Senior Citizen Ronald Lydon, Victim of Code Enforcement.
Hi All,
Anyone remember this story Tim Ciani brought to us?
Ronald Lydon age 69 and resident at 856 James avenue of 40 yrs. He has a assessed value on his house of 158,500 with ramsey county tax records. Whats funny is that they have been charging him as res. non-homestead since at least 2004. As far back as I can see. He has claimed he has tried to change the status to homestead to lower his yearly taxes but has had no success.
Ron has had non stop pressure with city inspectors for awhile with no help being offered as should being elderly and living on a fixed income. In March Ron noticed 4 people in his yard. He said one was Lisa Martin code enforcement,Dean Keenen (big intimidating cop Lisa brings around),Amy a prosecuting attorney,and someone else not identified.They were telling him to get rid of this and that. Soon they were to the door of his house and ask can we take a look inside?Ron said with the size of this cop (Dean) he felt pressured and scared. Not long after inside they said he couldn't live in his house of 40 years and he had to move. Confused Ron asked what he was going to do. They responded, "to the Winslow".
They said they would have it all set up for him and all he would have to do is show up at the Winslow.
He showed up at the Winslow and like the 4 said the were waiting for him. The staff was very eager to get him on a lease for April but Ron wanted May or June to tie up lose ends.(Sell house and to absorb the fact he was being kicked out of his own house)The staff said they may be full in those months. Once again Ron being pressured, he signed up for April for the Winslow but he wouldn't move in until May or June.
Nearly 30 days after the lease was signed guess what happens? St.Paul Inspectors put Ron's house on the vacant list, immediately dropping the houses value and making it harder to market because the fact it now needs a code compliance and be brought to todays building standards.They said he was registered at the Winslow and it was vacant.
Ron ended up calling Delisle and got a low ball offer of 112,000.He took it being backed into a corner and because of the continued pressure of inspectors. Remember the house was assessed at 158,500. This was Ron's memories and life savings.
Another thing of interest is the fact that the building the Winslow commons is in received a 37.8% decrease for 2006.Tax records indicate that the market value stayed the same for 2005 and 2006 but 2005 went from 78,901.86 to 49,082 in 2006.How many properties has this happened to in St.Paul and how many property owners would love it? Oh and another thing Ron only pays $130.00 a month and the government pays the rest.Surprise Surprise.Very sell able politically. But Ron lost his home, his memories and his dreams.This is not what he wanted.
Did Ron have the best looking house on the block?No. Did it need repairs,yes. I asked Ron if they would have been offered a reverse mortgage to do repairs payable upon death. He said he would have taken it.The fact is he was kicked out of his house and forced into a government backed Winslow commons.He sits on a triple lot that could generate much more money than Ron can match.The city wants new blood.
The day I talked to Ron he received a letter once again from the city.This time pressuring him and Delisle to tear down the garage before on or before 6-26-06 or the city will.Ron closes on 6-21-06 but what scares me is the fact Delisle might back out of the sale because of this expense and pressure.
To bad for Ron. I'm human and I feel for him.When I look at Ron he's like my grandpa,yours or anyone else's.But what the city sees in Ron is dollar signs.
This is happening over and over in St.Paul and the general public needs to hear these stories.Give Ron a call on his cell at 651-260-8667.He has more information then I can write here.Thanks Jason.
sincerly,
very concerned what St.Paul is doing.
Anyone remember this story Tim Ciani brought to us?
Ronald Lydon age 69 and resident at 856 James avenue of 40 yrs. He has a assessed value on his house of 158,500 with ramsey county tax records. Whats funny is that they have been charging him as res. non-homestead since at least 2004. As far back as I can see. He has claimed he has tried to change the status to homestead to lower his yearly taxes but has had no success.
Ron has had non stop pressure with city inspectors for awhile with no help being offered as should being elderly and living on a fixed income. In March Ron noticed 4 people in his yard. He said one was Lisa Martin code enforcement,Dean Keenen (big intimidating cop Lisa brings around),Amy a prosecuting attorney,and someone else not identified.They were telling him to get rid of this and that. Soon they were to the door of his house and ask can we take a look inside?Ron said with the size of this cop (Dean) he felt pressured and scared. Not long after inside they said he couldn't live in his house of 40 years and he had to move. Confused Ron asked what he was going to do. They responded, "to the Winslow".
They said they would have it all set up for him and all he would have to do is show up at the Winslow.
He showed up at the Winslow and like the 4 said the were waiting for him. The staff was very eager to get him on a lease for April but Ron wanted May or June to tie up lose ends.(Sell house and to absorb the fact he was being kicked out of his own house)The staff said they may be full in those months. Once again Ron being pressured, he signed up for April for the Winslow but he wouldn't move in until May or June.
Nearly 30 days after the lease was signed guess what happens? St.Paul Inspectors put Ron's house on the vacant list, immediately dropping the houses value and making it harder to market because the fact it now needs a code compliance and be brought to todays building standards.They said he was registered at the Winslow and it was vacant.
Ron ended up calling Delisle and got a low ball offer of 112,000.He took it being backed into a corner and because of the continued pressure of inspectors. Remember the house was assessed at 158,500. This was Ron's memories and life savings.
Another thing of interest is the fact that the building the Winslow commons is in received a 37.8% decrease for 2006.Tax records indicate that the market value stayed the same for 2005 and 2006 but 2005 went from 78,901.86 to 49,082 in 2006.How many properties has this happened to in St.Paul and how many property owners would love it? Oh and another thing Ron only pays $130.00 a month and the government pays the rest.Surprise Surprise.Very sell able politically. But Ron lost his home, his memories and his dreams.This is not what he wanted.
Did Ron have the best looking house on the block?No. Did it need repairs,yes. I asked Ron if they would have been offered a reverse mortgage to do repairs payable upon death. He said he would have taken it.The fact is he was kicked out of his house and forced into a government backed Winslow commons.He sits on a triple lot that could generate much more money than Ron can match.The city wants new blood.
The day I talked to Ron he received a letter once again from the city.This time pressuring him and Delisle to tear down the garage before on or before 6-26-06 or the city will.Ron closes on 6-21-06 but what scares me is the fact Delisle might back out of the sale because of this expense and pressure.
To bad for Ron. I'm human and I feel for him.When I look at Ron he's like my grandpa,yours or anyone else's.But what the city sees in Ron is dollar signs.
This is happening over and over in St.Paul and the general public needs to hear these stories.Give Ron a call on his cell at 651-260-8667.He has more information then I can write here.Thanks Jason.
sincerly,
very concerned what St.Paul is doing.
posted by Bob at Friday, December 08, 2006
6 Comments:
I find it comforting that after working a lifetime to pay for a house to have in retirement that I can go to "the Winslow" to die in my old age. Thank you St. Paul. That's what I call service!
I don't like people who think they know whats best for others.
I went by this property and it looked like they were staking out the ground to split the lot and build.Mr.Lydon got taken to the wood shed.
what happen to Tim? we haven't heard from him.
I had been emailing with Tim for a while. Then all of a sudden he said he was very busy working with a group of landlords who going to bring another lawsuit. I wonder if that is the same lawsuit that Bob is mentioning? Where are you Tim? Any more good photos for us? How about a Thune update? How about some attention to other council memebrs? I would like to know what shape their houses are in.
Who are the people in the latest lawsuit that got filed....anyone know?
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