Homeowner sues town after house is demolished

A veteran returned to his New York home after undergoing knee surgery and found an empty lot where his house used to stand. "48 Hours" Crimesider's Graham Kates joins CBSN with more on the lawsuit and why the town decided to tear the house down.

[@anonanonme2463]

Unless the city has documented proof this guy recieved these notices, get ready to write a big check.

[@jameswest8280]

Maybe he planned the whole thing to get a new house and money to boot.

[@davidthaler7018]

@James West Yes...he took a sledgehammer to his knee so he'd have to have it replaced and drank anti-freeze so he'd damage his kidneys, thus prolonging his time away from home.

[@stimactzedvard7556]

@@davidthaler7018 james is an idiot

[@mariearmstrong1258]

@@jameswest8280 and maybe your just not a nice person

[@jameswest8280]

@@mariearmstrong1258 Cold very well be.

[@tjj300]

Not only do they owe him a house, but all the furnishings and personal possessions that were inside.

[@uglyjihad]

Not only that, he was having health issues

[@seanharvey1250]

I see a BIG law suite coming

[@thedestroyer3262]

@Nacho Pop's add another 0 on to that and I would be happy.

[@dELTA13579111315]

@@thedestroyer3262 5 mill0? Or 05 mill?

[@dELTA13579111315]

@@lintonfr I was joking

[@Cornfed_Off-road]

Your car had a dent, we towed it to the junk yard and had it crushed while you were at work.

[@blackturbine]

The dent was dangerous for people inside of it I read somewhere that dude got a fine because he had a flat tire on his car that was parked on his own parking lot Reason: it's an eye sore Wtf my tire goes flat overnight and your greasy wrinke alone with 40 cat's face has the audacity to give me a fine for something that most prople can't even repair without calling a mecanic

[@kevinbutton4580]

@@blackturbine lol you need a mechanic to fix a tire that goes flat...you shoudnt own a car then

[@blackturbine]

@@kevinbutton4580 read my first reply Slower

[@rediscoveringamerica3003]

City I used to live was vicious! Towed and impounded my truck from my parking area because some yahoo official decided there "wasn't enough gravel" . Apparently they had a campaign to steal as many vehicles they could over 2 weeks and they had hundreds of people lined up at impound hours before opening every day. Didnt know if they even had my truck. Couldnt get in, and they didnt answer the phone. Got notice almost 3 weeks later they crushed it, along with a couple grand in towing and storage fees. Yeah same officials stole property out of yards and off porches because they seemed it an eyesore. Friend lost thousands in tools and construction materials because he left for lunch during a remodel job. Just inssne!

[@blackturbine]

@@rediscoveringamerica3003 that is straight up communism and the worst part is you can't do anything against them. These are usually people in their 70 doing this because they want "nice neighbourhoods" and they will stop at nothing and strike without mercy and if you go to confront them they will chicken out and hide in their unmaintained house

[@MondoBeno]

Not being kept up is NOT grounds to tear down the house. I've seen houses in upstate NY full of abandoned homes, and they go years without being demolished. Something fishy is going on here.

[@TheFrankyMoon]

Those neighbors probably kept reporting it.

[@Jimbogf]

@@TheFrankyMoon Yup I guarantee it was that mole face lady.

[@Useless22]

MondoBeno More than likely the house was sitting on a richer/better off suburban neighborhood effectively lowering the property value of the whole neighborhood. They destroyed it while he was away so their neighborhood’s value would go up effectively raising each persons home value significantly. When you have a home many things contribute to that home’s total value, including the houses around yours, as people are more likely to buy your house if it’s in a good looking neighborhood. His house wasn’t just an eye sore, it was also costing the county, and his neighbors some money.

[@1brownsfan296]

Useless. BooHoo. His house, that he was paying for was demolished without his knowledge or consent. Who cares about some stupid property value.

[@gordonramsey5903]

#1 Browns Fan his meaning is that, it was demolish to raise property value by the town

[@JawTooth]

Why was there no mention of possessions? There had to be furniture and other items inside. Where did that go to

[@gamblefamily768]

Well, as I've seen stuff like this happen before in Ohio (as I was on the historical side to save the homes and not destroy them) I would assume the town zoning probably let the locals ransack it before the demo started. The local people "vintage/antique collectors including hoarders" probably stripped the house clean, taking furniture, windows, doors, fireplace, woodwork, knobs, steps banisters, you name it... Zoning probably only let "close friends" inside before demo if you know what I mean by "close friends".. Happens more than you know, which is illegal regardless.... Then you see the stuff taking from home just "pop up" in the local antique shops for sale and the owner has to buy his/her stuff back at FULL RETAIL, sometimes including family pictures.. What good does it do calling the police for the stolen property when the house was torn down legally. You'd be surprised by what I've seen, especially to the elderly people with this kind of stuff happening to them.. Does the news cover that story, nope, they sure don't... Welcome to "natural selection" within the non-registered historical home community wildlife.

[@GabrielleHayes1921]

@@gamblefamily768 I also live in Ohio, I've seen a granddaughter take possession of her dead grandma's house and she didn't even go through stuff, just started throwing it into a dumpster outside a window. Some of the glass figurines that she threw out and broke were painted by my great grandmother with real gold and if she didn't want them we definitely did because my dad's ex-stepmom refused to let him and his siblings or dad take any of it out of the house during the divorce and then my late aunt who was her youngest daughter, the second she died her husband didn't even give things to the kids he had an estate auction and sold everything including the glass figurines, told his kids if they wanted anything to buy it. Even got rid of all of her jewelry because his girlfriend demanded it who he bought a house for while my aunt was dying. It's really heartbreaking to go through and watch happen

[@TheDuck2255]

Probably destroyed during the demolition or auctioned off

[@isthattrue1083]

@no dox pls Must have had sentimental value to her. Mind your own.

