Kimberly Daniels takes on Kimberly Scott

[icarus]

There are always going to be negative experiences involved in dealing with enforcement agencies especially if you are as in this case the individual directly affected.

There generally are ways to appeal the decisions made by individual code enforcement officers. The problem is very little is done to educate the public and specifically those affected about their rights and options.

I've actually been successful in negotiating the removal or reduction of liens on properties that I've purchased and also in negotiating remedies and timing to the conditions of structures with MCCD.  Then again, I've left their offices feeling like I just finished banging my head on a brick wall.

I for one hope they issue subpoenas.  I'd very much like the opportunity to see and hear both sides of what is going on.  Maybe then, a real solution to issues such as demolition of historic structures could be devised.

[strider]

It is interesting to watch Kimberly Scott and some of her minions, Like Prado, and how they react to things they do not like.  They get angry, very angry.  At those who dare question what they decide to do.  It might be just an ego thing, but it could be much more.  Either way, we end up with an agency that spends much of their time making things up, skirting the laws and harming as many people as they can just for sport. Or perhaps profit.  Who knows, 'cause I don't.  I can guess, but that is all I can do.  And that is because they get protected at every turn.  It may be they know the Right People.  Perhaps they share whatever it is they get from all this.  Perhaps a combination.  They get away with the stuff they do because if the city admitted it was wrong, it would open a flood gates of lawsuits.  Because they seldom do things properly.  They certainly have a bad track record of misinformation and playing in the grey areas of the laws they are supposed to enforce.

The department could be much more.  It could be an agency that helps people.  That repairs that minor roof leak or that protect those historic structures. It would be a department that probably saved the city money.  Instead, Ms Scott see herself as lord over her domain and that her job is more "pest control" than public service.  Catch one of the MCCD employees off duty and buy them a beer.  The conversation will be enlightening.

[bill]

It is interesting to watch Kimberly Scott and some of her minions, Like Prado, and how they react to things they do not like.  They get angry, very angry.  At those who dare question what they decide to do.  It might be just an ego thing, but it could be much more.  Either way, we end up with an agency that spends much of their time making things up, skirting the laws and harming as many people as they can just for sport. Or perhaps profit.  Who knows, 'cause I don't.  I can guess, but that is all I can do.  And that is because they get protected at every turn.  It may be they know the Right People.  Perhaps they share whatever it is they get from all this.  Perhaps a combination.  They get away with the stuff they do because if the city admitted it was wrong, it would open a flood gates of lawsuits.  Because they seldom do things properly.  They certainly have a bad track record of misinformation and playing in the grey areas of the laws they are supposed to enforce.

The department could be much more.  It could be an agency that helps people.  That repairs that minor roof leak or that protect those historic structures. It would be a department that probably saved the city money.  Instead, Ms Scott see herself as lord over her domain and that her job is more "pest control" than public service.  Catch one of the MCCD employees off duty and buy them a beer.  The conversation will be enlightening.

Are you talking about the IRS?

[Debbie Thompson]

Is that a joke?  Off the subject, Bill no last name. 

Unknown to us, MCCD had a case against our house on Pearl when we bought it. Said it was "in bad shape."  It wasn't. One third of the upstairs porch was, and it needed a new roof.  The rest of it was just fine, thank you.  That magnificent house would have either been demolished or had $250 a day fines on it that the widow who lived there before us could not have paid.  That's why she had to sell the house.  And her GRANDFATHER built it 100 years earlier. I wanted the house, but I even offered to get her help to repair it so she wouldn't have to sell it, but she was done.

Across the street on West 9th, a widow lady went on vacation (not sure of the year) and while she was gone, they demolished her house.  Her next door neighbor asked if he could at least go inside and rescue her family pictures first, but they would not let him.  She came home to a vacant lot and only the clothes on her back. Fortunately, a widower who lived nearby took her in.   Got this story directly from the neighbor, who lives next to the now vacant lot.

Miss Maggie lived in a little bungalow for 50 years.  After 50 years, it needed paint.  The house had no paint. MCCD was threatening to condemn her house.  For lack of paint!  Miss Maggie was PSOS' first "Make it Happen" and her beautiful little bungalow looks as good as new.

The house taken down on Mrytle at 5th in Durkeeville recently?  I spoke to the contractor who looked underneath the house.  She said the underside of the house, the foundation, was fine.  It was structurally sound.  MCCD, at the last HPC, defended the demolition, saying it has been "in the system for XX years."  Not that it was unsound, but that it had been in the system and they didn't think it would be fixed.  So sound or not, and it was, it was demolished.  The twin sisters who owned it lost their parent's home.  Now the City is trying to demolish their grandparent's home, all they have left of their family history.  They are seeking landmark status.  Their grandfather hand carved all the trim, carved the shape of his fingers into the trim so everyone would know it was his house.  Amazing African-American folk art of the turn of the last century, and the City wants to demolish it instead of stabilizing it.

