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Monday, December 29, 2008

St. Paul looks for squatters in foreclosed homes

Please click onto the COMMENTS for the story.

posted by Bob at Monday, December 29, 2008

4 Comments:

Blogger Bob said...

Associated Press

Last update: December 28, 2008 - 11:58 PM

Three men hop out of a white Chevy pickup and walk up to a shabby four-plex in St. Paul's Dayton's Bluff neighborhood. Two of them sweep the backyard with flashlights while the third bangs on the front door.

"Sometimes, you'll see lights go off and nobody will come to the door, so you know you're in there," Rich Singerhouse, the man pounding on the door of the supposedly vacant building, told Minnesota Public Radio News.

Singerhouse is a supervisor in St. Paul's city inspector's office. One night a week, crews like these make surprise visits to foreclosed buildings with a mission: to look for people who might be living there illegally.

At this property, the inspectors check garbage bins, check around the property for vehicles and peer inside windows for any signs of life. They agree there are no signs of life.

More than 20,000 Minnesota homes and buildings went through foreclosure in 2008. Some attract thieves and vandals, but they're also drawing some who just need shelter.

"Maybe it sounds mean or Grinch-ish, but the fact remains that there's a life-safety issue." said Steve Magner, manager of St. Paul's vacant building program. "We will fall on our swords for life safety."

The number of vacant homes has leveled off recently, but the cost of inspecting, securing and maintaining the empty buildings costs St. Paul about $2.3 million a year. Cities are responsible not just for keeping people out but also shoveling sidewalks, and protecting them from mishaps like gas explosions.

On this night earlier in December, Magner's team visited nine buildings. Usually, they act on tips from neighbors or code-enforcement officers.

At one stop, the inspectors encounter a man in his 50s standing outside in the cold. He identifies himself as Rick Riley, and explains that his son rents the house and he is staying there for the night.

"This is a vacant building," Singerhouse says. He explains that the owner keeps renting the property without permission from the city.

"I'm not getting kicked out, am I?" Riley asks.

Probably not this night. Singerhouse said the inspectors try to avoid evicting people on the spot unless they are chronic offenders. In cases that involve repeat squatters, inspectors may issue a criminal citation, kick out the residents and board up the building.

"We've never been able to catch this guy," Singerhouse says, pointing to one house in the Midway neighborhood sporting new Christmas decorations.

But most of the residents found on nighttime checks are renters. Sometimes, Magner said, they are unwittingly paying rent to swindlers who don't even own the building.

10:29 AM  
Blogger Bob said...

I made an earlier comment and deleted it. I felt MAYBE I could of been a little to rough on Steve.

I am curious though. And I know you folks in DSI are reading here.

How long do you give this folks to clear out of these vacants?

And, are the citizens found resideing in these vacants given any referals for possible support?

I know some DSI officer have taken it upon themselves to look into support networks for citizens who are condemned from housing, and they offer phone numbers of these organizations.

If we could get a response it would be much appreciated and I would see that folks here were respectful of the poster.

12:49 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

The real problem is that is no support for homeowners and landlords. When they are getting foreclose on. The mortgae companies just went their money or take the property back. Then let them sit empty. I work with district 7, the city with foreclse property. By reporting squatters to the city.

3:28 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Steve Magner says, life-safety issue." securing and maintaining the empty buildings costs St. Paul about $2.3 million a year. Cities are responsible not just for keeping people out but also shoveling sidewalks, is that at $240.00 a hour? and protecting them from mishaps like gas explosions.
How much does Magner get paid and how much under the table from "kick backs"?
It doesn't cost St.Paul anything,
it cost the TAX PAYERS $2.3 Million a year.
How much kick back does the mayor and the 7 Hoods that they call themselves the city council get beside the city pay?
"Hey all", I got Dale Anderson caught ay RAMSEY ACTION PROGRAM by following the money he was putting in his 501K acct.
Follow the "money" and catch the "crooks".
Bill Dahn

6:41 AM  

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