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You can report whatever you like but it is upto the homeowner to let you inside or not ( 4th amendment ) . You can politely tell city/ state inspectors that I can't let you in without a warrant. City needs an injunction first to get a warrant .
phaster
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2014 Aug 12, 8:38pm
STEP 1 - put makeup on a pig (i.e. take an old run down shack, transform it into something bigger and "fancy")
STEP 2 - make a claim that the bigger and "fancy" structure is of historical significance
STEP 3 - an owner of a property that has a "historical designation" can claim various tax credits (but seems questions of abuse do pop up)
Is that San Diego only thing, or does this work elsewhere?
To get a general idea of a "historical designation" $cam in action, there is a scene in caddy shack 2 that illustrates the key components (could not find a youtube video clip, because to really get the joke ya have to see the "setting" so found a stand in image that kinda works - but from what I remember of the movie its in too good a condition)
Mr Hartounian, I presume? - Yes
We represent the Historical Preservation Society
I have a temporary injunction..
restraining you from demolishing any structures on the Armstrong Estate..
until the City Planning Commission rules on our appeal
What are you talking about? This is nothing but an old dump!
This building is over 70 years old It's part of our heritage
What are you talking about? This is a garage, can't you see that?
Do you come from a long line of mechanics?
It was a carriage house
It's one of the original buildings on what was the Armstrong Estate
the property line of which ran down to this brook
Does this look like a brook to you?
This is not a brook, lady this is a sewer
In general its a "scam" that could be pulled off in any state BUT depended upon very unique circumstances.
The mills act (for example) is a property tax reduction program for properties w/ a "historical designation" specific to just the state of California.
http://ohp.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=21412
The facade easement (for example) is a fed tax credit, so if ya have mean$ ya might be able to pull it off in all 50 states
http://www.aicpa.org/Publications/TaxAdviser/2013/March/Pages/Durant_Mar2013.aspx
FortWayne
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2014 Aug 13, 2:51am
I've heard something about people doing something like that in Malibu, but they have to allow public access to the "historic property" for some amount of time a year.
Not sure if it's the same thing or not.
FortWayne
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2014 Aug 13, 2:52am
You can report whatever you like but it is upto the homeowner to let you inside or not ( 4th amendment ) . You can politely tell city/ state inspectors that I can't let you in without a warrant. City needs an injunction first to get a warrant .
When a renter reports a problem, they ask the renter if they can come in, not the home owner. For neighbors who are a problem, who do not cooperate, they get warrants.
phaster
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2014 Aug 13, 6:55pm
I've heard something about people doing something like that in Malibu, but they have to allow public access to the "historic property" for some amount of time a year.
Not sure if it's the same thing or not.
don't think its the same thing, or it might be.... whatever,
the battle over some rich dude w/ a fancy beach house not wanting the "poor" masses to camp out in front of the aforementioned "fancy beach house" is/and always will be a point of contention between the haves and have nots...
put yourself in the rich guys shoes, you've got money and ya don't want the trailer trash partying and leaving their garbage in front of your designer beach pad (so ya try and cut off the "general public" from having access to the "public" beach)
http://articles.latimes.com/2000/dec/11/news/mn-64093
looking at the issue form trailer trash point of view, one could understand why after working at some hard labor job at an "inland" location five days a week, all joe six pack want to do is enjoy a day at the beach (which is public land), and let off some steam w/ friends and family.
the rich guys home might have historic status, but thats not the issue here (access to the beach which is public land, is the issue at hand)
the tax scam scenario I outlined, is more along the lines of some entitled jerk decides to build a fancy "old looking" house on the beach, and figures out a way to classify his beach house as "historic."
If the house is classified "historic" the entitled jerk can lower his property taxes by 70% (for example), and is also able to take a million dollar tax write off (for example) by saying he promises not to change the exterior of his "old looking" house. Here an easement (is given a value of a million dollars) and is donated to some "Historical Preservation Society" (like the one in portrayed in caddyshack 2). so get the idea? here, the entitled jerk is gaming the system in order to have "tax payers" subsidize the costs of ownership of a fancy "old looking" house on the beach
FortWayne
@
2014 Aug 14, 7:08am
I see what you mean now. They have a lot of these things in "Pasadena". Entire blocks of expensive properties labeled as "Historic".
phaster
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2014 Aug 17, 2:33pm
I see what you mean now. They have a lot of these things in "Pasadena". Entire blocks of expensive properties labeled as "Historic".