[@PirateCat822]

@@gamblefamily768 at that point he might as well but a shotty and take back what's rightfully his

[@okk2776]

This guy needs to get millions, he's sick, he lost his house, he paid for it and he lost personal items in it.

[@ginger_nosoul]

This was posted in 2015. Anyone know how it resolved?

[@okk2776]

@@ginger_nosoul No idea, but I don't think the city cared about it

[@ginger_nosoul]

@@okk2776 This was posted in 2015. Anyone know how it resolved?

[@christianondo9637]

He lost the case and has to pay for part of the demolition

[@asoul3919]

@@okk2776 This was posted in 2015. Anyone know how it resolved?

[@charlesroberts3650]

This IS a crime. Pay the man for his house and MORE for pain and suffering!

[@vinniedennywini8126]

Charles Roberts it’s with the tax payers money though. This is the aggravating part for us.

[@thatsteampunkguy6528]

@@vinniedennywini8126 I'd say this is a good spend of our tax dollars.

[@seancampbell6292]

@@vinniedennywini8126 the point of tax dollars is to spend them on services, stop complaining about the money you choose to give away.

[@vinniedennywini8126]

Mankrik 'The Thorntusk Butcher' your comment makes no sense. It’s not like i volunteer to give up my money for taxes. But yet the money that’s taken from me is being used to pay off others mistakes. Makes great sense

[@Tuber360904]

@@seancampbell6292 Destroying someones house and then paying a lawsuit is not a service. I'm going to take a guess and say you probably didn't watch the video before commenting. If you did.. then i just feel bad for you.

[@zouhairsuleiman209]

Not only was he paying his mortgage, but his taxes also and now we’re going to pay for a lawsuit from our pocket

[@blessedtrinity9664]

Another fine check of healthcare homeless for the rich.

[@terradonahue7729]

Yup

[@TheCaptainSplatter]

Unless he is paying for the lawsuit out of his pocket.

[@fessellsahmed2587]

Typical greedy New York council. Abandoned so demolish it? Leave it alone.

[@TheAssassin2332]

Lorenzo Zaniolo wrong

[@cannonballjenkins2757]

His neighbors look like the type that would sue you for saving their lives

[@chrisworster4878]

Yeah kinda like that girl that sued the guy who saved her life instead of drowning, and accused her of rape

[@rinamarie8703]

Good thing there is a law to protect people who saved your life from being charged with anything

[@cannonballjenkins2757]

@@rinamarie8703 So did the femenist who tried to sue the guy who saved her life from drowning, wasnt able to do it?

[@rinamarie8703]

PandaPlayzGamez_ the Good Samaritan Law should prevent her from winning the law suit. You can research it if you want to know more about it

[@waynechipman8511]

@@rinamarie8703 I performed CPR on a dude for over half an hour, he went in an out during this time, when I saw him a few days later he was sniveling about his ribs, I told him that I had thrown my back out working on him. He seemed to come to grips with it after that.

[@jamespolk6296]

He wasn't maintaining his house? Man it's not like he had a medical issue that impaired the use of one or both of his knees.

[@NoName-ms8jb]

Are you actually defending the city? What is wrong with you. If you have a bad knee, you will only make it worse by not getting help. He was paying the mortgage so the city had no right to tear down his house. There could be a missing shingle and somebody could claim the house wasn't maintained. Do you want them to scrap your car because it has a dent in it?

[@lc4147]

@@NoName-ms8jb he was being sarcastic

[@wilsunsunshine4577]

@@NoName-ms8jb calm tf down

[@spaceshipearth481]

@@NoName-ms8jb calm down jeez man

[@i_watch_everything]

@@NoName-ms8jb do you know wat sarcasm is? Better learn that before you go to the internet

[@JHNielson4851]

He paid his property taxes didn't he?? How can they say it was abandoned. He should get at least 2x the assessed value.

[@OCC_Plumbing_and_Restorations]

It is New York. That's why.

[@jameswest8280]

There's a thing called "treble damages", which means the courts can allot three times the actual damages. He could end up better off than before.

[@tjj300]

Assessed value and actual value are two different things. With my home, the assessed value is only one-third of the actual value of the home. The assessed value is only for tax purposes.

[@flaviocarbajal1192]

Sometimes it's not about the money

[@freedompirateuk-audit4684]

JHNielson4851 nah more!!

[@HAMID___]

I don’t like his neighbors, they’re so snarky

[@10mm69]

H conteh he’s gonna have enough money to buy both their houses

[@ddylla85]

Yankees

[@Prideace93]

Paid neighbors?

[@problematic1417]

Imagine being so woke that you complain about trash in the neighbors yard that accumulated while the neighbor was out of the area.

[@TheRealE1337ist]

That's Long Island for you.

[@jefferyevans7773]

Instead of stepping in, helping him restore the place, they just appoint themselves to destroy it. God, I hope I never have those kind of neighbors!!!!

[@night-x6793]

Better yet don't move by them.

[@spencers4121]

I wish I had neighbors that would help pay for my home repairs.

