This video reflects the concern of a local historian over the recent March 2013 demolition of 3691 Avalon Road and the impending demolition of other homes in Shaker Heights, Ohio (especially Avalon and Daleford Roads). The beautiful Lomond area is just east and south of the intersection of Chagrin Blvd. and Lee Road. This area is significant architecturally, and is also the site of the oldest home in Shaker Heights - the Moses Warren house (built 1817 - and still standing). An internet search shows the astounding number of foreclosures and makes one wonder how the demolition of perfectly good homes can be be prevented.
All -- I am investing in properties in and around Cleveland. I wrote an early posting on this, but it did not publish. Anyway, it's a tax issue. The taxes in Shaker and Cleve Hgts are enormous and these foreclosures have huge taxes unpaid. As these homes go to auction nobody wants to pay the owned amounts (tens of thousands). Even when these properties are put up for tax lien auction the amounts are too great to interest buyers or fix/flip pros. Hence, City of Shaker figures just rip them down to save them from becoming meth lab and hurting neighborhood. So, one solution is to get community to "crowd source" funds to pay off these taxes and then recoup that money by selling to real families interested in community -- at good interest rates and maybe with city/gov help. I am happy to work with anyone interested in doing this. If something does not happen you will see this everywhere. You have no idea how many homes are in this situation. Let me know and love to hear comments. Bob Chew bchew [dot] boldpointnow [at] gmail [dot] com
Engineered by Rokakis-Frangos BEFORE subprime mortgage
scandal:
Plain Dealer, The (Cleveland, OH) - Wednesday, May 17, 2006
Author: Thomas Ott, Plain Dealer Reporter
A new state law will allow counties to more quickly seize many abandoned properties.
The law will let county boards of revision instead of the courts rule on foreclosure of abandoned property for back taxes.
The Ohio House voted 86-1 Tuesday to concur with Senate changes in the bill, sending it to the governor for his signature.
The change would be particularly helpful in Cuyahoga County, where the court system is flooded with foreclosures. The move would require approval from the county commissioners.
A recent count showed that of 13,597 pending foreclosures, 2,053, or 15 percent, were filed by the county for back taxes. The other cases were filed by lenders against owners who were behind on their mortgages.
Most of Cuyahoga County's abandoned tax-delinquent properties are in Cleveland and East Cleveland, said County Treasurer Jim Rokakis, whose aide, Gus Frangos , wrote the original bill. State Rep. Sally Conway Kilbane, a Rocky River Republican, sponsored the legislation.
Frangos , a former Cleveland councilman, said a tax foreclosure may stretch out for more than a year in court, but the Board of Revision could wrap up cases in four or five months.
The board 's main job is to hear appeals of property valuations.
If no one challenges the foreclosure, the board could immediately transfer the property to a new owner, Rokakis said.
Properties that fail to draw interest from private bidders may be turned over to city land banks or nonprofit neighborhood groups for redevelopment.
* My blogs expressing my Freedom of Speech Rights, especially on matters of public concern, are my opinion and not the opinion of my friends, family or employer*
Did Shaker Heights, especially - prior to subprime - target delinquent tax lien properties owned by African-American households for former treasurer Jim Rokakis' tax lien sales???
And, selectively look the other way on "non-minority" residency cases for school enrollment, while pursuing and expelling African-American violators using Shaker for school enrollment???
It would take me a couple full days to research Cleveland, East Cleveland, Euclid and Garfield Heights- the hardest hit areas with the tax lien sales.
Shaker Heights was not heavily sold out to tax lien thieves. A lot of the Shaker Heights property is from bank foreclosures.
I researched all of the property owned by Plymouth Park Tax Services a couple of years ago when I researched their delinquent property taxes owed to the county. There are only two Shaker Heights properties on my list:
Many property owners were targeted for petty delinquent property taxes and sold out by the county, while other property owners connected to county officials whose paycheck was dependent upon property taxes didn't even get a slap on the wrist:
* My blogs expressing my Freedom of Speech Rights, especially on matters of public concern, are my opinion and not the opinion of my friends, family or employer*
Transfer date to Aeon Financial fbo CapitalSource Bank thieves 8/11/11. No taxes paid since the 2011 tranfer. Taxes owed $3,646.69
PARCEL ID
731-19-009
OWNERS NAME
PLYMOUTH PARK TAX SERVICES LLC
ADDRESS
02881 WEYMOUTH RD
CITY
SHAKER HEIGHTS
ZIP
44120
Property taxes were paid, which means this property has value or they would not have paid their taxes.
Prior to losing their property to the tax lien thieves, the former owners owned this property since at least 1975- earliest date for county fiscal on-line records:
Property transferred 10/19/12. Delinquent property taxes owed $10,583.30. No taxes paid since the transfer.
* My blogs expressing my Freedom of Speech Rights, especially on matters of public concern, are my opinion and not the opinion of my friends, family or employer*
Thank you Lily - I was wrong on the first question. The second question is does Shaker Heights selectively kick some students out of their schools while allowing others with questionable residency.
Thank you for putting the real estate in context. I threw it against the wall and it didn't stick, but there was-is a relationship between Shaker Heights and Rokakis-Frangos-Board of Revision that existed before the Land Bank and I am guessing it relates to recovery of monies to support the school system in Shaker Heights.
Former Mayor Judy Rawson was a big supporter of Rokakis in 2009, even as the PD noted his office was stacked with a number of unnecessary people.
Basically - a lot of folks, like Rawson, made a deal with the devil by supporting the sale of tax lien sales as legislated by Rokakis and Frangos. They thought that the good outweighed the bad and they were wrong.