Just a few examples of what COJ and MCCD have done/become.  Not pretty.  Oh, yes, there are those who will defend this.  She Clown would say, help don't hinder.

Most of the time it takes less money to stabilize a house than it does to demolish it.  Many full demolitions are not only a pox on our history, they are a waste of taxpayers money.

MCCD will admit they are not engineers.  And the one they do use rubber stamps what they say, because they are paying him.  It's ridiculous, and change needs to happen. 

[JaxUnicorn]

I absolutely 1000% agree that Kimberly Scott is out of control.  I applaud Kimberly Daniels for her recent comments and am glad that someone on the City Council is now taking a harder look.  I sent an email tonight to Ms. Daniels, all other City Council members, the Mayor and a few other select contacts regarding the tragic demolition of historic homes in Jacksonville.  I read in the City Ordinence that for each demolition, a lien is placed on the property equal to the cost of the demolition PLUS a percentage of the assessed value of the home - minimum penalty is $10,000.

Hmmmm, is Kimberly Scott perhaps receiving bonus funds for demolitions?  She is creating receivables for the City.

MCCD is NOT above the law! 

[vicupstate]

Is that a joke?  Off the subject, Bill no last name. 

Unknown to us, MCCD had a case against our house on Pearl when we bought it. Said it was "in bad shape."  It wasn't. One third of the upstairs porch was, and it needed a new roof.  The rest of it was just fine, thank you.  That magnificent house would have either been demolished or had $250 a day fines on it that the widow who lived there before us could not have paid.  That's why she had to sell the house.  And her GRANDFATHER built it 100 years earlier. I wanted the house, but I even offered to get her help to repair it so she wouldn't have to sell it, but she was done.

Across the street on West 9th, a widow lady went on vacation (not sure of the year) and while she was gone, they demolished her house.  Her next door neighbor asked if he could at least go inside and rescue her family pictures first, but they would not let him.  She came home to a vacant lot and only the clothes on her back. Fortunately, a widower who lived nearby took her in.   Got this story directly from the neighbor, who lives next to the now vacant lot.

Miss Maggie lived in a little bungalow for 50 years.  After 50 years, it needed paint.  The house had no paint. MCCD was threatening to condemn her house.  For lack of paint!  Miss Maggie was PSOS' first "Make it Happen" and her beautiful little bungalow looks as good as new.

The house taken down on Mrytle at 5th in Durkeeville recently?  I spoke to the contractor who looked underneath the house.  She said the underside of the house, the foundation, was fine.  It was structurally sound.  MCCD, at the last HPC, defended the demolition, saying it has been "in the system for XX years."  Not that it was unsound, but that it had been in the system and they didn't think it would be fixed.  So sound or not, and it was, it was demolished.  The twin sisters who owned it lost their parent's home.  Now the City is trying to demolish their grandparent's home, all they have left of their family history.  They are seeking landmark status.  Their grandfather hand carved all the trim, carved the shape of his fingers into the trim so everyone would know it was his house.  Amazing African-American folk art of the turn of the last century, and the City wants to demolish it instead of stabilizing it.

Just a few examples of what COJ and MCCD have done/become.  Not pretty.  Oh, yes, there are those who will defend this.  She Clown would say, help don't hinder.

Most of the time it takes less money to stabilize a house than it does to demolish it.  Many full demolitions are not only a pox on our history, they are a waste of taxpayers money.

MCCD will admit they are not engineers.  And the one they do use rubber stamps what they say, because they are paying him.  It's ridiculous, and change needs to happen. 

Thanks for sharing Debbie.  Truly outrageous. if these people were not poor, there would be public outrage galore.  In terms of the 5th & Durkeeville house, is it just a matter of money to get this house in shape and off the demo list?  If so, how much?

Bill:  Why don't you and your fellow conservatives, who by and large detest Emienent Domain (the public taking  of property for public use, but at fair market value) , find the destruction of property WITHOUT compensation (and with fines charged to the owner)  as unjust? 

[Charles Hunter]

Thanks for sharing Debbie.  Truly outrageous. if these people were not poor, there would be public outrage galore.  In terms of the 5th & Durkeeville house, is it just a matter of money to get this house in shape and off the demo list?  If so, how much?

Bill:  Why don't you and your fellow conservatives, who by and large detest Emienent Domain (the public taking  of property for public use, but at fair market value) , find the destruction of property WITHOUT compensation (and with fines charged to the owner)  as unjust? 

Feeling cynical this morning, so vicup, I think you answered the question in your 2nd paragraph in the first.