[@cynthiaayers7696]

They did help him restore it, right down to Bare Earth. Collect your big check, tell them thank you and go find another place to do it again.

[@jefferyevans7773]

@@cynthiaayers7696 why not?

[@jacobe7094]

Jeffery Evans In their defense I don't think they had anything to do with the decision for it to get torn down.

[@sister7465]

Noone checked on him when his house started suddenly going down hill? Wow! His neighbors really suck as human beings.

[@suethomassen1520]

Yes he may have been inside dead. But nobody checked or asked around??

[@MrMcgale22]

Ma’am this is New York, we mind our business and pay our multi thousand dollar rent

[@scruffy281]

Right? I was gone for a week and my neighbor to my right, collected 2 Amazon pkgs. from my porch and the neighbor on my right brought my trash cans back to my trash storage WITHOUT me even asking them. I don't even know them that well. We, for sure are blessed with great neighbors...........❤

[@robertsmalls3513]

New York is a god forsaken hellhole where humanity goes to die

[@1justice2012]

Lots of leaks?, how does the neighbor knows there were leaks inside the house?, he is just lying.

[@brandonmurphy4657]

Looked like a giant hole in the roof . Not hard to tell it leaked

[@1justice2012]

brandon murphy Stop defending the lies. The roof look ok, unless there was an inspection, YOU DONT KNOW.

[@brandonmurphy4657]

I could see what they were showing . Was that not his roof ? Are you blind

[@Skilan506]

Maybe he knows about the leaks because he caused them... like the broken windows and the garbage around the house

[@anonanonme2463]

Yea with that statement would imply that guy burglarized that house. Wanna bet anything of value was long gone before teardown to hide possible crimes?

[@dsdsmitty2]

The city wanted the property - of course no one will admit that.

[@davidthaler7018]

Got proof? None of the neighbors were having their homes seized and destroyed.Why THAT piece of property...and ONLY that piece of property on this one street?

[@Nsixtyfourlink]

@@davidthaler7018 it starts with one.

[@Gregorio416]

David Thaler there are dozens of little things the city could do with that piece of property. It’s not like their only option is to turn it into a strip mall

[@ClubPenguinMaster88]

@@davidthaler7018 Because it was an easy target, an old man who hadn't been home. Really quite simple.

[@davidthaler7018]

Bounty H Yeah? Well the plan backfired. Silly town government.

[@jasonwhipp5721]

Ok so what if his house didn’t look “well kept”??? That’s not an excuse to demolish a house.

[@HunterShows]

People have no rights. You turn your back and you might as well have nothing.

[@kathyyoung1774]

The city wouldn’t do this unless A NEIGHBOR COMPLAINED. Want to bet those two are the ones who complained?

@Loopsad It happened to me too, but in Suffolk. Everything gone, machinery, tools, house everything gone, my grandfather built it with his hands back in the 40's. It was my family's property since 1925, all those years of paying huge property tax bills and that's what I get while caring for my dad when he was dying of cancer.

[@brandonn6099]

IT HAS GIANT HOLES IN THE EXTERIOR

[@htubbs5012]

@ it's not about you or your dad or his cancer.

[@westhouse4641]

not a crime? he still was in good standing in ownership of property. Now he has a mortgage on a dirt lot?

[@MightyForSure]

Definetly a crime, doesn't matter what the journalist or the government says.

[@thomaskinney154]

The state would be paying the mortgage after that

[@Haywood2]

@@MightyForSure He is not the first this has happen too.

[@robertmorris8997]

Actually, since the house is gone, the bank can demand the balance. Since there won't be an insurance claim payment, they have no collateral for the loan. But that depends on New York law too, which I know nothing about.

[@armyof100clowns6]

Haywood2 - not quite the same thing, but in my hometown a couple purchased a derelict, city owned home through the city’s urban homesteading program. They had the deed and everything. Started renovations, which were periodically inspected by the city as part of the homesteading purchase contract. They went away on a holiday weekend, leaving Thursday night and returning on Monday evening. When they got home, all that was left was a partially empty pit of debris. The city had demolished their house in what’s called “am emergency Friday night demo”, which happens all too often here. They lost equipment, construction materials, some furniture, appliances, and personal property. Luckily, most of what they owned was still in storage (they only had the essentials at the house). After a lot of shoulder shrugging and deflection of blame, the city claimed it was a clerical mistake and that the “department” that manages demos and the one that manages the homesteading program failed to communicate with one another. The “funny” thing is, these offices are across the hall from one another and share all of the same support staff and records/archiving. This happened in 2014. As far as I know, it’s still in litigation.

[@gambitsfox4216]

I like how they claim it was overgrown and yet after they tear down the home it's STILL an overgrown lot.

[@gladitsnotme]

Right that's the kicker!

[@CrazyFlyingMonk]

2:34 windows don't just break his neighbors seem like they were vandalizing his house

[@ObvPhotography]

Yeah!, and where did the trash come from. Nobody was even home. It’s not adding up lol 😂

[@Danymok]

Effects of Knee surgery: Temporary pain in knee Leg feeling numb Bracing needing check ups *Losing your home*

[@branflakes2600]

Don’t forget kidney failure

[@jhankri]

Don't forget 3 months of physical therapy.

[@mick007869]

I have both knees replaced. IT"S NOT TEMPORARY PAIN....November 14, 2018 (First Knee) December 31, 2018 (Second Knee) 13 months later and I still hurt.

[@CaptainCocaine]

Sounds like the neighbors were vandalizing his house while he was gone.

