794464962698?notif_t=page_new_likes

[sheclown]

Plans are being formulated.  This weekend pressure washing and scraping.  People are coming when they can and doing what they can do. 

Hopefully next weekend we begin priming and painting.

[wordofmouse]

Doesn't Lutheran Social Services have a home repair group that helps the elderly with this and many other issues?  No point to vilified the Gov. When preservation group demand strict codes for a good reason. She clown is the only post that addresses this blown out of proportion news. Call the local city council person, draw up ordinance to address this issue. They have funds to tear down homes, some monies for people (like sheclown) or groups Neighbors helping Neighbors etc. great personal interest story, so, the outcome. And I'm sure the $250 a day fine this nice gentleman will be waived.

[mrmakersmark]

Make sure you don't pressure wash that lead paint all over the neighborhood!

[sheclown]

Make sure you don't pressure wash that lead paint all over the neighborhood!

We will use the pressure washer on its lowest setting ( rinse off the dust)  and use lead-safe work practices --

[strider]

We have tried in the past to get help from both the service organizations and the city for another person in Springfield without success.  The various services available to help folks like Mr Foster are often steeped in bureaucracy and have long waiting lists.  The issue isn't with the ordinances as the ordinances already are written to allow the city to help it's residents and do repairs like this but the policy set by MCCD leadership is one of hindering rather than helping.  In their eyes, it is better to fine, chase off and make it difficult to even get onto your property if they condemn it as the end game is to demolish the blight. Perhaps it is because they want the admin of keeping track of hundreds of cases to justify their jobs or something more sinister, I do not know.  Either way, it is more harmful to this city than a little peeling paint ever will be.

All that said, yes, a new ordinance it what is needed to link the needed services to Municipal Code Compliance so that rather then fine a Mr Foster in the future, the house and the person's home is preserved.  The real way to eliminate blight from a urban community is by repairing and preserving not by destroying a community one rolling fine or one demolition at a time.

[sheclown]

Robert Ownby, of Operation New Hope, stopped by today for a chat with Mr. Foster. 

[movedsouth]

We setup a page to send donations via paypal to Preservation SOS (Preservation SOS is a 501(c)3 charity and donations are tax deductible)

http://m.preservationsos.org/mrfoster.html

If you use the link above, the donations will be earmarked for this project.

[sheclown]

Is the blight initiative funded with federal money?

[sheclown]

Should you want to help at Mr. Fosters and don't exactly know what to do...a case of water dropped off on the porch anytime would be a great blessing. Doris Foster (his daughter) has cleared out a shelf in the fridge to cool water for the workers. I put her in charge of hydration.

1521 Market Street.

[movedsouth]

Here is the code enforcement case file: http://m.preservationsos.org/mrfoster/1521%20Market%20Street%20-%20Case%20Recap.pdf

The house was originally cited on April 1st as part of "Operation Urban Blight" for peeling paint. He was granted one 30 day extension on April 30th.

The next inspection is scheduled for June 5th after which this would go to "special masters" if the house is still not in compliance.