Welcome to The Home Equity Theft Reporter, a blog dedicated to informing the consumer public and the legal profession about Home Equity Theft issues. This blog will consist of information describing the various forms of Home Equity Theft and links to news reports & other informational sources from throughout the country about the victims of Home Equity Theft and what government authorities and others are doing about it.
Saturday, May 13, 2017
Fire, Health, Zoning Violations, Electricity Shutoff Lead To Immediate Code Enforcement Boot For 20 Surprised Tenants In Now-Condemned Extended Stay Motel; Red Cross Steps In To Ease Transition For Angry Displaced Residents
In Tucson, Arizona, Tucson News Now reports:
Tenants staying at a Tucson extended stay motel are out on the streets after they discovered their building was condemned on Monday, April 24.
Tenants living in the South Building of the Fortuna Inn and Suites just north of downtown at 333 W. Drachman Street, said they were shocked to come back here and see code violation signs.
“I’m angry, very angry. Opened up the doorway and all the hallways were black,” tenant Helina said. She did not want to give her last name.
All 20 tenants living in the South Building of the Fortuna Inn and Suites woke up Monday to find their electricity had been shut off and Tucson police officers at their door.
“What were you told to do?” Tucson News Now asked. “Get out,” Helina said.
Helina and another tenant, Joleen Ramos, said they have lived in the building since last year and said they pay their rent on time each month, including April. But because of multiple code violations the city of Tucson has condemned the property.
“Frustrating. We either deserve our money back from this month’s rent or a place to go,” Ramos said.
Cristina Palsgrove with the city of Tucson’s Code Violation division said the property manager was served a notification five days ago that code enforcement would take action Monday.
“Management was notified on Thursday,” Palsgrove said. But apparently there was no warning for tenants.
“I’d like to know the reason behind that. Why we weren’t told,” tenant Fran Banks said.
Tucson News Now went inside the motel to get answers. But no one would come to the front desk.
The city of Tucson said the violations include improper zoning. “It’s a motel and they’re not zoned for long-term occupancy or equipped for that,” Palsgrove said.
Palsgrove said there was also a fire code violation with exposed wiring and a number of health code issues. All of this has left tenants scrambling to find another place to live.
Tucson News Now: Where does this leave you? “Out in the heat basically,” Ramos said.
The Red Cross was working with tenants to place them in shelters and help find them alternative places to live. If you would like to get in contact with them call, 520-318-6740.
As far as the owner of the property. An employee of Fortuna Inn and Suites provided Tucson News Now with the man’s name and email. He’s associated with a jewelry company that manufactures and imports jewelry out of Hong Kong. Tucson News Now has reached out to him through email for a comment but we have not received a response.
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Land Contract/Contract For Deed/Rent-To-Own Rackets
The New York Times: The Housing Trap (In the wake of the housing crisis, low-income families have turned to seller financing to buy homes but these deals can be a money trap)
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The NY Times: Arbitration Everywhere, Stacking the Deck of Justice(Part 1 in series examining how clauses buried in tens of millions of contracts have deprived Americans of one of their most fundamental constitutional rights: their day in court)
Foreclosure Mills' Abysmal Record In Complying With New NYS Foreclosure Requirements
Justice Deceived: How Large Foreclosure Firms Subvert State Regulations Protecting Homeowners
MFY Legal Services Report On Questionable Practices By Process Servers In Debt Collection Cases
Justice Disserved: A Preliminary Analysis of the Exceptionally
Low Appearance Rate by Defendants in Lawsuits Filed in the Civil Court of the City of New York
Mortgage Mess Redux: Robo-Signers Return (A Reuters investigation finds that many banks are still employing the controversial foreclosure practices that sparked a major outcry last year)
CNN Video: As Foreclosures Mount, Florida Court Turns To 'Rocket Docket'
The Wall Street Journal: A Florida Court's 'Rocket Docket' Blasts Through Foreclosure Cases (2 Questions, 15 Seconds, 45 Days to Get Out; 'What's to Talk About?' Says a Judge)
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ABC Video: Fighting Against Foreclosure (Some homeowners have found a new tactic to keep the banks at bay)
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