[@Phyoomz]

PLOT TWIST!

[@liletm3993]

@@Phyoomz : they were robbing it

[@ephraimkaravan]

Yea, windows dont break by themselves and garbage doesnt just appear out of nowhere, especially since the guy wasnt home for months

[@SNORKYMEDIA]

they arent neighbors - neighbors know you and look after your property if they know you are away having surgery.....

[@lq7777]

That's what I was thinking. The neighbors were probably throwing garbage on his property thinking it was "abandoned" so they could do whatever they pleased with it.

[@nodak81]

This is a symptom of a large problem, towns acting like a giant HOA and being obsessed with gentrification.

[@vagabondwastrel2361]

Not gentrification. But I do agree. What do you expect though. It was in new york one of the centers the socialists are out to destroy.

[@emeraldgt7207]

@@vagabondwastrel2361 Hempstead is one of the biggest dump of a town on Long Island. Itll take a whole lot more to make that place appealing

[@vagabondwastrel2361]

@cool guy You would be shocked how one factory can turn a dump into a thriving city. Pushing development while pulling labor from the big cities into a "rural" area. Those people buying cheap houses or land. Busy businesses with long lines creates obvious investment areas.

[@TheAssassin2332]

Vagabond Wastrel lmao shut up, do you live in long island? I live not even an hour away and no more stupid factories than what we have will make that town, or brentwood, or central islip looking anywhere near decent. This “socialist bad capitalism good” mentality lol get that out of here this is reality, republicans have been ruling everything for years and THIS is what its become..not democrat socialism, republican capitalists.

[@GeneralChangFromDanang]

@@TheAssassin2332 Yeah, we sometimes forget New York is one of the biggest republican strongholds in the country...

[@MegaSimpson93]

The neighbors definitely wanted that house gone

[@scootergrant8683]

Well from the front it is better than most 'poorly kept houses'.

[@maggiesatterfield2402]

Sounds to me like they wanted THE NEIGHBOR GONE not just his house. He probably ticked some of them off about something and sieged the "opportunity" when he had his medical issues and was out of town.

[@exmember1607]

This is why I always ask my neighbors to watch my house when I go out of town. So far they've done a good job of not letting it get taken! Thanks guys!

[@jimmyhunt9081]

90 days,,,,wtf......it takes longer for homeowners to evict tenants for non payment. If hes paying a mortgage, wouldn't that bank need to be notified?

[@BiteSizedCrafter]

Jimmy Hunt I bet they were in on it..

[@jimmyhunt9081]

@@BiteSizedCrafter I wouldn't doubt it

[@writerconsidered]

@@BiteSizedCrafter I don't think so, first he was up to date on his mortgage payments and second the house is collateral, they are not going to destroy their collateral.

[@johnnahboss9404]

They allegedly sent notices

[@Dominion69420]

Man: Leaves town to get surgery Town: Its free real estate

[@maestershaw8604]

Kinda reminds me of Bilbo Baggins house

[@Kyoobur9000]

Town: It’s literally free real estate

[@Renville80]

Damian Simmonds Stale and inappropriate meme

[@user-ho1ih1uj6w]

Me: ":" Also me: ":"

[@camaroman101]

Lmao

[@kathyyoung1774]

A neighbor said there was “lots of trash.” He wasn’t throwing trash in his yard, and the neighbor knows that! One or both of those neighbors complained or the city wouldn’t have done this.

[@abelincoln332]

Trash shouldn't matter, that could blow into your yard! LOL

[@jen5714]

If there were broken windows I bet the neighbors kids had something to do with that.

[@MaN-pw1bn]

This should never have happened without someone putting paperwork in his hand - officially serving notice of the issues! And even then, they have to have codes that show him what he's in violation of and allow him time to repair. I hope he wins a massive settlement.

[@bridget5180]

They couldn’t of made a few phone calls once he didn’t show up at the hearing? That town is ridiculous and I hope he wins his suit.

[@dianet888]

Not ridiculous , acting like organized crime.

[@johntingle455]

How is this not a crime? His utilities were still on and being paid. The mortgage is being paid monthly and the lien holder thats collecting the mortgage payments are recorded on the deed. The neighbors be who showed approval of the destruction of the man's home and all his possessions should be so fortunate as to have the same thing happen to them. The city cited conditions on the inside that could be dangerous to people living inside the house??? How would they know about those conditions

[@sdnlawrence5640]

because it's not (a crime). The status of utilities and mortgage is not relevant to the physical condition and appearance of the property. They (city) typically have no obligation to notify any lien holders, only the owner of record. Sadly, he will still have to pay off that mortgage (lien) an an additional lien for the cost of demolition which cities usually file when they incur costs from actions like this. All the neighbors saw is a decaying house and no one around, so their opinions are valid.

[@MightyForSure]

ofc it's a crime.. doesn't matter what the journalist or the government says

[@johnstovall7503]

@@sdnlawrence5640 But they didn't inform him. Even a registered letter that couldn't be signed would have told them that.

[@beefnugget2494]

Before they demolish the building they have to check to see if anyone is living inside and when they went inside that's when they would have found out about the leaking roof/ceiling

[@mariearmstrong1258]

@@beefnugget2494 I wonder what happened to the man's personal items

[@andybub45]

Person: leaves house City: "hippity hoppity your house is now my property"

[@thorandil1]

Nice meme

[@seanmccarthy2401]

Noice

[@brandonflorida1092]

Correct. They can follow all the procedures they want, but it isn't their property. Destroying someone else's property is illegal and immoral.