And, the rest of us are faced with the on-going need to integrate our neighborhoods - and finding a place to live that is not going to be undermined by the "flipping" associated with integrating a neighborhood.
All -- I am investing in properties in and around Cleveland. I wrote an early posting on this, but it did not publish. Anyway, it's a tax issue. The taxes in Shaker and Cleve Hgts are enormous and these foreclosures have huge taxes unpaid. As these homes go to auction nobody wants to pay the owned amounts (tens of thousands). Even when these properties are put up for tax lien auction the amounts are too great to interest buyers or fix/flip pros. Hence, City of Shaker figures just rip them down to save them from becoming meth lab and hurting neighborhood. So, one solution is to get community to "crowd source" funds to pay off these taxes and then recoup that money by selling to real families interested in community -- at good interest rates and maybe with city/gov help. I am happy to work with anyone interested in doing this. If something does not happen you will see this everywhere. You have no idea how many homes are in this situation. Let me know and love to hear comments. Bob Chew bchew [dot] boldpointnow [at] gmail [dot] com
I graduated from Shaker in 71. With Peter Lawson Jones, Jane Campbell and Marcia Fudge.
Since then Shaker has discovered over 3000 nonresident students. Peters wife Lisa( now local Democratic chairman) was the shaker registrar and discovered and expelled about about a thousand of those students.
In Cleveland hts over 4000 similar nonresident students were expelled.
All of the registrars in both communities and all the expelled students have one thing in common...every single one was Afroamerican. Never a single White student even investigated...
That our local Black leadership...
White parents from Cleveland would never seek a better education for their children like Black parents who apparently are the only ones willing to perjur themselves.
Once in Shaker or Cleveland hts schools the vicious level system traps Black kids in alledgedly remedial classes where they only fall further behind. Both schools state report cards ( both poor) note that only the top quintile are performing adequately.
Shaker by closing 3 of 4 elementary schools south of chagrin and one of 5 north of chagrin was profoundly racist and income related. This happened in 1984.
About when Shaker closed off 2 streets at Scottsdale to keep Cleveland Blacks out. I fought both iniatives at the time...but who listened.
Shakers housing office only helped Whites buy south of Chagrin...later the courts found that practice to be illegal.
Lee Fishers wife Peggy Zone makes 160k at the phony Diversity charity that does NOTHING.
Desegregated does not mean nonracist at ALL.
This article is just stupid propaganda.
Every black owned bar has been closed on various pretexts over the years. Sometimes for drugs being transacted at the bar. Huge amounts were transferred at the white owned Noggins and Boardinghouse without any comment.
Black motorists are routinely stopped transititing Shaker...ever visit Shaker court? Simply the worst! Violations of the federal LEADS system a daily occurance.
My community has nothing to be proud of racially despite a few Uncle Tom Porch type Black faces presented as ' Leaders'.
That they are held up as a model and somehow superior is Orwellian.
The Van Aken shopping center is another aspect of the most charitable Ratner family looting Cleveland( as if the Public square renovations done for their benefit only so they could sell their adjoining properties for monies wasn't sufficient).
With 30 odd millions of government and nonprofit assistance including 20 odd low interest and forgivable loans to tenants the Ratner's built or renovated about 25 millions in improvements for which around 100 million was hence loaned opon...leaving only 75 odd millions in upfront profit. Not a sustainable national model...note Marcia Fudge as HUD Secretary? Never has a developer been given such a deal anywhere.
Just another aspect of what has made Cleveland America's poorest city
Submitted by Gone Fishin on Sun, 06/16/2013 - 20:45.
Plymouth Park Tax Lien thieves do not pay property taxes after foreclosing on others for delinquent property taxes. They only pay taxes if there is value to the property and they can profit.
If there is no profit, there is no tax collection.
In this particular case, there are also board-up fees, grass cutting fees, garbage collection fees, violation fees, on top of delinquent property taxes.
Transfer date 3-8-11. Over two years of not paying property taxes after these bitches foreclosed on the owner for not paying property taxes.
Plymouth Park Tax Services owes Cuyahoga County $25,429.34 and the county continues to allow Plymouth Park Tax Services to profit from other properties- while cutting THEIR grass and boarding up THEIR property.
This property will be 'donated' to the county land bank so that taxpayers can foot the $25,429.34 bill AND the demolition bill.
Local property owners who have lost their property to these thieves would be very pissed off to learn that our incompetent county officials are allowing this to happen.
Folks across the country would be shocked to learn that Cuyahoga County officials allow tax lien purchasers to foreclose on property owners for delinquent property taxes and then NOT PAY THEIR OWN PROPERTY TAXES - for YEARS.
Prior to being sold out by incompetent county officials, the former owners owned this property since 1985:
* My blogs expressing my Freedom of Speech Rights, especially on matters of public concern, are my opinion and not the opinion of my friends, family or employer*
From a discussion at Clevelanders for Transportation - no *SURPRISE* the whole shell game again with your money (4million plus and counting) and it's set to be dismantled like Voices for Choices and more of the same:
Angie Schmitt NOACA could also do this kind of thing. And might. But they're not really an agenda setting organization in the region right now unfortunately.
Angie Schmitt It's sorta sad I think that that hasn't developed more naturally, at least for urban design types. I think people are afraid to criticize, that they'll be punished.
Angie Schmitt I think a lot of them post their opinions anonymously on the closed forum Urban Ohio. I'm not really sure how much that accomplishes though.
