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Owner of much vacant property pleads guilty
11/29/2007 9:24 PM by John M
Oliver Lawrence pleaded guilty to almost 150 building code for on 25 or so vacant properties. Vacant Richmond lists just one of Lawrence’s companies, Bayou Properties, as having 81 vacant properties across the city. (previously) [via]
Good – kudos to the city on this one. I hope he will unload some of these properties to folks who will take the initiative to develop them. They are an eyesore and they encourage refuse dumping and other associated problems.
seems to me that a “buyers” market for old buildings has just been created. if you cant get lawrence to talk to you, make an offer to the court and see what happens
Finally! I am so sick of walking around the city seeing vacant spaces when there are so many creative minds out there waiting to turn them into great things. Maybe it already exists, but there should be a task force at City Hall that does nothing but cruise around town enforcing these rules. Yes, there is a cost involved but in the long term it will eliminate some crime and increase the cities tax take by increasing the value of these properties. It’s a win win for everyone. I don’t know how these slum lords sleep at night.
15 property maintenance inspectors 2 years ago
30 property maintenance inspectors now
the city of richmond demolishes more buildings than anyone in the city
anticipate that those vacant spaces to be vacant lots before long
guerrilla gardening come spring.
If the city demolishes a house that looks like the one shown above, it’s the owners who demolished it by their neglect.
And I thought Stanley Smith was bad as a slumlord! He passed away nearly 2 years ago and fortunately his son let loose of a historical house on 27th Street situated next door to me that had been run into the ground and condemned with a value of $20k to now fully restored and on the market for sale at over $400k. The people he rented to brought bad elements into the neighborhood which have since settled down. He would not fix up his properties or did the bare minimum until codes took over.
Eric
I’m sick and tired of seeing these eye sores and I think Mr. Lawrence should be held accountable. He should have to demolish them himself instead of the city’s expense. Richmond – don’t let another slum-lord do this!
Eli… I wish there was some way to block people from buying up foreclosure or tax properties in bulk for the simple reason of renting to low income without fixing the properties up.
It does a disservice not only to the people who have no choice to rent these condemned buildings but to our communities as well. Those that are vacant are both eyesores and a danger to people who live near them. Vagrants seek shelter and risk setting a fire or dying in them.
And these structures are usually full of rodents and snakes that invade occupied neighboring homes – let alone human waste left in corners for other vagrants to sleep next to.
Eric