[@gemrough]

You choose to live in a city, you vote for your city council, you are agreeing to follow the city ordinance.... the house had obvious signs of neglect, sounds like he failed to respond to the city’s notices, the city followed state protocol and corrected the problem.

[@brandonflorida1092]

@@gemrough Where in the law does it say that the city can assume ownership of things that you own? I don't remember seeing any laws that say that you only really own stuff until the government says that they own it.

[@pulsar9354]

That woman’s face also looks abandoned to me

[@pussup2635]

I hope she got abandoned by her family

[@BreathlessOblivion08]

Damn

[@blackturbine]

Roasted medium well

[@snaild0g]

No choice but to demolish then I guess

[@LordDim1]

snaild0g I don’t thin anyone would ever want to demolish her in any way.

[@paulbritton1436]

"We followed the rules we made up" So, if your car needs tires and it's in a parking lot, can they just tow and crush it?

[@princecharon]

If the city makes an ordinance saying that they can (and the state county, state, or federal government doesn't call them on their bull manure), then yes, they can.

[@A.Froster]

@@princecharon yeah until the lawsuit comes

[@ArnulfoSalgado]

If it's a public lot and you leave the car there for an extended period of time, yes they can. And it's not the same as the house. The house and the land it sits on was this man's property. Your car is yours but the parking lot isn't

[@secretsquirrel5439]

You may own the property but the land still belongs to the state

[@bartinthetrulyepic6709]

@@secretsquirrel5439 Only because the state says so - the truth is a mans property is between him and god. The idea that the state owns your 'land' is the biggest lie ever sold to the american people.

[@xFTLc]

“Not really a crime” WHAAAT?! HIS WHOLE HOUSE IS GONE 😭 THATS A CRIME COMMITTED BY THE GOVERNMENT LOL

[@firekin5624]

It's called "law" then government does it.

[@anitabonghit2758]

The whole purpose of the govrrnment was to protect private property

[@firekin5624]

Yep, it greatly succeeds in protecting the private property of the oligarchy)))

[@jtmunn420]

By the state not the government.

[@xFTLc]

@@jtmunn420 federal government local government, same thing. both corrupt and both fight for the rights of large companies not the people

[@duanecoursey7401]

And furthermore if I’m paying the mortgage on my house and choose not to set foot in it for 10 years that’s my business no one else’s

[@youtuuba]

People making up their own rules. There are laws requiring homeowners to keep up with reasonable maintenance, and they have nothing to do with paying a mortgage, which by the way is between the homeowner and the bank, not between the homeowner and the town or state. Rules may vary, but if a homeowner fails to take care of their home, and lets it sit in an abandoned looking state (and some of those photos here made it look pretty uncared for), there are laws allowing the town or state to take various actions, including condemning the property. So, if you imagine that as long as you are paying your mortgage and nothing else matters, you might be in for a big surprise after that 10 year hiatus.

[@scootergrant8683]

Also it is his choice to live like it. Why do they need to get involved.

[@wilysquid2278]

@@youtuuba please explain the thousands of abandoned houses that have been sitting for decades, why have they not been torn down?? Any logical response will be accepted.

[@youtuuba]

@@wilysquid2278 , Joseph Kampmann, why do you look to me for an answer to your impossible to answer question? Pick a locale, and look up that particular situation to answer your question. My guess is that various communities don't have the resources to deal with abandoned or neglected houses. Perhaps the problem might involve the courts, trying to track down who actually owns a home and get them to deal with it.

[@wilysquid2278]

@@youtuuba ok ill narrow it down, the hundreds in new york that have been there for countless years

[@RashaKahn]

Property wasn’t abandoned, you see cities with abandoned properties all the time that haven’t been demolished for years. This seemed odd for it to be demolished so soon.

[@tamorajr3773]

Its not the neighbors responsibility to determine what's up to code.

[@kathyyoung1774]

ta morajr THEY are no doubt the ones who filed complaints with the city and got it demolished. They are despicable!

[@ZJasmineDragon]

They didn’t, the town did

[@trailingrails9953]

@@ZJasmineDragon and who do you think told the township board about it?

[@tootsiedawn2016]

How was there "lots of trash" there when he hadn't been there? Bunch of bullcrap to me!

[@princecharon]

Probably because the neighbor kids and people passing by on the street kept throwing trash into his yard, and no-one was home, so no-one was picking it up. Inconsiderate people throw trash out of their car windows all the time, without caring about the people who get annoyed by this.

[@An00bis]

Squatters

[@SteveHayes1]

If this was in a small town, his neighbors would have taken care of the home without even being asked.

[@beckyroy6519]

Hempstead, while not a small town, isn’t very big either. Having lived there briefly I can tell you the people that live there are rude and selfish. My lease ended and I was out of there. Long Island isn’t the friendliest of places to live.

[@robertbennett2796]

I would of killed and burned down everyones house thats there

[@PirateCat822]

@@robertbennett2796 or kidnap their wives or children and hold then hostage for millions of dollars.

[@LaneCorbett]

Just rebuild a tin shack that meets the building code

[@scrumdiddily6162]

“We didn’t like the way it looked” I’d what his neighbors are saying and that’s no excuse to tear someone’s house down

[@kathyyoung1774]

mike zoyhofski THEY are no doubt the ones who complained to the city and got it demolished. They are despicable, absolutely despicable!