Marc Lefkowitz I'm not sure if I would call it a master plan or not for how we want to grow as a region, but the VibrantNEO plan and recommendations is a good or at least most recent place to start. It brought data into the question of sprawl vs smart growth and showed that all of NEO will be worse off with sprawl. It's a zero sum game we're currently playing. The work NOACA's Grace Gallucci did on this is a sign of positive movement. The VibrantNEO team is looking for a way to implement parts of their regional smart growth plan. I actually think you might have some -some- suburban leaders who get this. Not enough, IMO. We need a summit that brings them, and the new county leadership, together with NOACA to figure out, do we want the type of future that continues to build vibrant places that attract the "young people" (Kasich) or do we continue doing business as usual and lose to places like Pittsburgh.
Marc Lefkowitz ^David's been meeting with the VibrantNEO board who is trying to decide if they will continue as an organization. Grace is still involved. But it's a commentary on Cleveland how irrational decisions continue to happen here even after a slam dunk case has been made to change course.
Marc Lefkowitz Of course, you know David wrote about this and put together a Bioregional Plan for growth back in 1998. The VibrantNEO conclusions were really an outgrowth of that. I agree, David would/is a good leader for this effort. So is Grace.http://www.gcbl.org/files/resources/bioregionalplan1998.pdf
Angie Schmitt Yeah if you could get like David, Grace, Jenita, someone from NPI, Terri Schwarz and a few others to say, we have thi splan to increase transit ridership by 20% by 2025 or something that would be useful I think.
Charles Gliha Is density gd or bad, that's the critical issue. It's tough for pols because Americans starting with Jefferson are historically anti-density, or at least ambivalent.
From density flows lots of gd, but in the popular mind, more bad....See More
Angie Schmitt It was basically a dumb idea for NEOSCC to spend 3 three studying the problem. We need an action plan. Fail. Man. Major fail. Well we have the study so developing an action plan should be easy. Something like 20% increase in transit ridership over the next decade or so. That shouldn't even require much thought.
Marc Lefkowitz ^I like that goal. I think you'd want to have a corresponding land use plan that supports it. Density is king. Let's look at the growth trajectory of downtown Cleveland as an indicator that even in Cleveland density is desirable again. I think you also need to include the electeds in that 'press conference'.
Marc Lefkowitz Can we also include the business community somehow? I feel like other places had more success i.e. got the electeds to take this more seriously when they got guys in suits talking about it. Maybe we should all start going to CVB/Growth Ass. meetings. LOL.
The irony, of course, is that Rokakis and friends designed every single piece of legislation and procedures that has led to these grotesque, long standing abuses of the citizenry.
Our neighbors are losing their homes and having their lives destroyed.
Neighborhoods are being blighted.
Public officials, oversight agencies, the courts and the media - especially the PD and NEOMG - have been alerted repeatedly to these problems for years. And done nothing.
The NAACP asked the county to cease the tax lien sales well over a year ago.
That Mr. Tobias and his editors apparently only feel this is newsworthy because the "right" people are calling it a problem sickens me.
There are shell games being perpetrated by many of the people who claim to be protecting our interests.
This is no lesser a scandal than the Dimora/Russo, and should have been brought to justice along with them.
Are you paying taxes??!! Suckas! See how Brian Cummins' contributer above is not paying his taxes -- AND
Here's a little institutional memory : Frangos and Rokakis legislated the first sale of tax liens. The gravy train started in the nineties under Mike White (controlled by Forest City's Sam Miller) when local politicos (pure evil genius) realized they could change the laws at the state level to benefit real estate interests-
BUSINESSES CHIP IN TO KEEP MAJORITY OF CITY COUNCILPlain Dealer, The (Cleveland, OH) - Friday, September 17, 1993Author: BENJAMIN MARRISON and CATHERINE L. KISSLING PLAIN DEALER REPORTERS
Big Business is PAC-ing in the money for Cleveland City Council.
PACs, or political action committees, account for nearly one-third of the money raised by a newly formed "Council Leadership Fund," which has collected $135,563 to retain a majority of council members who face re-election this year, according to documents filed yesterday with the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections.
Political action committees representing area law firms, businesses and developers, many of which represent interests that do business with the city, contributed $42,800 to the fund.
The fund is controlled by Council President Jay Westbrook. Mayor Michael R. White and businessman Sam Miller have pledged to help Westbrook raise $300,000.
(the article continues)
In Ward 13, Gary Paulenske , who was appointed to his seat, has raised $10,385 since January. Gus Frangos , who appointed him to the seat, gave about 20% - $2,000 - of funds so far.Paulenske , who has spent all but about $600 of his money, also received $1,000 from Jacobs.
So you see Brian - nothing changes except the names. Frangos, Rokakis and their ilk found way to make CDCs work for them. And, their real estate games are killing this city. Foreclosure, flipping, demolitions and shoddy tax-abated new construction. And, their little empire started with selling tax liens.
Tax lien sales were legislated at state level by Frangos in 1998.
From the Cuyahoga County's website:
"Ohio Revised code sections 5721.30 to 5721.43 permits the Cuyahoga County Treasurer to sell tax lien certificates on parcels that have delinquent taxes.
Since 1998 Cuyahoga County has utilized these code sections to conduct tax lien certificate sales which have resulted in significant increases in the collection of delinquent taxes. The primary beneficiaries of the increased collections have been school districts"
BUT even the sale of tax lien sales couldn't put money in the pockets of Frangos-Rokakis' friends and political supporters FAST ENOUGH - so foreclosure laws were put in high gear:
Law OKs speedier foreclosures
Plain Dealer, The (Cleveland, OH) - Wednesday, May 17, 2006
Author: Thomas Ott, Plain Dealer Reporter
A new state law will allow counties to more quickly seize many abandoned properties.
