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February 11, 2009

Quote of the Day

quotation-icon.jpgPersonally, I think if you've milked the building dry, deferred maintainance to the point of no return, and reached the point where it's uninhabitable and dangerous, you should be forced to sell to the city or an appropriate non-profit, and the building should be immediately sold or developed into affordable housing. I know that's how the city ended up becoming the largest landlord forty years ago, but that's because they decided to hold onto and manage the properties. A better solution would be to sell or cede to a non-profit, a religious entity, a tenant association, or a private owner. The sooner a building like this is renovated, and full of rent paying tenants, or owners, the better for the city's tax coffers and for the neighborhood.

— by Montrose Morris in 566 Hancock Street's Seen Better Days




Posted by Brownstoner at 3:29 PM | Comments (16)
Categories: QOTD

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Montrose ****5QOTD****Morris, EPBA&OQNYT(X2)

Posted by: bayridgegirl at February 11, 2009 3:42 PM

All hail the Queen of QOTD.

Posted by: SnarkSlope at February 11, 2009 3:48 PM

Bitter Renter is widening the door opening as we type, so MM's head can fit.

Posted by: bayridgegirl at February 11, 2009 3:52 PM

^^^^^ BRG = Bitter Poster

Posted by: bayridgegirl at February 11, 2009 3:53 PM

How about this for the "Quote of the Day".

"America is getting Assraped right in front of the public!"

Deal Struck on $789 Billion Stimulus

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/12/us/politics/12stimulus.html?hp

WASHINGTON — Congressional negotiators announced Wednesday afternoon that they had reached agreement on a $789 billion economic stimulus bill, clearing the way for final action and President Obama’s signature.

We have already spent about 700 billion and on top of this the get 789 billion more??? This whole thing will cost about 6 Trillion dollars in lost value and money! But sadly enough the Assheads are to stupid to realize what's going on!

Welcome to the Greater Depression (Thanks to BHO)

The What

Someday this war is gonna end..

Posted by: Return of The What at February 11, 2009 3:59 PM

It would need to be a pretty rich non-profit to be able to deal with wrecks like this. Who has that kind of capital now? Charities are struggling to pay their own rents.
In terms of the City taking over, the reason the City became the biggest landlord back in the day was because of tax foreclosures. People walked away from their real estate, the situation was pretty bad. It wasn't because the city wanted to do it. It was the last thing it wanted. The city can be a pretty bad landlord, I wouldn't wish that on anyone.


Posted by: sam at February 11, 2009 4:07 PM

How pleasant.

What, is it your position that we are headed for a depression and that the government shouldn't do anything about it? You seem to be angry that the governmetnis passing a stimulus bill. If you think we are headed into a depression, what steps, if any, do you think government should take?

Posted by: slopefarm at February 11, 2009 4:08 PM

MM: I think you must have written this in a hurry it is not up to your usual level of cogency.

Posted by: sam at February 11, 2009 4:11 PM

The city takes properties when the owner is years behind on tax payments, they generally can't under any other circumstances. They owned so much (and were not known as good landlords of occupied units) because taxes weren't paid. In the 1980's under Koch over 50,000 vacant units were renovated, the largest program in US history.

Posted by: chrishavens at February 11, 2009 4:47 PM

Crap....5 QOTDs. I just heard the door frame go- guess her head didn't fit and she couldn't wait for me to widen it ....again....sheesh. This is the 4th time. My work is never done.

Awwww....jealous much, sam? :-)

Posted by: bxgrl at February 11, 2009 6:38 PM

You are right, sam, the city became a landlord because they reclaimed unpaid tax properties. That is different from seizing a property because of lack of maintainence.

I guess this cause brings out the leftist socialist in me. If you ride around Bed Stuy, Crown Heights and other communities, (even Park Slope,) there are boarded up properties that have been that way for so long, the plywood in the windows has taken on a patina of age.

There is a beautiful 8 unit Beaux Art building on Brooklyn and Prospect Place in Crown Heights North, directly across from the Children's Museum, that has been boarded up for about 10 years. It looks essentially sound, but has had scaffolding around it forever, and now has trees growing out of the masonry. It is a perennial trash dump, and broken glass and crap makes its way down the block past landmarked homes. The block association and CB8 have been trying to have the city pressure the owner to either fix it, or sell it, to no avail. I'm sorry, but this isn't right. I don't know if he is waiting for the community to gentrify more, so he can build condos, or if he just can't afford to do anything, or if he's simply warehousing the building because he can. It is an eyesore, a fire and safety hazard, and is across the street from places where children play and gather.