[@darkflare223]

i hope the city takes thier houses next

[@KuPawPaw]

This is one of the reason you should stay away from HoA

[@silencedknight]

We didn’t like the way the complainers how looked so we went ahead and tore it down. Oh well.

[@meredithbenjamin6694]

If you don't like the house.... MOVE!!

[@aprilmoore2917]

The reason why court filings must be served through official or certified mail is because you can't assume the other party had read filling and did have time to respond, if they so desired...honestly, his lawyer could argue that they have no legal basis for defense. They did not exercise diligence in their inspections, nor in their correspondence to owner of property. As such, they have made themselves legally liable for an improper seizure of property. It looked pretty bad - they'll downplay how much the house was worth (of course,) but a savvy lawyer could maybe argue that you just cannot put a price on heirlooms - such as granny's tea set, or albums of family pictures...

[@uptown4cozzmo]

He also had to pay tax on a value that the town says the house was worth then of course he had all the gold tea sets n diamonds n undiscovered Vangos I hope he wins big enough to put himself back in fine shape!!

[@jamesnash6101]

Yep... they would be liable for everything in that house.

[@danielkeith5321]

Had to have some neighbor complain to the city constantly for this to happen so quick

[@TheBlackYoshie]

Court: "You didn't stop it from happening" Owner: "How do I stop that from happening while away on surgery?" Court: "....." "You uh-- should've predicted this...?" I don't care if the house looked like it may collapsed, he paid for the land and every on it, and HAD FULL INTENT TO RETURN once his scheduled surgery in Florida was completed. And although the surgery was delayed due to complication, he still full paid for the house and it amenities and keep his promise of returning home once surgery was completed. You failed as a city and state and must rebuild this man's home bran new, free of cost, or pay him out so he can find somewhere less asinine to live. You "not my fault" people are a literal joke of a human being.

[@mitchmiller2382]

@TheBlackYoshie. RIght on. Even if he defaulted on his taxes, most states have a period for the owner to pay off liens on his/her home. He was robbed of due process.

[@Elliandr]

It looks like they didn't even go to the courts. They just had a vote in a city council meeting to have the property demolished. Then they used the existence of the vote and the absence of an opposition as a means of defending the action while sidestepping the fact that they did not actually have the right to act on this phone. In order for a city to demolish home it has to seize ownership of the property first which it has to go through the courts for. If they demolished it without taking ownership of the parcel then they have committed criminal trespass and destruction of property. Imagine how much worse it would have been if the guy got home and the next day of the demolition starts while he is in it. There's a multitude of reasons why they have to own the property.

[@theelaffingman8776]

I'd sue them for millions. Not just the house, but the lot it's on and all of my personal possessions inside.

[@done1012]

The neighbors have nothing to say regardless of opinions. Personal service is still due process because mailing a summons is not service of a person.

[@niyablake]

actually it is. You can serve a person via mail

[@user-fr4cg2xj2w]

Niya Blake but who’s to say they received it?

[@niyablake]

@@user-fr4cg2xj2w The courts. The way it works is you ask the court to serve the person by mail. I'm not sure if you would call it circular logic but the theory is the USPS is infailible and not to trust them would cause chaos in the system. To my it's one of those things because I say so.

[@jeffreyhueseman7061]

It is called a certified letter, it must be signed for and a copy of the signature is sent back to the person or office that mailed it.

[@WilL-DaNG]

@@jeffreyhueseman7061 so not really pertaining to this situation as he left for recovery

[@svarog_ow7658]

if you're like me and you're here from recommendations, well it took me awhile but I finally found an update on this seeing as it was 4 years ago. he filed in 2015, first court appearance was in 2016, case was denied. went back in 2017 and 2019 and both times case dismissed and denied. so yeah the dude was left with 2 suitcases and no home or financial reimbursement. source: www.pacermonitor.com/public/case/11279690/Williams_v_Town_of_Hempstead_et_al

[@user-neo71665]

Total horseshit. The case like this should not be allowed in a courtroom in the same city or state. As long as it is the judge is gonna have bias towards the city and rule in their favor. Same thing happens when police investigate themself, they never find their self at fault.

[@silverrose7554]

Thank you for the up date .

[@stevef.9659]

He will also will have bad credit due to non payment of the balance of a mortgage on a non existing home.

[@ryanecho1]

New york is a joke, hope they demolish all their houses after paint fades.

[@amalau2472]

Man, that makes me feel sick to my stomach. What a horrible "justice" system we have.

[@tchit8792]

Bro he’s homeless bc of y’all. You gotta pay him so he can live somewhere smh.

[@User0000000000000004]

bc? what does that mean?

[@thekaizer]

@@User0000000000000004 because

[@soundshake4101]

“This is why I don’t live in the suburbs” I love this man!!!

[@johntore6108]

The CIA Government "Investigative News Reporter" makes $200,000/year and can Probably afford to live just about anywhere they want

[@gunhead7159]

This is why we can’t have nice things. Too many brain dead people with no common sense basically being put in control of other people’s lives. I hope the guy was compensated for what happened, loosing all your possessions must be rough.

[@Zazuban]

I wouldn't be surprised if the neighbors were the ones who called it in and wanted it demolished.

[@kathyyoung1774]

Zazuban Of course, they were. That is why the city did this. Neighbor complaints.

[@johngreen3543]

I think it is possible. A dump next door reduces property values for all other houses nearby.

[@lesanari]

I just happened to see this story today "Veteran's Day" What a way for a town to say thank you for your service. It makes me sad.