The law will let county boardsofrevision instead of the courts rule on foreclosure of abandoned property for back taxes.
The Ohio House voted 86-1 Tuesday to concur with Senate changes in the bill, sending it to the governor for his signature.
The change would be particularly helpful in Cuyahoga County, where the court system is flooded with foreclosures. The move would require approval from the county commissioners.
A recent count showed that of 13,597 pending foreclosures, 2,053, or 15 percent, were filed by the county for back taxes. The other cases were filed by lenders against owners who were behind on their mortgages.
Most of Cuyahoga County's abandoned tax-delinquent properties are in Cleveland and East Cleveland, said County Treasurer Jim Rokakis, whose aide, Gus Frangos , wrote the original bill. State Rep. Sally Conway Kilbane, a Rocky River Republican, sponsored the legislation.
Frangos , a former Cleveland councilman, said a tax foreclosure may stretch out for more than a year in court, but the BoardofRevision could wrap up cases in four or five months.
The board 's main job is to hear appeals of property valuations.
If no one challenges the foreclosure, the board could immediately transfer the property to a new owner, Rokakis said.
Properties that fail to draw interest from private bidders may be turned over to city land banks or nonprofit neighborhood groups for redevelopment.
More than 20 other states have similar procedures, Frangos said.
UnREALNEO - three women bloggging at REALNEO have been calling this since 2008 - you don't want to acknowledge that we knew this was undermining the tax base in Northeast Ohio, beyond repair. And, Northeast Ohio Media Group CONTINUES to cover for the two primary swindlers who have been gutting Cuyahoga County for years - Jim Rokakis and Gus Frangos.
Both started their scheme while in CLE council and they continue to work that body for all it is worth through the federally funded Community Development Corporations that exist at the behest of the council reps. Armond Budish needs to dissolve the "Land Bank" now - it's a tax cleansing mechanism for investors in the scheme Rokakis-Frangos cooked up a la the "Tremont model" of gentrification, looking for the "flip." It's not working in Slavic Village - where they try to dress up the devastation they caused there with "straw buyers" and it's not going to land a profit for Ginmark properties on West 25th - the transportation corridor they have been playing since council days for the infusion of state and federal monies due, as it SOMEDAY gets an upgrade. Budish needs to crack down and collect taxes - starting with properties owned by Gus Frangos and his shell companies. He needs to take these people to court - now and scare some of them into paying with possible jail time. Under Rokakis as treasurer - many Section 8 rental property owners got a way with not paying taxes on their properties. Many of those folks immediately payed up when FitzGerald took office. There is a need for a federal investigation by HUD right there.
^^^^^^^above comment deleted ^^^^ I called Chris Evans at NEOMG who would not divulge who censors their content - he referred to these people as his superiors "DigiOp" personnel. What a crock - Evans is perhaps the sorriest excuse for a journalist we have in NEO.
@beautifulcity I agree - but I would not use a pseudonym to make your point. The study you cite should be read by the Greater Cleveland Partnership folks behind the Opportunity Corridor- INCLUDING a Bike Cleveland board member Marie Kitteridge.
CLE's leadership doesn't pass the smell test when it comes to spending federal and state transportation dollars. It doesn't pass the test w/local dollars as in the case of Councilman Tony Brancatelli hoarding street repairs dollars - for what? I would also suggest you read Responsive City by Stephen Goldsmith and Susan Crawford.
Other cities - with corruption issues like CLE - DC, Chicago, Boston, New York - driven by insane real estate schemes-- are SLOWLY recognizing that even with as much drivel "comeback" promotion thrown at residents - no one is going to buy it when their roadways and bridges are collapsing. Even Chicago is moving towards Open Government - https://data.cityofchicago.org/
In retirement - I will not choose to stay in CLE, if the "Opportunity Corridor" folks continue to design CLE's future.
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All -- I am investing in properties in and around Cleveland. I wrote an early posting on this, but it did not publish. Anyway, it's a tax issue. The taxes in Shaker and Cleve Hgts are enormous and these foreclosures have huge taxes unpaid. As these homes go to auction nobody wants to pay the owned amounts (tens of thousands). Even when these properties are put up for tax lien auction the amounts are too great to interest buyers or fix/flip pros. Hence, City of Shaker figures just rip them down to save them from becoming meth lab and hurting neighborhood. So, one solution is to get community to "crowd source" funds to pay off these taxes and then recoup that money by selling to real families interested in community -- at good interest rates and maybe with city/gov help. I am happy to work with anyone interested in doing this. If something does not happen you will see this everywhere. You have no idea how many homes are in this situation. Let me know and love to hear comments. Bob Chew bchew [dot] boldpointnow [at] gmail [dot] com
Tax Lien Sales - BEFORE Subprime Mortgage
Engineered by Rokakis-Frangos BEFORE subprime mortgage
scandal:
Plain Dealer, The (Cleveland, OH) - Wednesday, May 17, 2006
Author: Thomas Ott, Plain Dealer Reporter
A new state law will allow counties to more quickly seize many abandoned properties.
The law will let county boards of revision instead of the courts rule on foreclosure of abandoned property for back taxes.
The Ohio House voted 86-1 Tuesday to concur with Senate changes in the bill, sending it to the governor for his signature.
The change would be particularly helpful in Cuyahoga County, where the court system is flooded with foreclosures. The move would require approval from the county commissioners.
A recent count showed that of 13,597 pending foreclosures, 2,053, or 15 percent, were filed by the county for back taxes. The other cases were filed by lenders against owners who were behind on their mortgages.
