CA: Do-it-yourselfer sues after city demolishes his dream - Sacramento

Sac Bee ^ | 2/18/03 | Denny Walsh

[NormsRevenge]

Mario Moreno says he was making repairs on the 48th Street structure when the city ordered it torn down for repeated building code violations.

Mario Moreno sat on the steps of a neighbor's house in disbelief, crying as he watched the building in which he had invested so much of himself pounded into a pile of dust.

[NormsRevenge]

A case of Property Right vs. Property Blight?

[NormsRevenge]

or just another bureaucracy runamuck?

[Eric in the Ozarks]

What arrogance.

[Calpernia]

That is just sad.

[NormsRevenge]

I wonder if now he can ask for assistance from the UN.

He sure qualifies for all the rights of a Palestinian living in Gaza or Jenin, the way this was pulled off.

[NormsRevenge]

Normally, a decision to demolish a structure starts with the recommendation of a field building inspector -- Vanella in this instance. However, Vanella never made such a recommendation.

Instead, Pino, who had never seen the building, requested Wang's approval to demolish it, and didn't inform him of the most recent repairs, Pino said in a deposition.

Who's on first? ;-\

[Tacis]

That will teach these Hispanics to pay what is due to the California civil servants. A couple of folded twenties every month or two could easily have prevented this. Unless, of course, the inspectors' boss wanted the property, sans structure, for himself.

It is likely that Moreno does have the legal right to live and work in this country. Had he been an illegal alien, the power of California would have been shifted to his support.

[thinktwice]

From a "comp" search for properties around 1915 48th St in Sacramanto ....

Property Address Sort by: Proximity Sales Price Sales Date Bedrooms Square Feet Year Built

1916 48TH 0.00 190,000 10/30/2001 2 750 1925
1901 48TH 0.02 245,000 08/15/2001 3 2500 1970

[Teacher317]

California really needed a few more large liabilities on its budget.

[fifteendogs]

I just love the smell of tyranny in the morning.

[Dead Dog]

Josh Pino needs "special attention".

[B4Ranch]

It's a case of taxes that the city wanted to collect. When a building is under repair or construction, property taxes are not in force.

[spodefly]

Welcome to California, Mr. Moreno.

[texas booster]

I have friends that have purchased old homes with the intent to rebuild them while living in them. I have never heard of building inspectors recommending demolition for any structure that was not abandoned and in really bad shape.

Except for a couple of times where the city came under scrutiny from newspapers discussing how little the city does to keep the city in good shape. Watch the department heads scramble to find a scapegoat.