In my personal opinion (I know - everyone has one) Youngstown's use of these federal neighborhood redevelopment grant funds (in demolition) has been handled in criminally corrupt ways --- especially in light of this article ! What else is new ? In January of 2010, I was awakened @ 5:30 am by a neighbor, because a crew of people had just kicked in the door and began ransacking a house two blocks down the street that I had bought on land contract from Atty Mark Hanni... It was NOT derelict, had been maintained, was secure, and was undergoing renovation... I had about $15,000 in it... I'm SURE Mr Hanni knew there were undisclosed dealings in process when he signed the deed over... I knew there was a several thousand dollar water bill, and I found out in August of 2009 that there was a balance of unpaid property taxes --- I paid half of the disclosed delinquency and would have paid the other half in February, had there still been a restorable house on the property... There had been NO due process involving me, NO notification, and NO offer of compensation for imminent domain taking of MY property... I found out that the house my wife & I were living in was also on the demo list --- I fought that and finally was assured that it would be left alone (but no one would put anything in writing)... It took the city almost 5 months to tear down that first of my properties --- leaving it unsecured and a danger to the public in its process... I find it fascinating to see that demo costs are listed here @ about $5,000, even with the EPAs pencil-pushing waste of tax-payer dollars... I'd really like to know why, when my tax dollars already paid for my financial loss and ruin of my property by way of those federal grants --- WHY has the city and its collection attorneys now billed me $27,500 and placed a lien against my current home to guarantee their costs of demo ? I have no way of knowing how many others have been victimized by the thieves we've allowed to hold office in this town's government, but I can't be the only one who's being ripped off !
... There are a lot of places I could go with this topic and its comparisons to Detroit's renewal --- suffice it to say, Youngstown's redevelopment program is riddled with incompetence, corruption, and personal agendas... ... My calls, letters, e-mail inquiries, and direct involvement with block-watch programs have been ignored, belittled, or responded to with outright lies... Sadly, my experience is NOT isolated ! ... I bought the first of 4 houses and 10 lots in the Idora neighborhood in May of 2001... I've cut grass, shoveled walks, done community gardening, been an "annex" (for any needing assistance) to the former Solid Rock Assembly of God Church, that used to meet in the old MrPaul's Bakery building... We've been good neighbors... I'm a cash buyer, we did quick land contracts on the remaining properties, and were actively paying off old tax and water accounts... I've invested over $ 75,000 here --- and, I've lost it ALL to secretive eminent domain take-overs / NO due process / NO notification / No settlement / NO recourse --- crews breached the first of my secured and maintained properties @ 5:30 am on January 18th --- THAT was when I was told that liens for the demo were being placed against the home I was living in for the cost of the demo / we had until July to get out... ALL my other holdings were likewise doomed... The demo crews left that first structure open and in dangerous ruin for 6 months, before re-commencing work to actually take it down this week... I've already had to run off a crew that came onto my occupied property to begin tree & shrub removal without paperwork... NO one is being legally accountable, and true eyesore properties remain... ... What good are "community gardens" if there are NO neighbors left to tend them ? All these outside workers I see coming in to arrange and plant --- COULD have come in to help those trying to live here ! YNDC is simply a political sop for absorbing and wasting tax dollars... Good people are being hurt ! ... I'm going to Detroit in August --- God can "redevelop" Youngstown by opening the earth and swallowing all the crooks and thieves in one swift act of overdue justice (with the same lack of due process & notification that we've received)... You'll reap what you've sown, sooner or later ! Rev JR Zeke Whitelock 948 Parkview Ave Youngstown, OH 44511 330-207-7883
... This tragedy was predictable... ... This kid and his father have been a major crimespree in their neighborhood for years... I live a half block away and know countless incidents of breaking & entering, theft, and strong-armed robbery attributable to the Housers... Most of my neighbors have been victimized... I've lost equipment to them... John Houser, the "dad", is the mastermind, transportation, and alibi provider... "Mook" does the dirty deeds, hiding behind (till now) the juvenile status of his age... ... I would hope YPD has sense enough to investigate the dad as an accessory in this case... I'm NOT holding my breath, however, expecting real justice to be served...
... Let's stop for just a second or two and consider that Prosecutor Macejko could NOT fully prosecute in this case because of the procedural incompetence of the two "animal control" officers involved --- THEY did NOT obtain a legal warrant before breaking and entering the HC-K9 property... ... In the three weeks prior to this case, these two morons were at my door 5 times over a neighbor's complaint that my (4) 5-month old kittens attacked & killed her dog (a raccoon did the deed in question)... On each of these 5 occasions, I asked if they had a search warrant, & demanded that they leave my property, if they weren't going to do things legally... That was 5 reminders in 3 weeks prior to their failure to obtain a warrant for HC-K9... ... I truly want to know why these guys still have jobs --- especially considering that the one had not even been properly appointed to serve in the assigned capacity and was wearing an unauthorized uniform and illegally carrying a firearm (sounds very much like an "impersonating a police officer" charge would have been in order)... ... Animal Charities NEEDS to clean house ! ... None of us can expect justice to be served when the authorities involved have NO respect for the system that is in place... BUT, what else should we expect ? This wreaks of old-time Mahoning Valley political corruption and incompetence... ... Keep a big 2X4 near that new broom --- you might have to knock some sense into a few "defective uniforms" if they come to YOUR door... ... Know your rights and demand accountability... ... The Prosecutor & Judge did NOT have much choice this time around !
EPA rules to lessen demolition in Youngstown
In my personal opinion (I know - everyone has one) Youngstown's use of these federal neighborhood redevelopment grant funds (in demolition) has been handled in criminally corrupt ways --- especially in light of this article ! What else is new ?