[Debbie Thompson]

vicup, there is another thread about the Durkeeville house.  The one at 5th and Myrtle is already gone.  The one in question on that thread is on West 6th.  Although HPC declared it a potential landmark, based not only on it's historic value, but also quite a bit on the grandfather's hand carved folk art moldings, MCCD indicated through the city attorney they still plan to pursue demolition of this historic home. You can find that on the thread.  I'll go see if I can find it and edit to re-post the name of the thread. Jacksonville by Neighborhood, Urban Neighborhoods, Durkeeville 100 year old house in danger of demolition.  Here's the link. 

http://www.metrojacksonville.com/forum/index.php/topic,18082.msg331180/topicseen.html#new

We have a generous donor who put up the money needed to stabilize and mothball the house. It's do-able, and for less or no more than it takes to demolish it.  It is actually within MCCD's ability to do this with it's funding.  In fact, it is required by ordinance 307 that the City do all it can to preserve historic homes.

Doesn't seem to matter to MCCD. They are still going after the house. 

[sheclown]

Is that a joke?  Off the subject, Bill no last name. 

Unknown to us, MCCD had a case against our house on Pearl when we bought it. Said it was "in bad shape."  It wasn't. One third of the upstairs porch was, and it needed a new roof.  The rest of it was just fine, thank you.  That magnificent house would have either been demolished or had $250 a day fines on it that the widow who lived there before us could not have paid.  That's why she had to sell the house.  And her GRANDFATHER built it 100 years earlier. I wanted the house, but I even offered to get her help to repair it so she wouldn't have to sell it, but she was done.

Across the street on West 9th, a widow lady went on vacation (not sure of the year) and while she was gone, they demolished her house.  Her next door neighbor asked if he could at least go inside and rescue her family pictures first, but they would not let him.  She came home to a vacant lot and only the clothes on her back. Fortunately, a widower who lived nearby took her in.   Got this story directly from the neighbor, who lives next to the now vacant lot.

Miss Maggie lived in a little bungalow for 50 years.  After 50 years, it needed paint.  The house had no paint. MCCD was threatening to condemn her house.  For lack of paint!  Miss Maggie was PSOS' first "Make it Happen" and her beautiful little bungalow looks as good as new.

The house taken down on Mrytle at 5th in Durkeeville recently?  I spoke to the contractor who looked underneath the house.  She said the underside of the house, the foundation, was fine.  It was structurally sound.  MCCD, at the last HPC, defended the demolition, saying it has been "in the system for XX years."  Not that it was unsound, but that it had been in the system and they didn't think it would be fixed.  So sound or not, and it was, it was demolished.  The twin sisters who owned it lost their parent's home.  Now the City is trying to demolish their grandparent's home, all they have left of their family history.  They are seeking landmark status.  Their grandfather hand carved all the trim, carved the shape of his fingers into the trim so everyone would know it was his house.  Amazing African-American folk art of the turn of the last century, and the City wants to demolish it instead of stabilizing it.

Just a few examples of what COJ and MCCD have done/become.  Not pretty.  Oh, yes, there are those who will defend this.  She Clown would say, help don't hinder.

Most of the time it takes less money to stabilize a house than it does to demolish it.  Many full demolitions are not only a pox on our history, they are a waste of taxpayers money.

MCCD will admit they are not engineers.  And the one they do use rubber stamps what they say, because they are paying him.  It's ridiculous, and change needs to happen. 

Thanks for sharing Debbie.  Truly outrageous. if these people were not poor, there would be public outrage galore.  In terms of the 5th & Durkeeville house, is it just a matter of money to get this house in shape and off the demo list?  If so, how much?

Bill:  Why don't you and your fellow conservatives, who by and large detest Emienent Domain (the public taking  of property for public use, but at fair market value) , find the destruction of property WITHOUT compensation (and with fines charged to the owner)  as unjust? 

PSOS has raised $2500 to mothball this property (w6th st Durkeeville).  Cleanup alone will probably be $1000.00 including the dumpster costs.

The roof will need minor repairs to stop some small leaks.  This cost is inconsequential.

Boarding of the windows will take some time and money to do along with stabilizing the back porch area (where the existing house meets the addition).  The permit cost will be a couple of hundred but I'm hoping to get our architect to do the drawing out of the goodness of his heart.

So, using volunteers, free labor when we can, and a stash of materials (thanks Mike Field for the cash mob stuff), we can keep the cost to mothball very low.

As far as renovating it. 