This building could be a beautiful, viable home to 8 families. It could possibly house a successful business like a cafe or ice cream shop, to serve the many people frequenting the Museum, along with the housing. That's tax dollars in the city coffers, that's people in homes, that's the beautification of an otherwise beautiful street, and the lessening of the possibility of it being a crime scene, a fire hazard, or a building collapse. If you're not going to use it, you lose it. The public good supercedes private enterprise in a city that needs affordable housing.

There are buildings all across the city that could be rehabbed and put back on the tax rolls, that are just sitting there rotting. Yeah, money is tight, but let's not fool ourselves into thinking all money, especially private money, has evaporated. There will always be those who have, and those who think that investing during a time of financial crisis is smart investing. There should be a city or national program that encourages smart investing in existing multi-family dwellings, bringing them back and selling/renting to those who desperately need homes.

Posted by: Montrose Morris at February 11, 2009 8:46 PM

I know that building. I wonder: Could there be something so terrible about that building -- fire ravaged insides, gas pipes with leaks, foundation rotted, title unclear, massive violations, billions of dollars of liens and taxes that must be paid -- that it can't be sold?

Friend of mine is living in a cute building in Harlem, turns out to be rent stabilized, and the boiler was out for a week and a half and then there was a gas leak. National Grid shut down the gas to the building because it isn't safe -- whole thing has to be repiped probably -- and they haven't had cooking gas for months. Landlords gave them a hot plate. I could definitely see how a building like that could neither be sold nor fixed.

The one in Crown Heights, on the other hand, is empty, so at least it has that going for it.

Posted by: mopar at February 11, 2009 10:40 PM

"What, is it your position that we are headed for a depression and that the government shouldn't do anything about it?"

When people was screaming back in 2004 to "do something" the Click Clack Boys (Bush, Cheney, et al.) ignored the voices of reason, you can not loan money to a Unqualified Buyer to get a house. Now we have p***** away 1.2 Trillion dollars and getting to throw away more money!! The Government should let these insolvent institutions fail!!

"You seem to be angry that the governmetnis passing a stimulus bill. If you think we are headed into a depression, what steps, if any, do you think government should take?"

Look Asshead!!! We are in a DEPRESSION!!!!! You and the rest of the Idiots don't get it. This is the greatest Looting Stealing operation in history and you know what?? We are still in deep trouble. The thing that gets me that most people are so God Damn delusion! With all the technology around no one never questions what's going on. Just a disgusting collection of Group-Think Zombies!!!

Someday this war is gonna end when people wake up and understand what has happen to them. You got played for suckers, you work everyday, pay taxes, pay car note, pay mortgages and the Big Boys collect all the spoils from you hard labor and they do it generation after generation. After they get your Tax Money (TARP) they are coming after your Social Security and the retards are going to give it to them without asking one question. Welcome to the Greater Depression.....

The What (Skittles for everyone)

Someday this war is gonna end...

Posted by: Return of The What at February 11, 2009 10:57 PM

MM: careful what you wish for. The City's power of condemnation and eminent domain are already being abused.
I don't think it would be a good thing to make it stronger.
With government there is often such a chasm between intent and effect.
Old buildings are left to decay for a variety of reasons, there are the estate battles that go on for decades, the crazy owner who lives in Florida or Hawaii but who refuses to sell his or her parents' decaying property, Rent control tenants who refuse to pay rent and make the property a liability rather than an asset. On and on. Government intervention is usually the most expensive and slowest remedy. I have few Socialist leanings. I rather have corrupt private banks than corrupt government tyranny.
It is human society, you have to chose where you prefer your corruption.

Posted by: sam at February 11, 2009 11:09 PM

What, you may be 100% correct. But so what? How does that knowledge translate into something the average person can do anything about? What are we all supposed to do? Abandon our homes and build huts in Prospect Park? Or better yet, commit suicide? Cause you give us nothing but doom and gloom, and no alternatives. That's why no one pays you any attention anymore, you're just another wild eyed, bearded nut with a bell and a sandwich board crying "The end is near! The end is near!"

Posted by: Montrose Morris at February 11, 2009 11:32 PM

I always wondered why we were never so pragmatic as to say here's the building, this is the price, you fix it up get it back on the tax rolls and we'll forget the liens from the former owners. I understand why they do, I just think its self-defeating if it means a building sits empty and rots for years.

Posted by: bxgrl at February 11, 2009 11:50 PM

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