Metro Jacksonville

I would never have imagined two years ago that we are where we are today.  We began with the Make it Happen projects, insisted and helped draft mothballing legislation, vigorously (well this WAS imagined) fought against demolitions (some won, some lost,) faithfully and creatively contacted owners of condemned homes, helped several homeowners mothball their homes or get on the path to mothballing, and most recently became homeowners of several homes (4 to be exact.)   In this year of 2012 there have been ZERO demolitions of homes: that’s a great big “Hoo rah.” 

“Exude the passion and make it contagious.” Homeowners of condemned houses were contacted via handwritten letters of help, hope, and guidance to protect and preserve their homes.  Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought folks would respond to a cutesy little letter with a heart (or two or three) placed on it.  Well they did.  Homeowners of 75 condemned homes were contacted.  Multiple owners responded.

Here are our years in review:

Summer 2010
Miss Maggie’s Make it Happen
Kenneth’s Make it Happen
Incorporated as a non-profit
Vacant lot maintenance
HPC monthly meetings
House advocates

2011
Oscar’s Make it Happen
8th Street Market Beautification
Mothballing legislation
Preservation Smartphone Mobile App
Abandoned home triage “Guerrilla Boarding”
Miss Marva’s Beautification with SAMBA
Re-paint the Springfield signs
Re-plant the round-a-bouts on the west side with the Garden Club
Vacant lot maintenance
HPC monthly meetings
CPAC (appointed representative from PSOS) monthly meetings
This Place Matters, Inc. â€" Donation acceptance for 423 Walnut Court
Mothball 423 Walnut Court and receive mothball status with the city
List 1735 Silver Street for sale (condemned home, owner contacted us after receiving our letters)

2012
Abandoned home triage “Guerrilla Boarding”
Dancy Terrace - owner assistance (actually doing it for him) for mothballing 1946 Redell Street
113 E. 3rd Mothballing â€" advocate and support
1513 Walnut Mothballing â€"advocate and support
Working with CM Lumb to define “unsafe” and keep the bulldozers out of Springfield
This Place Matters Too, Inc. â€" Donation acceptance for 229 E. 2nd Street
This Place Matters Also, Inc. â€" Donation acceptance for 436 Walnut Court (“Alannah’s House”)
This Place Really Matters, Inc. â€" Donation acceptance for 1536 Clark Street
COA submission for mothballing for E. 2nd Street
COA submission for mothballing “Alannah’s house”
COA submission for mothballing Clark Street
Vacant lot maintenance
HPC monthly meetings
CPAC (appointed representative from PSOS) monthly meetings

We own 4 homes, have mothballed one and are mothballing the other 3.  If you are interested in seeing the houses, just drop anyone of us a line.  Just be sure to wear clothes you can get “gritty” in because it is a given on one of our home tours.  Even more so if you are interested in helping save the houses, please contact us.  Preservation SOS is serious and hands on about saving houses, but we need your support to make it work.  We work with limited funds and appreciate your continued support in preserving our homes and improving our neighborhood.

To mothball a home costs anywhere from $700 - $1,500 or more (materials only)  [436 Walnut Court exceeds this greatly, however Alannah provided a generous monetary donation in addition to the home to assist in the stabilization and mothballing of the house] Our Make it Happen’s range from $600 - $1,200 depending on the scope of the project.  Nothing is free and every little bit helps.

For more specific information about who we are and what we do head to our forum:
http://forum.preservationsos.org (you can make donations via paypal here too, hint, hint)
or email us at preservationsos@yahoo.com

Board Members
Nicole Lopez/President
Gloria DeVall/Vice President
Johannes Ullrich/Vice President
Jb Maberry/Secretary
Cathy Campbell/Treasurer
Mark McCullough/Board Member
Karla Stremitzer/Board Member
Chris Wickersham/Board Member

No demolitions at all this year! And mothballing is rolling strong. Who would have thought?

What exactly is mothballing? The home has to be boarded up and secured? Lanscaped must be maintained? Code enforcement will leave you alone and no rolling fines or threats of demolition?

Fizzle:  that's a fair enough definition. 
It also removes blight and requires the homeowner to check in with the property at least once monthly and work towards a plan (many different roads here) of rehab/restoration.

Would COJ allow a person to buy a house (condemned or otherwise, existing fines or otherwise) and just mothball it?   There are a few houses around I have an interest in but do not want to get into a situation where code started harassing me right away. 

They have no say in what you purchase.
Of course you can, we live in a free market society.
You buy, however, not only the house but all that comes with it if you will. 
All of our homes are condemned. 
I have personal homes that WERE condemned (oh, well wait, I still have one that is now mothballed.) 
As for code harassing right away. 
Who knows. 
An open permit and mothball status will keep them at bay. 
Vultures they are. 

Quote from: SpringFizzle on July 06, 2012, 01:28:46 PM
Would COJ allow a person to buy a house (condemned or otherwise, existing fines or otherwise) and just mothball it?   There are a few houses around I have an interest in but do not want to get into a situation where code started harassing me right away. 

Yes you can buy and then mothball, no problem.