Pasadena may have lots of historial properties with perhaps a little tax skimming, but San Diego seems to have an excess number of narcissistic banal bureaucratic dilettantes who really are screwing over taxpayers.
Within the past year alone, the mayor and police have made the news for sexual harassment;
and there have been corruption problems reported with respect to running a school district and bribes to various politicians from foreign nationals;
http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/jan/16/san-ysidro-schools-manuel-paul-federal-probe/
Sadly I fear taxpayers are really about to be royally screwed and left holding the bag.
The other day there was an article about the SD county pension system using derivatives to try and make up the budget short fall
http://online.wsj.com/articles/san-diego-pension-dials-up-the-risk-to-combat-a-shortfall-1407974779
There were no real numbers (just percentage underfunding) but I remember what happened back in 1998 when LTCM (long term capital management) had a leverage strategy that caused an asian meltdown and perhaps its my tinfoil hat, but I see way too many parallels.
There is a youtube video (starting at 3:24), where san diego is mentioned at the being at the top of the list (for being the deepest in the hole overall for unfunded pensions and having an unfunded health care plan)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BRr49iAgI9g
The variable that IMHO will accelerate as well as increase the odds of a financial failure for the SD area is new government accounting rules that are going to put BILLIONS on the balance sheet next year (which the markets in turn will have to price in)
http://articles.latimes.com/2014/apr/09/opinion/la-oe-fritz-pension-liability-california-20140410
Bottom line (w.r.t. San Diego) there is 12+ BILLION off balance sheet debt?? (8 billion in pensions plus 4 billion in storm water fixes).
The 8 billion dollar range “pension†figure is just one of the things TPTB in SD don’t want the voting public to know about
http://www.sandiegoreader.com/news/2013/oct/24/ticker-san-diego-mayoral-debate-canceled/
http://www.sandiegoreader.com/news/2013/oct/24/ticker-san-diego-mayoral-race-whoppers/
There was also a news paper article a few months ago that stated “San Diego’s stormwater bill: $4 billion†(so the question is, does this figure have to be placed on the balance sheet)
http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/feb/17/san-diego-billion-stormwater-cost-shocker
What really worries me is the $12+ billion figure for san diego, does not include health care costs!?
I wanted to get a feel for the magnitude of the problem (since I am lucky enough to own property here in town) so found out there are 1,009,284 parcels in SD county (AND far less in the city proper)
http://sandiego.ca.reportallusa.com
So dividing 12+ billion (off balance sheet) by 1 million parcels here in SD county ya get $12,000 per parcel!
Actually I think the cost is going to be HIGHER because the 12+ billion off balance sheet figure is for the city of SD and there are far less than 1 million parcels in the city (I'd guess a conservative ball park figure is there are 500,000 parcels w/in the city, so the cost each parcel owner is on the hook to the city for corruption/greed/mismanagement is closer to $24,000+ in todays dollars)
Sadly after looking at the problem I have come to the conclusion that to some degree the pattern of corruption/greed/mismanagement is repeated at all levels of government all around the world, and IMHO its not if but when the "global economy" is going to come crashing down....
i have a slum lord. He is the step father of my significant other. the house is in his mother's name that is 80+ years old and didn't even know her son was renting out the other two floors. the house is a three story house that fits three different families in springfield, MA. He is threatening to evict me and my boyfriend just because he is getting a divorce on the mother. For me on the other hand my boyfriend is the only one in the whole house paying rent. there are three other adults that are not paying rent. Not to mention its all happening under the table so the slum lord doesn't even have leasing contracts on the tenants. the house isn't livable and will not stop harrassing me and my boyfriend for the rent.