Most of Cuyahoga County's abandoned tax-delinquent properties are in Cleveland and East Cleveland, said County Treasurer Jim Rokakis, whose aide, Gus Frangos , wrote the original bill. State Rep. Sally Conway Kilbane, a Rocky River Republican, sponsored the legislation.
Frangos , a former Cleveland councilman, said a tax foreclosure may stretch out for more than a year in court, but the Board of Revision could wrap up cases in four or five months.
The board 's main job is to hear appeals of property valuations.
If no one challenges the foreclosure, the board could immediately transfer the property to a new owner, Rokakis said.
Properties that fail to draw interest from private bidders may be turned over to city land banks or nonprofit neighborhood groups for redevelopment.
While Rokakis controlled Treasurer's Office
and Frangos controlled Board of
Revision!!!!
http://realneo.us/content/cuyahoga-county-property-tax-lien-sale-may-31-2013-warning-pay-your-property-taxes-or-face-p
Look at who is in charge of land banks
Destroying everything in sight. He destroyed an ENTIRE NEIGHBORHOOD. This property is still standing though. Big financial plans for this property.
NONE of the dumps have been demolished. No housing code violation cases filed in court either.
http://realneo.us/content/cuyahoga-county-foreclosure-crisis-who-will-sa...
* My blogs expressing my Freedom of Speech Rights, especially on matters of public concern, are my opinion and not the opinion of my friends, family or employer*
Shaker Hts-Cleve Hts Dirty little Land Bank secret
Did Shaker Heights, especially - prior to subprime - target delinquent tax lien properties owned by African-American households for former treasurer Jim Rokakis' tax lien sales???
And, selectively look the other way on "non-minority" residency cases for school enrollment, while pursuing and expelling African-American violators using Shaker for school enrollment???
Shaker Heights
Shaker Heights property in county control:
Shaker Heights property owned by Aeon Finanical tax thieves;
735-23-035 AEON FINANCIAL LLC 03709 SUDBURY SHAKER HEIGHTS
735-27-091 AEON FINANCIAL LLC 03643 ROLLISTON SHAKER HEIGHTS
Shaker Heights property owned by Plymouth Park Tax Service thieves:
731-19-009 PLYMOUTH PARK TAX SERVICES LLC 02881 WEYMOUTH SHAKER HEIGHTS
735-03-027 PLYMOUTH PARK TAX SERVICES, LL 03265 ENDERBY SHAKER HEIGHTS
Shaker Heights property owned by Shaker Heights and Shaker Heights Land Bank:
734-16-013 SHAKER HEIGHTS CITY OF WARRENSVILLE CENTER SHAKER HEIGHTS
735-24-026 SHAKER HEIGHTS CITY OF 03628 CHELTON SHAKER HEIGHTS
735-21-006 SHAKER HEIGHTS CITY OF 03654 MENLO SHAKER HEIGHTS
735-22-012 SHAKER HEIGHTS CITY OF 00000 MENLO SHAKER HEIGHTS
735-22-115 SHAKER HEIGHTS CITY OF CHAGRIN SHAKER HEIGHTS
735-23-005 SHAKER HEIGHTS CITY OF SCOTTSDALE SHAKER HEIGHTS
733-04-008 SHAKER HEIGHTS CITY OF FAIRMOUNT SHAKER HEIGHTS
733-04-009 SHAKER HEIGHTS CITY OF FAIRMOUNT SHAKER HEIGHTS
731-04-016 SHAKER HEIGHTS CITY OF NORTH MORELAND SHAKER HEIGHTS
733-23-020 SHAKER HEIGHTS CITY OF SHAKER SHAKER HEIGHTS
735-13-089 SHAKER HEIGHTS CITY OF 03342 ASHBY SHAKER HEIGHTS
731-18-028 SHAKER HEIGHTS CITY OF SUTTON SHAKER HEIGHTS
731-27-020 SHAKER HEIGHTS CITY OF SOUTHINGTON SHAKER HEIGHTS
735-15-014 SHAKER HEIGHTS CITY OF ASHBY SHAKER HEIGHTS
735-15-015 SHAKER HEIGHTS CITY OF ASHBY SHAKER HEIGHTS
735-16-002 SHAKER HEIGHTS CITY OF 16201 CHAGRIN SHAKER HEIGHTS
731-25-026 SHAKER HEIGHTS CITY OF 00000 WOODBURY SHAKER HEIGHTS
732-04-001 SHAKER HEIGHTS CITY OF SHAKER SHAKER HEIGHTS
SHAKER HEIGHTS
35-23-081 SHAKER HEIGHTS, CITY OF 03706 CHELTON SHAKER HEIGHTS
735-24-047 SHAKER HEIGHTS, CITY OF 03641 CHELTON SHAKER HEIGHTS
735-21-003 SHAKER HEIGHTS, CITY OF 03666 MENLO SHAKER HEIGHTS
735-21-039 SHAKER HEIGHTS, CITY OF 03653 MENLO SHAKER HEIGHTS
735-13-025 SHAKER HEIGHTS, CITY OF 03367 SUTTON SHAKER HEIGHTS
735-13-048 SHAKER HEIGHTS, CITY OF 03326 COLWYN SHAKER HEIGHTS
735-14-014 SHAKER HEIGHTS, CITY OF 03292 MILVERTON SHAKER HEIGHTS
735-15-055 SHAKER HEIGHTS, CITY OF 03452 MILVERTON SHAKER HEIGHTS
735-16-003 SHAKER HEIGHTS, CITY OF 16500 VAN AKEN SHAKER HEIGHTS
732-04-002 SHAKER HTS CITY OF SHAKER SHAKER HEIGHTS
732-28-002 SHAKER HTS CITY OF ANDOVER SHAKER HEIGHTS
733-31-013 SHAKER HTS CITY OF BOYCE SHAKER HEIGHTS
733-15-009 SHAKER HTS CITY OF CHESTERTON SHAKER HEIGHTS