[@pamvanvleck8991]

This wouldn't have happened had neighbors not complained. Mind your own business.

[@PerturaboIW]

His house being like that lowers their property values

[@dodgeplow]

They were sh!tty neighbors. If they were worried about it, they could've mowed the grass, which apparently was their main complaint. When my neighbor was being treated for cancer and couldn't keep up with his place for a while, all the neighbors on my block took turns mowing his yard and keeping the place looking good for him.

[@davidthaler7018]

@Brendan Yates These look like young folks just starting out, and the condition of his house didn't happen overnight. If they didn't like the state of his house, they shouldn't have moved in.

[@overworked1084]

Brendan Yates an empty lot with weeds where trash and crime can occur lowers the property value.

[@barrontrump3943]

Over Worked stupid snitch culture

[@animalmother4066]

Awful neighbors these days. We used to look after one a other and now nobody knows each other or has anyones back.

[@adamakemon1856]

All depends on where you live man, my neighbors are some of my closest friends

[@akakerness6396]

Imagine your home being destroyed. No money can repair the memories lived in your home, that's priceless.

[@jordanwx5814]

The city should be held financially and criminally liable this is theft far beyond just a felony offense

[@dhgmrz17]

Imagine if a random dude came by and just started demolishing house, he would be thrown in prison for a very long time.

[@MrThenry1988]

What does the mortgage company think of this? Lol. Collateral gone.

[@RustyAndroid]

That's a great point! If the mortgage company still had a lien on the house, which it still does. The city should have served them some papers as well before destroying the house.

[@jharr3997]

I wonder if the mortgage company can also sue? (Anyone know?)

[@teriwright3118]

Second law suit from the that company for destroying this, he had it almost paid off

[@bigmac375]

@@RustyAndroid oh there is not a chance they thought of this.

[@bigmac375]

@@jharr3997 for sure

[@rafterrafter5320]

The town was concerned for the people's safety inside the house although according to them , the house was supposedly "abandoned"

[@SAVEFINITY]

Imagine going back home from a long trip and your house is just gone

[@Shazzyhtown]

I still don't understand how could happen.....what about people who take a long sabbatical overseas, but still have a home here? Do you demolish their home too?? I'm trying to figure this out.

[@richardrivera7317]

Don’t the have to at least send the mail certified with a signature requested?

[@biruss]

failure of service

[@oldhandyluke]

What a gorgeous house even if it needed some repairs it should be preserved how sad

[@hillaryclinton2415]

so where did my $250,000 of personal items that were in the house and on the property? no comment? so show me the signatures where I signed for these important notices.

[@PANZERFAUST90]

Why would you call yourself that? lol xD

[@MCoblentz62]

Be nice to the Now Homeless Vet for he will soon Own that town ;)

[@MalikWillBeBack]

The white dude talking definitely doesn’t use his nose

[@tooyoungtobeold8756]

Very strange voice.

[@f.palmero5010]

(edited)

[@geoffdundee]

TC.....he has adenoid probs

[@MrWc867]

I am thinking through some inside information, the city KNEW he was out of town and swung into action.

[@nickk1502]

The mortgage company has right to take legal action too.

[@jacobthompson6265]

It doesn’t matter. The takings clause requires them to pay him for taking his property.

[@jacobthompson6265]

Matthew Fogarty In training

[@jacobthompson6265]

Matthew Fogarty Call the Institute for justice.

[@kurumauzamaki2731]

What’s even worse is this man was a vet we don’t take care of them enough already and the state has the audacity to demolish his house

[@kathyyoung1774]

Kuruma Uzamaki That’s NEW YORK.

[@engineergaming1669]

If he was a vet then that neighborhood deserves to get drafted to iran

[@johnkozlowski7642]

I make the town rebuild the house to exactly the way it was when the house was first built and replace all the furniture and furnishings at the towns cost.

[@paulgarcia461]

Ez 300k wood is expensive

[@RevMarket]

Taxpayers pay the bill not the town.

[@johnkozlowski7642]

Then it will be an expensive lessen because they have to make it right since they wronged this man.

[@keithfreitas2983]

Judge ruled in favor of the city twice, which sucks. This means the city is acting like an HOA.

[@moirapledger9153]

He lost his case, and was charged for the demolition of his house. Welcome to New York.

[@maranatha8768]

Harmony Hawthorn that’s horrific

[@mysteria_1305]

Not only did he lose his home but every thing he holds dear that was in his house. No photographs or stuff from family living and gone. They know that they messed up and they know that they are going to be paying that man a lot of money. More than his house and the stuff he owned yet also for him to have someplace to live and emotional damages

[@heidiontiveros6605]

Aniquin that’s so sad ):

[@_Teddy_The_Bear]

It's absolutely a crime. If his mortgage was in good standing, the lienholder knows where he was.

[@califdad4]

All thet had to do was check with the county assessor, they would have seen the mortgage company and they could have contacted them

[@TheGamersRace]

How could anyone do this??? State: *New York* Ah, I see.

[@benfernandez9939]

Nah, just the NYC area

[@adamorick2872]

This is how you cause and active shooter event

[@zzzz1192]

sue the city.

[@sammmuela6759]

0:27 IT IS ABSOLUTELY A CRIME!

[@bjgarris]

The city no matter the notice has no right to take anyone’s property

[@Robloxchat123]

a city has every right in the world to take your property if you arent paying for it

[@tardogungas7236]

@@Robloxchat123 not unless he got a loan through the city. Most people get them from banks fyi..