FortWayne
@
2015 Jan 3, 8:48am
i have a slum lord. He is the step father of my significant other. the house is in his mother's name that is 80+ years old and didn't even know her son was renting out the other two floors. the house is a three story house that fits three different families in springfield, MA. He is threatening to evict me and my boyfriend just because he is getting a divorce on the mother. For me on the other hand my boyfriend is the only one in the whole house paying rent. there are three other adults that are not paying rent. Not to mention its all happening under the table so the slum lord doesn't even have leasing contracts on the tenants. the house isn't livable and will not stop harrassing me and my boyfriend for the rent.
If the person who owns the house doesn't know the house is rented he is committing some sort of crime there, not sure how serious, but one can't just rent someone else property out. Not to mention he is most likely not paying taxes on it, so if were you I'd remind him that you can report that additional income of his to IRS and that'll get him into really hot water.
I don't know Massachusetts but just contact state attorney office, they'll either help or point you to the right direction:
(617) 973-8787
(888) 283-3757 (toll free, in MA only)
FortWayne
@
2015 Jan 3, 8:52am
Found one in their FAQ's on Massachusetts slum lords:
5. Code Violations
You are entitled to an apartment that is in compliance with local and state sanitary and building codes. Violations should be reported to your landlord in writing. If he/she doesn’t make the necessary repairs, call the City’s Inspectional Services Department at 617-635-5300.
6. Registration and Inspections
Realistically, I'm sure he did not register this as a rental unit if he is running it under the table. He is going to be busted if you report him.
Landlords must register their rental units with the city’s Inspectional Services Department and post their contact information in the building. Rental units, except for those in 1-to-6 unit owner-occupied dwellings and public property, must be inspected at least once every five years to ensure that they are in compliance with the State Sanitary Code.
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Sometimes bad things just happen, some jerk next door to yours, and thinks himself as a clever slum lord. And instead of doing the right thing he decides to do all kinds of unpermitted shoddy work on his property, putting you as a neighbor and his renters in danger. Electrical wires that are only a prayer away from sparking a fire department emergency, construction that for sure should not survive the next one. Or at worst, starts running a slum by having too many renters, or renters where they are not permitted such as a garage.
What I noticed is that this bothers many people, but they don't know what they can do about it. Renters who put up with living in a slum, or neighbors who tolerate it out of ignorance.
So here is a small list of things you can do.
Reporting Slum Lords
There are a lot of laws that protect you as a tenant, if your land lord is running a slum and they get cited for that, you can withhold rent until they fix it, you can move out without a 30 day notice, and so forth, provided you let them know about it. There are a lot of tenant protections. They are there to prevent slum-lordism and protect your human dignity. So don't let that benefit go to waste. Obviously try to figure it out with your landlord first to be a good citizen. But if your landlord is a bonehead who will not cooperate than here are your options:
- First take a lot of pictures if you are a tenant of what is uninhabitable, it has to be a health hazard such as cockroaches, dangerous electrical, bad plumbing, mold, etc...
- Next you contact your city department that handles this. In Los Angeles it is the Department of Code Enforcement, mention Civil Code 1942 and they'll send someone to inspect the property. Every city has a similar department, ask city clerk if you don't know what department is in your city that handles this.
- When inspectors get there, show them your list of habitability defects. If they are a problem, landlord will be cited and required to fix it within 2 - 60 days depending on severity. This gets very expensive, because if landlords fails to repair in a timely manner government will cut your rent and fine landlords for doing repairs via government contractors. They can even prosecute landlords criminally if they get out of line. No landlord (even the slummiest of the slime) wants to go down this route, it is not in their favor at any point.
Illegal construction
If you do not see a construction permit posted and notices, work is not done legally and may be potentially a fire hazard. That you can report to the local "Department of Building and Safety". Here is the Los Angeles link: http://www.permitla.org/csr/ ,
Every major city has such a department. Reporting a problem is just as simple as filling out a small form on internet with your information.
http://cris.lacity.org/cris/informationcenter/code/
Illegal dumping of construction trash
If someone decides to run construction on a cheap and dumps all their trash onto public land. It is your taxes that will go into fixing it, and it is your school that will miss out of additional funding. Report these criminals. And you can report those people, government will even reward you for doing so:
To report illegal dumping in the city of Los Angeles, for other cities just do a google search or contact your county clerk:
http://bss.lacity.org/InvestigationAndEnforcement/Illegal_Dumping_Banner.htm