733-15-010 SHAKER HTS CITY OF CHESTERTON SHAKER HEIGHTS
733-12-016 SHAKER HTS CITY OF WARRENSVILLE CENTER SHAKER HEIGHTS
735-20-141 SHAKER HTS CITY OF 03753 MENLO SHAKER HEIGHTS
735-20-149 SHAKER HTS CITY OF 03728 MENLO SHAKER HEIGHTS
735-18-008 SHAKER HTS CITY OF CHAGRIN SHAKER HEIGHTS
733-29-014 SHAKER HTS CITY OF COURTLAND SHAKER HEIGHTS
735-28-047 SHAKER HTS CITY OF 06400 KENYON SHAKER HEIGHTS
735-17-016 SHAKER HTS CITY OF CEMETERY LEE SHAKER HEIGHTS
735-30-129 SHAKER HTS CITY OF L/B 00 00000 LOMOND & REIDHAM SHAKER HEIGHTS
736-20-089 SHAKER HTS CITY OF L/B 03 03562 WINCHELL SHAKER HEIGHTS
736-10-004 SHAKER HTS CTY OF 03470 WARRENSVILLE CENTER SHAKER HEIGHTS
735-17-014 SHAKER HTS HOUSING ASSOC
733-31-002 SHAKER HTS LIB BD OF TR 20600 FAYETTE SHAKER HEIGHTS
735-15-041 SHAKER HTS, CITY OF 03443 MILVERTON SHAKER HEIGHTS
735-20-043 SHAKER HTS, CITY OF 03682 HILDANA SHAKER HEIGHTS
735-28-029 SHAKER HTS, CITY OF 16840 CHAGRIN SHAKER HEIGHTS
MASS DESTRUCTION.
It would take me a couple full days to research Cleveland, East Cleveland, Euclid and Garfield Heights- the hardest hit areas with the tax lien sales.
Shaker Heights was not heavily sold out to tax lien thieves. A lot of the Shaker Heights property is from bank foreclosures.
I researched all of the property owned by Plymouth Park Tax Services a couple of years ago when I researched their delinquent property taxes owed to the county. There are only two Shaker Heights properties on my list:
3651 Latimore Rd, Shaker Hts, OH 44122 delinquent taxes $8,767.02
3608 Palmerston RD, Shaker Hts, OH 44122 delinquent taxes $28,184.22
http://realneo.us/content/plymouth-park-tax-services-aka-xspand-cuyahoga-county-victims-corruption-deserve-justice
I also researched every single tax lien sold by the county to tax lien thieves. Shaker Heights was barely hit with the tax lien sales.
The above property does NOT include any property that was already given or nearly given to the chosen few. http://realneo.us/content/cuyahoga-county-land-bank-continues-give-county-taxpayer-property-flippers
Many property owners were targeted for petty delinquent property taxes and sold out by the county, while other property owners connected to county officials whose paycheck was dependent upon property taxes didn't even get a slap on the wrist:
http://realneo.us/content/cuyahoga-county-land-bank-president-gus-frangos-worlds-biggest-idiot-land-bank-scam-fraud-wa
* My blogs expressing my Freedom of Speech Rights, especially on matters of public concern, are my opinion and not the opinion of my friends, family or employer*
Shaker Heights & Tax Lien Thieves
Property owned by the tax lien thieves and delinquent property taxes owed to the county:
Transfer date to Aeon Financial fbo CapitalSource Bank thieves 6/2/11. No taxes paid since the 2011 transfer. Taxes owed $2,272.85
Transfer date to Aeon Financial fbo CapitalSource Bank thieves 8/11/11. No taxes paid since the 2011 tranfer. Taxes owed $3,646.69
Property taxes were paid, which means this property has value or they would not have paid their taxes.
Prior to losing their property to the tax lien thieves, the former owners owned this property since at least 1975- earliest date for county fiscal on-line records:
This property is presently listed for sale for $135,000 http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/2881-Weymouth-Rd-Shaker-Heights-OH-44120/33683781_zpid/
Property transferred 10/19/12. Delinquent property taxes owed $10,583.30. No taxes paid since the transfer.
* My blogs expressing my Freedom of Speech Rights, especially on matters of public concern, are my opinion and not the opinion of my friends, family or employer*
Integration and Schools- Shaker Heights
Thank you Lily - I was wrong on the first question. The second question is does Shaker Heights selectively kick some students out of their schools while allowing others with questionable residency.
Thank you for putting the real estate in context. I threw it against the wall and it didn't stick, but there was-is a relationship between Shaker Heights and Rokakis-Frangos-Board of Revision that existed before the Land Bank and I am guessing it relates to recovery of monies to support the school system in Shaker Heights.
Former Mayor Judy Rawson was a big supporter of Rokakis in 2009, even as the PD noted his office was stacked with a number of unnecessary people.