[@Robloxchat123]

@Anton Zuykov "if you arent paying for it"

[@eddyraye5825]

The man was paying a mortgage on a house that the city tore down. Is the man still required to pay off the house that the city destroyed?

[@Mayurbhedru]

He still owns the plot.

[@songhenry1084]

Horrible. They owe him a brand new house

[@voodoo1449]

Wow, New York state owes this man huge amount of money

[@ojaichuck]

It was a crime. The deprived someone of their property without due process.

[@jhgrees]

What happened to the days when neighbours looked out for each other? Imagine the outcry if the owner had passed away and his body was lying in the house. Surely the authorities could have done a bit more than sending letters.

[@slaiyfershin]

Nah they would have bulldozed the home with the dead body in it.

[@billkeane5473]

If he had a mortgage, that means the home was still partially owned by the bank that issued the mortgage. The town never bothered to notify the bank that they would be demolishing the home? The bank also would be able to sue the town. And how much of his property was "stolen" by those send to demolish his home. I'm sure it all didn't end up in a landfill.

[@shaun6828]

If he owed a mortgage, you'd expect the bank to be involved in this fight too. They are still partial owners of the property....

[@haroldsmith5493]

This is why stuff like killdozer dude did what he did👀

No it's not. He was a very well off business owner that didn't get the building and zoning permit he wanted. Get your facts straight.

[@lonewolf9578]

Was that the guy who made a bull dozer because they were going to build a road over his house or something?

[@hammerheadfxdwg2018]

All hail the Killdozer

[@J-1410]

@@lonewolf9578 He wasn't allowed to build a road to his place of business after another business built where his road was. Also when the other business built where it built they disconnected him from city water/sewage, which he tried to get reconnected, but the city denied it then fined him for it.

[@byronhoda7564]

Destroy my house that I paid for and something you raised your family in. "Sentimental" you cant get that back! The town would go bankrupt by the time I was finished!

[@toonceshere9668]

His home and irreplaceable personal belongs we're destroyed. They owe him big time. Sounds like the board needs to be investigated.

[@dontravis9347]

No registered letter? Where were they mailing the notices to? The empty house?

[@TheTSense]

0:27 "Not really a crime" You think everyone can just set other peoples stuff on fire and it is not a crime? I suppose rape is also not really a crime if at least one person enjoys it. This is a story right out of 1984. Everything we do is right and we test it to the extrem

[@silverrose7554]

One of the comments below found out the updated info still to this day the judges keep dismissing his case. So sad 😞 truly unjustified ! At its very best !

[@rubiconklbrutorowman7577]

Thanks for updating us. It the judge, what level? The superior court is closely connected with any city as they are a part of the executive branch of government. But, what happened to appear all the way to state supreme court n even US Supreme court, fee-based on a contingency fee, cz he has a very strong case to win! USA

[@markrussell910]

OK, this was 3 years ago. So what happened? Update this, please.

[@dodgeplow]

As of late 2017, there is a suit in place with ongoing motions. www.bhpp.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/10.18.2017-Decision-on-Amended-Complaint.pdf

[@dodgeplow]

but that was late 2017 (mid October). Suits typically take 2-3 years. So don't expect anything updated for another year or so.

[@Airths1]

Really curious too hope someone post an update in a year or so about this case.

[@dubldee5364]

Can’t find anything new. Dodgeplow’s link looked like nothing good for the homeowner, would say the town won.

[@freakklomp]

@@dubldee5364 got some news article for this one. oklahoman.com/article/5599978/lawsuit-loss-turns-more-costly-to-oklahoma-city

[@tammyhuff4723]

Unless they have proof he actually received the notices, like he actually signed a receipt he received the notices, why is there actually a case?

[@pgtv14]

They thought the house was abandoned. Abandoned properties dont have owners to sign stuff. Idiot should have forwarded his mail. Who doesnt read their mail for 4 months?

[@Aaron-xr7oc]

@@pgtv14 if property taxes and Mortgages were being paid obviously it wasn't abandoned 😂 and clearly it states he had to stay longer than thought

[@MichaelClark-uw7ex]

@@pgtv14 Someone having severe health problems like this guy.

[@gkprivate433]

my neighbor in Rhode Island had a vacant lot next to his house. The neighbors won a suit to force him to keep it mowed. Heck I love natural seasonal growth. And of course when he goes and mows it, he finds toys and stuff from their kids. They also won a suit that he had to trim his hedges in front of his house that were too high. I like privacy. Just horrible people there

[@MM-jf1me]

That's weird. Is the vacant lot his property? If not, how is it his responsibility?

[@paulonorato7501]

There is no homeowners association. People need to mind their own business. I would sue the city.

[@rannenw6207]

None of those pictures of his house looked remotely similar to the photo of the front and how would the man know there were leaks all over of he had not been inside.

[@Zeekiel]

My goodness. I cannot imagine what he felt to see his house disappeared.

[@elpollo8950]

We know the house is gone now but we still going to need you to keep paying the mortgage thank you

[@MouseyBusiness]

Honestly, I'm stumped. It can't be helped that he wasn't home for almost a year to receive these things, but the govt. did leave notices on the door like they were supposed to. How were they supposed to know he was out of the state for an extended period of time? He should have made sure his mail was being forwarded to his temporary residence, but bad curb appeal should not demand tearing down a home they knew was owned and not actually abandoned.

[@gondolin12]

Any update on his lawsuit?