Blight Beat: Ypsilanti Township approves legal action against 11 property owners
The Ypsilanti Township Board of Trustees at its Monday meeting unanimously approved staff taking legal action against 11 properties.
The township has one meeting during the summer months, so the township’s Office of Community Standards bring a large number of cases before the board at each meeting.
Among the most dire situations is at a home at 3150 Mott Road, where it was discovered that a family was living without running water.
Officials noted a “multitude of life-safety issues”, including a severe mold infestation, substandard electricity service and a failing roof system. Fulton said much of the drywall had fallen from the ceiling and walls because the roof is leaking so severely.
When the owner was asked about the home's condition, Fulton said she replied “I realize this is a fixer-upper.”
“She didn’t seem too concerned,” Fulton said, and added that the family wasn’t overly upset about the living situation, either.
“This is one of the most egregious examples of an occupied rental unit to date,” Fulton told the board.
Officials are asking the Washtenaw County Circuit Court for a demolition order on a home at 773 Lamay Ave., where a former tenant complained about a wide variety of plumbing, mechanical, electrical and fire safety concerns that were never repaired. The house was condemned and the owner hasn’t responded to the township’s requests to address the situation.
773 Lamay Ave. will likely be demolished, according to township officials.
Tom Perkins | For AnnArbor.com
An owner also walked away from a home at 1091 Rambling Road, and the new mortgage holder has been unresponsive to the township’s requests to maintain the home.
Complaints from neighbors led officials to a home at 560 Elder St. where an owner built four 100- to 200-square-foot additions onto the home. Permits were never obtained for any of the work and two of the additions already were torn down because of shoddy construction work.
Fulton said the owner has admitted responsibility in district court to previous charges. The home’s structural integrity is compromised because of the poor work on the additions.
The township also is taking legal action against a man who Fulton said appears to be collecting construction equipment “for future use” but is amassing it in a residential zone. The owner of the house at 1334 Holmes Road indicated he would build a pull barn to store the equipment but now says he needs two larger pull barns. Officials are asking the court to order the property cleared.
Four of the properties involved local auto repair shops, including Dave’s Transmission, which AnnArbor.com previously reported on.
Officials also are seeking court help in shutting down a major automotive repair operation they say is run out of a residential garage at 52 Oregon St. Fulton said extension chords winding out of the house power the operation, and the owner is on probation for three blight citations in district court.
In response to one of the township’s requests to clear multiple autos from his property, the owner towed a car down the street to a church parking lot and left it there, Fulton said. He said the man was later ticketed for littering.
The owner’s house has also been raided by LAWNET twice in the past seven months for drug sales. After the last drug bust, OCS officials condemned the home, Fulton said.
Township officials are seeking court action if necessary against the owner of a auto repair shop at 1395 Ecorse Road, which is zoned to allow for only minor repairs such as oil or tire changes.
The OCS previously worked with the owner to bring the property into compliance with the zoning and closed that case on April 30. But township building inspectors found 20 vehicles on the lot in late June, and only five are allowed at a time. Fulton said major work like transmission and engine repair is being performed at the shop and officials aren’t sure why the owner immediately ignored the zoning laws after working with the township to bring the property into compliance.
Officials are having similar issues with the owner of Driver’s Drivleine at 896 N. Harris Road. The owner had secured a designation for a non-conforming use that would allow him to perform major auto work instead of minor work with the condition that site improvements to landscaping and the parking lot were made, Fulton said.
Those improvements were never made and the township’s planning commission revoked the designation. Officials are asking the court to order the property cleared of more than 20 cars and order the shop to discontinue major repairs.
Fulton said one of the bright spots has been the work of the owners of the Early Times Party Stores, who are making an apparent effort to correct numerous code violations.
Comments
Aaron
Tue, Jul 3, 2012 : 10:54 p.m.
This was the best group addition yet, I was in tears after reading all the comments!!! Thanks everyone you made my day and as a piano player I loved Ryan's comment the best "extension chords .. Is that what happens when you use the sustain pedal on a piano?"
AdmiralMoose
Sun, Jul 1, 2012 : 6:25 p.m.
I had lived all over the U.S. by the time I settled in Michigan at age 25 and I had never heard of a "pull barn" either. In fact, I remember having to ask a native Michigander to spell and define the term for me. "Oh -- you're saying POLE barn!" Then the native Michigander rolled his eyes and told me about eating a hamburg and pass-ta and his daddy workin' "over to Ford's." I'm 51 now, and I am constantly reminded that Michigan-ese is an acquired dialect. Maybe y'all can lighten up on Tom.
Aaron
Tue, Jul 3, 2012 : 11:08 p.m.