Treasurer workers earn more, process fewer bills than others Cuyahoga tax costs top average among state's metropolitan county agencies
For some reason PD put Kevin O'Brien on the byline for Rawson and other letters in defense of Rokakis:
http://blog.cleveland.com/letters/2009/05/bad_rap_for_rokakis_a_gross_di.html
Crowther and Wiseman both essentially wrote defense as they depended on jobs created by Rokakis:
http://blog.cleveland.com/letters/2009/05/bad_rap_for_rokakis_preservati.html
http://blog.cleveland.com/letters/2009/05/bad_rap_for_rokakis_he_works_h.html
Here were some follow up interviews in 2010 - at height of corruption probe:
http://www.ideastream.org/soi/entry/27931
http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2010/11/cuyahoga_county_treasurer_jim_5.html
Basically - a lot of folks, like Rawson, made a deal with the devil by supporting the sale of tax lien sales as legislated by Rokakis and Frangos. They thought that the good outweighed the bad and they were wrong.
And, the rest of us are faced with the on-going need to integrate our neighborhoods - and finding a place to live that is not going to be undermined by the "flipping" associated with integrating a neighborhood.
All -- I am investing in properties in and around Cleveland. I wrote an early posting on this, but it did not publish. Anyway, it's a tax issue. The taxes in Shaker and Cleve Hgts are enormous and these foreclosures have huge taxes unpaid. As these homes go to auction nobody wants to pay the owned amounts (tens of thousands). Even when these properties are put up for tax lien auction the amounts are too great to interest buyers or fix/flip pros. Hence, City of Shaker figures just rip them down to save them from becoming meth lab and hurting neighborhood. So, one solution is to get community to "crowd source" funds to pay off these taxes and then recoup that money by selling to real families interested in community -- at good interest rates and maybe with city/gov help. I am happy to work with anyone interested in doing this. If something does not happen you will see this everywhere. You have no idea how many homes are in this situation. Let me know and love to hear comments. Bob Chew bchew [dot] boldpointnow [at] gmail [dot] com
http://www.boldpointnow.com/#!executive_training_/c24d2
Integration in Shaker Schools - BHM Mitch Paul
Mitch Paul:
Plymouth Park Tax Services - no value = no pay taxes
Plymouth Park Tax Lien thieves do not pay property taxes after foreclosing on others for delinquent property taxes. They only pay taxes if there is value to the property and they can profit.
If there is no profit, there is no tax collection.
In this particular case, there are also board-up fees, grass cutting fees, garbage collection fees, violation fees, on top of delinquent property taxes.
Transfer date 3-8-11. Over two years of not paying property taxes after these bitches foreclosed on the owner for not paying property taxes.
Plymouth Park Tax Services owes Cuyahoga County $25,429.34 and the county continues to allow Plymouth Park Tax Services to profit from other properties- while cutting THEIR grass and boarding up THEIR property.
This property will be 'donated' to the county land bank so that taxpayers can foot the $25,429.34 bill AND the demolition bill.
Those in charge of the county land bank - the great creators - created this mess. http://realneo.us/content/cuyahoga-county-land-bank-creators-dabble-ten-million-dollar-property-jim-rokakis-gus-frango
National Consumer Law report on tax liens http://www.nclc.org/issues/the-other-foreclosure-crisis.html
Local property owners who have lost their property to these thieves would be very pissed off to learn that our incompetent county officials are allowing this to happen.
Folks across the country would be shocked to learn that Cuyahoga County officials allow tax lien purchasers to foreclose on property owners for delinquent property taxes and then NOT PAY THEIR OWN PROPERTY TAXES - for YEARS.
Prior to being sold out by incompetent county officials, the former owners owned this property since 1985:
2002 (pay in 2003)
2003 (pay in 2004)
2004 (pay in 2005)
2005 (pay in 2006)
2006 (pay in 2007)
2007 (pay in 2008)
2008 (pay in 2009)
2009 (pay in 2010)
2010 (pay in 2011)
2011 (pay in 2012)
2012 (pay in 2013)
* My blogs expressing my Freedom of Speech Rights, especially on matters of public concern, are my opinion and not the opinion of my friends, family or employer*
VibrantNEO Bullshit
From a discussion at Clevelanders for Transportation - no *SURPRISE* the whole shell game again with your money (4million plus and counting) and it's set to be dismantled like Voices for Choices and more of the same:
Gotta resist that nonsense, we're Americans.
From density flows lots of gd, but in the popular mind, more bad....See More
NEOMG and their invisible shield for JR and Frangos
Garry Kanter
3 days ago
Friends with Benefits - Cummins, Donovan, Garfoli, Rokakis
Here's a little institutional memory : Frangos and Rokakis legislated the first sale of tax liens. The gravy train started in the nineties under Mike White (controlled by Forest City's Sam Miller) when local politicos (pure evil genius) realized they could change the laws at the state level to benefit real estate interests-
BUSINESSES CHIP IN TO KEEP MAJORITY OF CITY COUNCILPlain Dealer, The (Cleveland, OH) - Friday, September 17, 1993Author: BENJAMIN MARRISON and CATHERINE L. KISSLING PLAIN DEALER REPORTERS
Big Business is PAC-ing in the money for Cleveland City Council.
PACs, or political action committees, account for nearly one-third of the money raised by a newly formed "Council Leadership Fund," which has collected $135,563 to retain a majority of council members who face re-election this year, according to documents filed yesterday with the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections.
Political action committees representing area law firms, businesses and developers, many of which represent interests that do business with the city, contributed $42,800 to the fund.
The fund is controlled by Council President Jay Westbrook. Mayor Michael R. White and businessman Sam Miller have pledged to help Westbrook raise $300,000.
(the article continues)
In Ward 13, Gary Paulenske , who was appointed to his seat, has raised $10,385 since January. Gus Frangos , who appointed him to the seat, gave about 20% - $2,000 - of funds so far.Paulenske , who has spent all but about $600 of his money, also received $1,000 from Jacobs.
