Lawrence describes citations as “motivated by rogue officials”

What I don’t appreciate is Hilbert trying to play “palsy-walsy” with this guy to get him to sell a property in exchange for cutting him a break on bonafide violations.

Hilbert should stay out of the middle of something like this unless it is to call the Mayor’s office and demand some enforcement action.

This slumlord needs some logical consequences, not cozy perks for selling a property.

Hilbert is the 3rd District City Council member. He is being challenged by Jonathan Davis.

Amen! And, refuse to play with him as in …. “you sell this property and we’ll cut you a deal ….” and refuse to take campaign contributions!

Mr Lawrence experienced a similar round of citations this time last year, and will again next year I suspect. Mr Hilbert is trying to take advantage of a situation that exists, not necessarily one of his own creation. While Mr Hilberts actions are deplorable, they are no more so than those of Mr Lawrence. I would like to know how Mr Lawrence can defend his position of representing the city while burdening it with the useless wrecks of hazardous rubble he calls investment property. At the same time he is robbing the city of much needed revenue, gainful employment and the historical value these homes would provide if he would just make the investment or allow someone else to. Talk about someone who should be voted out… I hope the officals dont give him a years reprive this time. As soon as he resolves these 600 citations, hit him again! Wear him out…

City Councilman Hilbert trying to cut a deal with a slumlord in exchange for selling a property to a preferred buyer?

Why isn’t Hilbert calling for this guy to be run out of town? Heck, why aren’t McQuinn and Robertson doing something to get rid of this slumlord? What gives? Or maybe the question should be who does this guy give campaign contributions to?

Thanks for looking that up! What about those several companies, including Bayou Properties etc…. is there a list of the others so we can check on those contributions as well?

In response to John’s posting on 10/16 at 9:58pm, Mr. Lawrence has made political contributions to a candidate for City Council. Jonathan Davis, who is challenging Mr. Hilbert for the 3rd district Council seat, has accepted two contributions from Mr. Lawrence’s company. Lawrence owns and operates Standard Auto Body and Standard Auto Sales LLC and both made gifts of $250 to Mr. Davis’ campaign.

With regards to the allegations made against Mr. Hilbert, let’s explore the facts. In February, a conversation was held, initiated by Hilbert, with the city’s building commissioner to explore “ideas” around what could be done to get Mr. Lawrence to sell one of his blighted property’s to Boaz and Ruth, a non-profit interested in purchasing, renovating and maintaining the property in question. The Spot Blight Abatement Program, created by the Mayor in 2006, empowers the City to arrange for property resale in cases where the owner has not taken action and the feasibility of doing this with Mr. Lawrence’s property is exactly what Hilbert sought to explore.

For me, the end result of this guy selling his property to an organization that would use it to improve our community is worth a potential “break” on a code violation. Regardless of the differing opinions on the matter, the fact is all Hilbert did was throw out an idea for discussion. He did not instruct any employee of the city to do anything and he did not use his position to influence any action the part of anyone. Council’s job is to discuss and explore opportunities on a variety of topics that in the long-run benefit the city and its residents. That and nothing more is EXACTLY what was done here.

It’s shocking that Mr. Lawrence would have the nerve to allege that some of the 600 CODE VIOLATIONS may have been brought about by a “rogue city official – a current member of city council.” I think it should be noted that in 2007, Mr. Lawrence was fined $375,000 for 150 code violations on more than 44 properties. However, a “deal” was cut and the fines were suspended with the requirement that the violations be corrected. When all was said and done, Lawrence wasn’t required to pay a dime nor did he have to sell the properties in question. Interesting that this part of the story didn’t make it into the Voice.

However, what’s almost as bad as Mr. Lawrence is Mr. Davis comments and actions. He speaks about the need to eliminate blight (his own website states “owners of blighted properties must be held accountable for either renovating them and occupying them or selling them to persons who will.” EXACTLY what Hilbert was trying to do), but then he accepts contributions from two of the worst blighted property owners in the city. He says that Hilbert has abused his power in office, but it’s Mr. Davis that has been accused of using his position as a state employee to get prison child labor to design and print his campaign materials and at the same time, using taxpayer dollars to compensate these youth. Mr. Davis claims that Mr. Hilbert worked outside of the system and put the well-being of the third district in jeopardy. This is a complete and total fabrication. Mr. Hilbert worked within the confines of the system by following the chain of command and having a conversation and nothing more with the proper city staff. And, the conversation he did have was around finding ways to improve the well-being of the third district by eliminating the horrendously blighted property owned by Mr. Lawrence. Let’s remember this is a guy whose seeking elected office and asking for the support, confidence and trust of us as citizens. I don’t think so!