It needs systems.  HVAC, plumbing, electric could be 25K.  New modest kitchen with appliances could be 7k, bathrooms have tubs, sinks and toilets already so toss in 2k to make whatever repairs needed to those.  Structural work could be 10k.  Window repair and replacement where needed 5K.  Doors 1k.  Staircase and other trim 5k.  Flooring repairs and refinishing 5k.  Paint, interior, and plaster repair (especially after those freakin electricians are done , 8k, removal of the "faux" siding -- some sort of roofing like material they used to use to cover the siding and make it look like brick -- along with wood siding repair and paint 10k, and add 7k for things I've left off.

A nice renovation could be done for $85k.

[sheclown]

Joel says that historic tax credits can reduce renovation costs by up to 20%.  Taking that into consideration it is possible that this could be done for 70k.

The requirements for historic tax credits could be met with this house fairly easily since it has not been "upgraded" like so many historic properties.

[bill]

Is that a joke?  Off the subject, Bill no last name. 

Unknown to us, MCCD had a case against our house on Pearl when we bought it. Said it was "in bad shape."  It wasn't. One third of the upstairs porch was, and it needed a new roof.  The rest of it was just fine, thank you.  That magnificent house would have either been demolished or had $250 a day fines on it that the widow who lived there before us could not have paid.  That's why she had to sell the house.  And her GRANDFATHER built it 100 years earlier. I wanted the house, but I even offered to get her help to repair it so she wouldn't have to sell it, but she was done.

Across the street on West 9th, a widow lady went on vacation (not sure of the year) and while she was gone, they demolished her house.  Her next door neighbor asked if he could at least go inside and rescue her family pictures first, but they would not let him.  She came home to a vacant lot and only the clothes on her back. Fortunately, a widower who lived nearby took her in.   Got this story directly from the neighbor, who lives next to the now vacant lot.

Miss Maggie lived in a little bungalow for 50 years.  After 50 years, it needed paint.  The house had no paint. MCCD was threatening to condemn her house.  For lack of paint!  Miss Maggie was PSOS' first "Make it Happen" and her beautiful little bungalow looks as good as new.

The house taken down on Mrytle at 5th in Durkeeville recently?  I spoke to the contractor who looked underneath the house.  She said the underside of the house, the foundation, was fine.  It was structurally sound.  MCCD, at the last HPC, defended the demolition, saying it has been "in the system for XX years."  Not that it was unsound, but that it had been in the system and they didn't think it would be fixed.  So sound or not, and it was, it was demolished.  The twin sisters who owned it lost their parent's home.  Now the City is trying to demolish their grandparent's home, all they have left of their family history.  They are seeking landmark status.  Their grandfather hand carved all the trim, carved the shape of his fingers into the trim so everyone would know it was his house.  Amazing African-American folk art of the turn of the last century, and the City wants to demolish it instead of stabilizing it.

Just a few examples of what COJ and MCCD have done/become.  Not pretty.  Oh, yes, there are those who will defend this.  She Clown would say, help don't hinder.

Most of the time it takes less money to stabilize a house than it does to demolish it.  Many full demolitions are not only a pox on our history, they are a waste of taxpayers money.

MCCD will admit they are not engineers.  And the one they do use rubber stamps what they say, because they are paying him.  It's ridiculous, and change needs to happen. 

Thanks for sharing Debbie.  Truly outrageous. if these people were not poor, there would be public outrage galore.  In terms of the 5th & Durkeeville house, is it just a matter of money to get this house in shape and off the demo list?  If so, how much?

Bill:  Why don't you and your fellow conservatives, who by and large detest Emienent Domain (the public taking  of property for public use, but at fair market value) , find the destruction of property WITHOUT compensation (and with fines charged to the owner)  as unjust?

WOW, I am going on vacation in a few weeks and my house does need paint. Hope it is there when I get back.

[strider]

Is there another Noticed Meeting with Daniels and Scott Monday morning at 10:00?  Can't find the notice on the web site.

[m74reeves]

I see the following in relation to Ms. Stevens' situation:

June 20, 2013
11:30 am
                                                                         
MEETING NOTICE

Council Member Kimberly Daniels and Council Member Reggie Brown will be meeting with Affordable Housing Coordinator Darrell Griffin, Director of Neighborhoods Terrance Ashanta-Barker, Lawsikia Hodges of OGC, and Paige Johnston of OGC to discuss Duchee Stevens’ case. This meeting is open to all Council Members who are interested in this topic. The meeting will take place on Tuesday, June 25, 2013, at 10:30 a.m., in Conference Room A, Suite 425, City Hall, 117 West Duval Street, Jacksonville, Florida 32202.

All interested parties are invited to attend.

Please contact Edward B. Suggs, ECA â€" At-Large Group 1, at (904) 630-1393for additional information or correspondence.

[sheclown]

Thanks!

[JaxUnicorn]

Ya'll beat me to posting this!!!