So you see Brian - nothing changes except the names. Frangos, Rokakis and their ilk found way to make CDCs work for them. And, their real estate games are killing this city. Foreclosure, flipping, demolitions and shoddy tax-abated new construction. And, their little empire started with selling tax liens.
Tax lien sales were legislated at state level by Frangos in 1998.
From the Cuyahoga County's website:
"Ohio Revised code sections 5721.30 to 5721.43 permits the Cuyahoga County Treasurer to sell tax lien certificates on parcels that have delinquent taxes.
Since 1998 Cuyahoga County has utilized these code sections to conduct tax lien certificate sales which have resulted in significant increases in the collection of delinquent taxes. The primary beneficiaries of the increased collections have been school districts"
BUT even the sale of tax lien sales couldn't put money in the pockets of Frangos-Rokakis' friends and political supporters FAST ENOUGH - so foreclosure laws were put in high gear:
Law OKs speedier foreclosures
Plain Dealer, The (Cleveland, OH) - Wednesday, May 17, 2006
Author: Thomas Ott, Plain Dealer Reporter
A new state law will allow counties to more quickly seize many abandoned properties.
The law will let county boards of revision instead of the courts rule on foreclosure of abandoned property for back taxes.
The Ohio House voted 86-1 Tuesday to concur with Senate changes in the bill, sending it to the governor for his signature.
The change would be particularly helpful in Cuyahoga County, where the court system is flooded with foreclosures. The move would require approval from the county commissioners.
A recent count showed that of 13,597 pending foreclosures, 2,053, or 15 percent, were filed by the county for back taxes. The other cases were filed by lenders against owners who were behind on their mortgages.
Most of Cuyahoga County's abandoned tax-delinquent properties are in Cleveland and East Cleveland, said County Treasurer Jim Rokakis, whose aide, Gus Frangos , wrote the original bill. State Rep. Sally Conway Kilbane, a Rocky River Republican, sponsored the legislation.
Frangos , a former Cleveland councilman, said a tax foreclosure may stretch out for more than a year in court, but the Board of Revision could wrap up cases in four or five months.
The board 's main job is to hear appeals of property valuations.
If no one challenges the foreclosure, the board could immediately transfer the property to a new owner, Rokakis said.
Properties that fail to draw interest from private bidders may be turned over to city land banks or nonprofit neighborhood groups for redevelopment.
More than 20 other states have similar procedures, Frangos said.
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Maybe folks will suddenly care when their mom or dad gets the tax lien treatment- I worked with a senior vet yesterday who experienced the "game:"
http://www.aarp.org/money/taxes/info-2015/tax-collectors-blindside-homeowner.html
HUD FBI take note of comments deleted by NEOMG
http://www.cleveland.com/opinion/index.ssf/2015/03/sale_of_tax_liens_by_cuyahoga.html
UnREALNEO - three women bloggging at REALNEO have been calling this since 2008 - you don't want to acknowledge that we knew this was undermining the tax base in Northeast Ohio, beyond repair. And, Northeast Ohio Media Group CONTINUES to cover for the two primary swindlers who have been gutting Cuyahoga County for years - Jim Rokakis and Gus Frangos.
Both started their scheme while in CLE council and they continue to work that body for all it is worth through the federally funded Community Development Corporations that exist at the behest of the council reps. Armond Budish needs to dissolve the "Land Bank" now - it's a tax cleansing mechanism for investors in the scheme Rokakis-Frangos cooked up a la the "Tremont model" of gentrification, looking for the "flip." It's not working in Slavic Village - where they try to dress up the devastation they caused there with "straw buyers" and it's not going to land a profit for Ginmark properties on West 25th - the transportation corridor they have been playing since council days for the infusion of state and federal monies due, as it SOMEDAY gets an upgrade. Budish needs to crack down and collect taxes - starting with properties owned by Gus Frangos and his shell companies. He needs to take these people to court - now and scare some of them into paying with possible jail time. Under Rokakis as treasurer - many Section 8 rental property owners got a way with not paying taxes on their properties. Many of those folks immediately payed up when FitzGerald took office. There is a need for a federal investigation by HUD right there.
^^^^^^^above comment deleted ^^^^ I called Chris Evans at NEOMG who would not divulge who censors their content - he referred to these people as his superiors "DigiOp" personnel. What a crock - Evans is perhaps the sorriest excuse for a journalist we have in NEO.
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Comment deleted today 3/24:
http://www.cleveland.com/architecture/index.ssf/2015/03/community_group_say_they_want.html
@beautifulcity I agree - but I would not use a pseudonym to make your point. The study you cite should be read by the Greater Cleveland Partnership folks behind the Opportunity Corridor- INCLUDING a Bike Cleveland board member Marie Kitteridge.
http://www.cleveland.com/.../opportunity_corridor...
CLE's leadership doesn't pass the smell test when it comes to spending federal and state transportation dollars. It doesn't pass the test w/local dollars as in the case of Councilman Tony Brancatelli hoarding street repairs dollars - for what? I would also suggest you read Responsive City by Stephen Goldsmith and Susan Crawford.
For instance, this article is pure GCP bullsh#t:
http://www.bostonglobe.com/.../vjYMflq7YdCoffM.../story.html
Other cities - with corruption issues like CLE - DC, Chicago, Boston, New York - driven by insane real estate schemes-- are SLOWLY recognizing that even with as much drivel "comeback" promotion thrown at residents - no one is going to buy it when their roadways and bridges are collapsing. Even Chicago is moving towards Open Government - https://data.cityofchicago.org/
In retirement - I will not choose to stay in CLE, if the "Opportunity Corridor" folks continue to design CLE's future.