[Tennessee_Bob]

What did they want from him in the first place? What were they waiting for?

From the article posted above:

Wolk's case dates to July when the city found 29 violations of the housing code at his two-story brick home in the 2400 block of North Avers, records show. After neighbors complained to the city, inspectors found a rotting porch, missing stairs, missing gutters, torn siding, a collapsed porch and other dangers.

Wolk was fined $14,500 on Oct. 16. He failed to show up for six court hearings. On Jan. 15, a judge issued a "body attachment" calling for police to take him into custody and use force if necessary.

Ald. Vilma Colom (35th) said her office tried for more than a year to deal with Wolk. She said she tried to tell him about city programs that could have provided money for repairs.

[wideawake]

So, the city was mad at him for not keeping up his property the way they wanted him to.

That kind of negates the whole concept of private property.

They didn't like his rotting porch, so they figured they'd smash in his door with a sledgehammer to make his property more presentable? Sorry, no sale.