Wouldn't "y'all" be a southern thing perhaps Michigander's would say something like "eh" like those Yoopers say? I could be wrong.
AdmiralMoose
Mon, Jul 2, 2012 : 2:23 a.m.
You're missing the point, Abe. If you're not familiar with the structure and have to depend on the pronunciation of a Michigander, "pull" is what happens. Get over it. Find something substantial to comment about.
Honest Abe
Sun, Jul 1, 2012 : 8:46 p.m.
"Pole Barn" happens to be the correct name for such a building. There is no "Michigan-ese" to it. Perhaps when it is over, you will be asking for us to "lighten up" on you.
Red Floyd
Sun, Jul 1, 2012 : 1:56 p.m.
Good Job Ypsilanti Township Ordinance Department!!! People think they can run mechanic shops out of their garage and it practically destroys the quality of life in a residential neighborhood! The amount of traffic increases dramatically on the street, broken and busted cars are dropped off by tow trucks, and physically PUSHED into parking spaces along the street, folks will spend hours hanging out in the front yard of the house waiting for their repairs to be finished, oil is leaked all over the street, full engines sit out front in plain view, and the street is filled with the sound of an air wrench and the air compressor motor running to keep up from morning to night. It's an absolute nightmare. And for some reason, residential mechanic garages seem to go hand-in-hand with loud, thumping, rap music from cars driven by owners who simply don't care that anyone else has to listen to it. Cars will be jacked up in the driveway having brakes repaired, and will thump extremely loud music the entire time.
Charley Sullivan
Sat, Jun 30, 2012 : 11:37 p.m.
Copy editor?? What quaint notions some of you have about what the 'newspaper' business is like these days. No-one but the writer himself probably actually read this before it was posted live. But we get what we (don't) pay for.
Honest Abe
Sun, Jul 1, 2012 : 8:47 p.m.
Why don't you stand in front of Tom and tell us "You have to go through me, to get to him".
Honest Abe
Sat, Jun 30, 2012 : 11:07 p.m.
In reference to "pull barn" - That is what happens when you write words you can 'hear', but do not have a clue what you're writing. Sort of how folks say 'Belgium' instead of the correct word, "Belgian". But, it does not surprise me taking into consideration that Mlive/A2.Com has sub par writers, at best.
a2citizen
Sun, Jul 1, 2012 : 7:41 a.m.
Isn't Belgian one of the Benelux countries?
Nancy Corfman
Sat, Jun 30, 2012 : 5:58 p.m.
I only see 9 locations listed here, yet the title of the article mentions 11 property owners. Where are the other 2 located? Are they demolitions or "clean ups?" Yes, I agree there should have been better proof reading of this article before it went to print, especially using the word "pull" barn instead of "pole" barn. Bet the author is a city boy! The businesses and homes listed in the article should all be in Ypsilanti Twp, as Mr. Ron Fulton, Building Inspector, only handles inspections in the township. With all of the tax foreclosures, bank foreclosures and owners simply walking away, (and let's not forget the rental properties), the township is truly doing a great job in attempting to maintain a "blight free" and "positive community presence" to keep our property values up. I am a resident of the township and also a Neighborhood Watch Captain. Just in my neighborhood of 800+ residence's, it's very difficult to keep on eye on everything possible. However, I can honestly say our township officials, trustees, attorney, only 2 ordinance employees and 2 FT and 1 part time building inspectors are doing a fantastic job! Keep up the great work!
Tom Todd
Sat, Jun 30, 2012 : 8:23 p.m.
If all looks well, does it mean all act well.
jns131
Sat, Jun 30, 2012 : 5:33 p.m.
Wish you would include a map and maybe a cross street on all of these homes. Are most or all in Ypsilanti or Ann Arbor? Very confusing here.
Ann English
Sat, Jun 30, 2012 : 11:49 p.m.
All eight links work to show you where the homes are located. Often they're relatively near each other in Ypsilanti. If you click a link and want to see the name of an unlabeled cross street, you can press the + button to zoom in and most of the time, the names will appear after zooming in. Not so with the business end of Mansfield Street, I noticed. Those must be long driveways to businesses. I know, Mansfield isn't one of the streets with condemned homes on them, but is just west of Elder Street, which does. They're basically along the northern (Holmes Road) and southern (off Michigan Avenue) borders of Ypsilanti.
WalkingJoe
Sat, Jun 30, 2012 : 10:05 p.m.
Excuse me the title of the article explains it plainly, "Blight Beat: Ypsilanti Township approves legal action against 11 property owners."
Ryan
Sat, Jun 30, 2012 : 4:04 p.m.