In January of 2010, I was awakened @ 5:30 am by a neighbor, because a crew of people had just kicked in the door and began ransacking a house two blocks down the street that I had bought on land contract from Atty Mark Hanni... It was NOT derelict, had been maintained, was secure, and was undergoing renovation... I had about $15,000 in it... I'm SURE Mr Hanni knew there were undisclosed dealings in process when he signed the deed over... I knew there was a several thousand dollar water bill, and I found out in August of 2009 that there was a balance of unpaid property taxes --- I paid half of the disclosed delinquency and would have paid the other half in February, had there still been a restorable house on the property... There had been NO due process involving me, NO notification, and NO offer of compensation for imminent domain taking of MY property... I found out that the house my wife & I were living in was also on the demo list --- I fought that and finally was assured that it would be left alone (but no one would put anything in writing)... It took the city almost 5 months to tear down that first of my properties --- leaving it unsecured and a danger to the public in its process...
I find it fascinating to see that demo costs are listed here @ about $5,000, even with the EPAs pencil-pushing waste of tax-payer dollars... I'd really like to know why, when my tax dollars already paid for my financial loss and ruin of my property by way of those federal grants --- WHY has the city and its collection attorneys now billed me $27,500 and placed a lien against my current home to guarantee their costs of demo ?
I have no way of knowing how many others have been victimized by the thieves we've allowed to hold office in this town's government, but I can't be the only one who's being ripped off !
June 2, 2011 at 5:11 a.m. permalink suggest removal
Youngstown council, city execs clash over demolition
... There are a lot of places I could go with this topic and its comparisons to Detroit's renewal --- suffice it to say, Youngstown's redevelopment program is riddled with incompetence, corruption, and personal agendas...
... My calls, letters, e-mail inquiries, and direct involvement with block-watch programs have been ignored, belittled, or responded to with outright lies... Sadly, my experience is NOT isolated !
... I bought the first of 4 houses and 10 lots in the Idora neighborhood in May of 2001... I've cut grass, shoveled walks, done community gardening, been an "annex" (for any needing assistance) to the former Solid Rock Assembly of God Church, that used to meet in the old MrPaul's Bakery building... We've been good neighbors... I'm a cash buyer, we did quick land contracts on the remaining properties, and were actively paying off old tax and water accounts... I've invested over $ 75,000 here --- and, I've lost it ALL to secretive eminent domain take-overs / NO due process / NO notification / No settlement / NO recourse --- crews breached the first of my secured and maintained properties @ 5:30 am on January 18th --- THAT was when I was told that liens for the demo were being placed against the home I was living in for the cost of the demo / we had until July to get out... ALL my other holdings were likewise doomed... The demo crews left that first structure open and in dangerous ruin for 6 months, before re-commencing work to actually take it down this week... I've already had to run off a crew that came onto my occupied property to begin tree & shrub removal without paperwork... NO one is being legally accountable, and true eyesore properties remain...
... What good are "community gardens" if there are NO neighbors left to tend them ? All these outside workers I see coming in to arrange and plant --- COULD have come in to help those trying to live here ! YNDC is simply a political sop for absorbing and wasting tax dollars... Good people are being hurt !
... I'm going to Detroit in August --- God can "redevelop" Youngstown by opening the earth and swallowing all the crooks and thieves in one swift act of overdue justice (with the same lack of due process & notification that we've received)... You'll reap what you've sown, sooner or later !
Rev JR Zeke Whitelock
948 Parkview Ave
Youngstown, OH 44511
330-207-7883
June 30, 2010 at 10:26 p.m. permalink suggest removal
Teen arrested in St. Dom's killing
... This tragedy was predictable...
... This kid and his father have been a major crimespree in their neighborhood for years... I live a half block away and know countless incidents of breaking & entering, theft, and strong-armed robbery attributable to the Housers... Most of my neighbors have been victimized... I've lost equipment to them... John Houser, the "dad", is the mastermind, transportation, and alibi provider... "Mook" does the dirty deeds, hiding behind (till now) the juvenile status of his age...
... I would hope YPD has sense enough to investigate the dad as an accessory in this case... I'm NOT holding my breath, however, expecting real justice to be served...
January 31, 2010 at 12:52 a.m. permalink suggest removal
Plea deal would bring 4 months in jail for animal cruelty
... Let's stop for just a second or two and consider that Prosecutor Macejko could NOT fully prosecute in this case because of the procedural incompetence of the two "animal control" officers involved --- THEY did NOT obtain a legal warrant before breaking and entering the HC-K9 property...
... In the three weeks prior to this case, these two morons were at my door 5 times over a neighbor's complaint that my (4) 5-month old kittens attacked & killed her dog (a raccoon did the deed in question)... On each of these 5 occasions, I asked if they had a search warrant, & demanded that they leave my property, if they weren't going to do things legally... That was 5 reminders in 3 weeks prior to their failure to obtain a warrant for HC-K9...
... I truly want to know why these guys still have jobs --- especially considering that the one had not even been properly appointed to serve in the assigned capacity and was wearing an unauthorized uniform and illegally carrying a firearm (sounds very much like an "impersonating a police officer" charge would have been in order)...
... Animal Charities NEEDS to clean house !
... None of us can expect justice to be served when the authorities involved have NO respect for the system that is in place... BUT, what else should we expect ? This wreaks of old-time Mahoning Valley political corruption and incompetence...
... Keep a big 2X4 near that new broom --- you might have to knock some sense into a few "defective uniforms" if they come to YOUR door...
... Know your rights and demand accountability...
... The Prosecutor & Judge did NOT have much choice this time around !
December 13, 2008 at 5:23 p.m. permalink suggest removal