The reality is that for years Hilbert has been a leader on the issue of blighted property. Besides his work on Council, Mr. Hilbert has spent years working in community development and revitalization with Wachovia Bank and in his present position with the Virginia Housing and Development Authority. He has worked with the Commonwealth attorney’s office and this past year, after learning of the challenges in prosecuting blighted property offenders, he worked with Delegate Jennifer McClellan on legislation, which would make it easier for local government to enforce blight violations.

Lastly, does anyone else have a question as to how this email from the building commissioner to Kim Neal even got released to the media? Could it have come from the Mayor’s office as retaliation for Mr. Hilbert’s investigation into the eviction of the school board? Or could one of Mr. Davis’ campaign advisors (who just happens to be the Mayor’s nephew) be behind this story? I find the timing of it (just days after the incarcerated youth’s work on Davis’ campaign) very interesting.

Oliver Lawrence has also been accused of burning his own buildings down in order to collect the insurance. This guy is the lowest of the low and he has absolutely no morals or character. Read on…

STREET TALK, May 2008
Style Magazine

A vacant West Broad Street building downtown that burned March 11 was a known crack house with a dangerous reputation, neighboring business owners say. Although they haven’t determined the cause yet, the fire is considered suspicious since people were seen leaving the building at the time of the fire, and because the fire spread rapidly.

John Morand, who co-founded Sound of Music Recording Studio, saw his business heavily damaged by water used to battle the fire. “I’m definitely pretty pissed off at the city and their whole system of giving people fines for having [flaking] paint on their garage but not doing anything about something like this,” Morand says of the vacant building. “This problem wasn’t dealt with a long time ago.”

Morand saw the fire erupt at 323 W. Broad St. and fought it himself while waiting for firefighters to arrive. He says he’s called the city countless times over the years to report what he perceives as code violations and illegal activity there. The building was “a known place for people to hang out and smoke crack,” he says.

Ashland-based Bayou Properties LLC, which owns the building, declined to comment on the fire or the alleged city code violations. This company is owned by Oliver Lawrence. The city considered it blighted property, city spokesman Linwood Norman confirmed.

“The property was on the vacant building registry that the city has put into place,” Norman says. “There had been inspection activity and a stop-work order had been issued earlier in February for mechanical and electrical work that there was no permit for.”

That was the least of the building’s troubles, according to Morand. “It hasn’t had a front door on it in months,” Morand says. “[The city] didn’t do anything — other than put a little pink sticker up on the building. It’s exactly one block from the main police station. It’s amazing this hasn’t happened sooner.”

The fire, which started about noon Sunday, destroyed the building and also damaged the Sound of Music Recording Studio. Initial reports, however, are that much of the studio equipment escaped serious damage. 1708 Gallery was also shuttered by the fire.

I am the one that wrote the email that was posted on Richmond City Watch. posted to City two years ago regarding Lawrence Oliver. It was not my first. I had file complaints with City going back as far as 2004.

I am rather concerned of the lack of knowledge people seem to have about how City of Richmond operates. I’m not going go over that because “Frustrated” already covered that.

What bugs me the most is that Lawrence is not in jail yet. This is what I found about his back taxes he has yet to pay:

* Currently, there are active cases in lawrence’s name with the > general district court. Info on each is as follows:
> case #gv08017726 for unpaid real estate tax through 2006 for $2,425 > chamberlayne avenue (amount due: $3,093.42 +$657.57 attorney fees)
> case# gv08017727-00 for $2,662.23 – economic dev dept of city of > richmond is plantiff – judgement against standard muffler and auto > center and kim b. lawrence
> case# gv08047983-00 for $772.56 (case date september 23, 2008) – > city of richmond for delinquent taxes through 2007 for 410 n. > madison st
> case# gv08047984-00 for $331.49 (case date september 23, 2008) on > delinquent taxes through 2007 on 2308 greenwood ave > case# gv08047985-00 for $1,285.35 (case date september 23, 2008) for > delinquent taxes through 2007 for 3718 edgewood ave
> case# gv08047986-00 for $595.32 for 2007 unpaid real estate (case > date september 23, 2008) for 613 overlook street

The property on Greenwood is a empty lot that city taxpayers get pay to to have mowed. Lot right down from Jonthan Davis’s house and across the street from Norrell annex.

This guy isn’t paying his taxes and people are trying to make him out to be a victim. The City should have used the “spot blight” and taken these propteries.

And yes I’m Hilbert supporter.

PS:

Mr. Hilbert and other Council members are not off the hook because of the claim on this thread that this problem belongs in the hands of the executive branch.

I know Hilbert has worked with the Commonwealth attorney’s office and this past year, after learning of the challenges in prosecuting blighted property offenders, he worked with Delegate Jennifer McClellan on legislation, which would make it easier for local government to enforce blight violations.