"extension chords" .. Is that what happens when you use the sustain pedal on a piano? ;)
leaguebus
Sat, Jun 30, 2012 : 3:58 p.m.
I love the littering ticket for the car. . Did they take a lot of 8x10 glossies with circles and arrows?
stevek
Sun, Jul 1, 2012 : 3:44 p.m.
Alice's Restaurant
WalkingJoe
Sat, Jun 30, 2012 : 10:07 p.m.
Please help me, I'm having a senior moment. What song are you guys quoting? I know it but can't think of the name.
cornelius McDougenschniefferburgenstein jr. 3 esq.
Sat, Jun 30, 2012 : 9:45 p.m.
+ a paragragh on the back+in walked the judge with his seeing eye dog.
ffej440
Sat, Jun 30, 2012 : 3:07 p.m.
That would be Ron Fulton Building Director. I tried to find his salary with no luck. From his comments I bet he makes $100,000 + and has never been poor. Maybe if he spent some time at camp take notice or the shelter, he wouldn't think these conditions are so bad. I'm sure living in blight is better than the street. Homeless folks living on the street is not blight ? Oh, thats right section 8 vouchers available to live nowhere.
Red Floyd
Sun, Jul 1, 2012 : 2:03 p.m.
Ron Fulton is doing excellent work!!! Keep in mind, he is also working for the rest of the residents on the street, that have to live beside, and tolerate a blighted, nightmare house. I think we can all agree that there is a general standard of acceptability that most residents of town expect, and Ron Fulton is enforcing that on behalf of all the residents. Why you expect someone to live in substandard conditions because their landlord isn't responsible enough to maintain the property according to law, is beyond me. Perhaps you are a slumlord?
Honest Abe
Sat, Jun 30, 2012 : 11:29 p.m.
..........improperly installed water heaters? work performed with no permits? leaky natural gas lines and valves? outdated furnaces, unsafe exhaust venting......I can keep going!! Are you aware some of these things can kill you? Are you aware that you do not know anything about what you are talking about? They are not targeting them because of minor problems, as you are making it seem. They are targeting them because these places are not habitable or compatible with occupancy.
Honest Abe
Sat, Jun 30, 2012 : 11:24 p.m.
Also, it is a little bit more than leaky roofs. Now you are playing around in a field that I actually have professional credentials in. So, how about asbestos pipes? Lead paint? Termites? Rotted wood and sub floors? unstable foundations? black mold? High radon levels? improper functioning plumbing? Aluminum wiring? fire hazard fuse panels? No GFCI outlets near sinks? unsafe load bearing construction? damaged sewer line? water logged and stained ceilings? I can go on and on......ffej440.....You know diddly squat about residential and commercial buildings, safety and code.
Honest Abe
Sat, Jun 30, 2012 : 11:16 p.m.
Perhaps if YOU spent time looking at the properties Ron Fulton is talking about, you wouldn't think those condition were TOO GOOD! If your limited knowledge was not, well, so limited, you would probably revise your comment. Heck, who needs those pesky old building and housing codes? They serve no purpose and are meant to complicate peoples lives anyhow! They are only their to protect your safety and health! Who needs that!!??
Ben Petiprin
Sat, Jun 30, 2012 : 5:18 p.m.
I feel you, man. This "Office of Community Standards" is just a shoddy cover for gentrification.
ffej440
Sat, Jun 30, 2012 : 4:42 p.m.
Bad compared to what? living in the street ? A leaking roof and no water are nothing to deal with when homeless. The other items are not specific, but I have seen "No Occupancy" notices for little stuff like missing outlet covers and creaking stairs. My point being when all these places are gone, where are people to live? Commenters on this site have made it clear they don't want the poor in camps, or downtown on the streets, the shelter is full. So are you another that just wants them to vanish?
Ralph
Sat, Jun 30, 2012 : 3:24 p.m.
What difference does it make whether he has ever been poor. Some of the conditions described in the article are pretty bad. And someone has the balls to rent these places out. Rich or poor this is pretty much going on all over the County. You'd be surprised who owns some of the dumps in the area who don't seem to care.
YpsilantiResident
Sat, Jun 30, 2012 : 11:11 a.m.
Yea, I've never heard of a "pull" barn either .. Im also pretty sure there's no business by the name of "Drivers Drivleine" ?? There is also several mentions of "Fulton" with absolutely NO mention of "Fulton's" first name. This article definitely missed the desk of a proofreader before it was published.
Ryan
Sat, Jun 30, 2012 : 4:07 p.m.
Yeah, a quick search on Google turned up "Driver's Driveline" , rather than "drivleine"
AfterDark
Sat, Jun 30, 2012 : 10:43 a.m.
"pull barn" ??? never heard of a POLE BARN ??