Photo By John HoffThis notable incident happened about two weeks ago, but I only just received a firsthand account today from the Chair of the Hawthorne Neighborhood Association, Peter Teachout.
Regular readers are quite familiar with my unceasing drumbeat coverage of 3020 6th St. N., a place identified by a high ranking 4th Precinct police officer as a "pill house." With drug customers going in and out more or less openly, this filthy fly sits right in the middle the metaphorical ointment of our Eco Village cluster project; past foreclosure, past redemption, but hanging on by...
...a thin thread of renter's rights until on or about May 10, 2009. The house was owned by Evannor Haymon, a shrewd self-made man who gets his money any way he can, rather like Old Scratch will get souls by any means necessary.
Like face-to-face encounters with The Devil Himself, encounters with Evannor "The Devil" Haymon are rare and rather scary. So imagine the surprise of Hawthorne Board Chair Peter Teachout to run into Evannor in downtown Minneapolis, standing in line behind Peter at the "Plan Review Department."
Peter may have said, "Get thee behind me, Satan!" but what would have been the point?
Evannor was holding a blue piece of paper--Peter said it looked like a building permit application--and a white print out which looked like the standard instruction sheet.
What do you say at moments like this? "So, you know, I got a new truck after the last one was torched on the Fourth of July," could be a place to begin or possibly, "Well, I see business is still brisk at 3020 6th Street North. I guess some things are recession proof!"
Peter asked if Evannor was applying for a renal license.
"No," said Evannor. "You guys pretty much shut me down on that front."
Then Evannor added some stuff about how "people gotta eat" and something like "I guess you got a problem with how some people make their money."
"People gotta EAT?!" I responded, when Peter told me this story. I pointed out the whole "people gotta eat" argument was deeply flawed in its presumptions. Clearly, there is a range of choices in life--legal and illegal--and it's not like crack dealers and prostitutes have been deprived of every other choice, except immoral and illegal choices.
"People gotta eat" may be an argument that can be made amid plane crash debri on a snowy South American mountain, when clearly cannibalism is the only choice to remain alive. In that case, every choice has been taken from you, leaving only horrible opinions as alternatives. However, this argument falls flat in an environment where many, many other choices exist besides prostitution and drug dealing.
All the same...an admission by Evannor like "you guys pretty much shut me down on that front" is very significant. After all, it was Evannor who put forward the argument--over and over, in a variety of ways--that North Minneapolis would NEVER CHANGE and crazy people who grew up in small towns and move to North Minneapolis thinking change is possible are just going to get themselves killed.
Now Evannor concedes change has come. This might be a good time to note the SECOND MONTH IN A ROW WITH NO CRIME REPORTED IN THE ECO-VILLAGE. This area used to be the worst in North Minneapolis. Now it is being radically transformed.
However, crime stats don't tell the whole story, so I refuse to get all excited about such numbers. Crime happens constantly in the Eco Village, since 3020 6th St. N. continues to function (more or less openly) as a "pill house." Since the police are only going to raid 3020 6th St. N. from time to time, this ongoing drug crime doesn't show up on the stats, but it shows up in how people FEEL who are forced to live with constant crime happening right under their nose.
But even the horrible stuff that DOESN'T make the crime stats is changing. This is the "end game" at 3020 6th St. N. One day crackheads will stand at the door and knock, over and over...and nobody will answer. This is not a sunny prediction about a far-off utopian future. That day appears to be just weeks away.
Regular readers are quite familiar with my unceasing drumbeat coverage of 3020 6th St. N., a place identified by a high ranking 4th Precinct police officer as a "pill house." With drug customers going in and out more or less openly, this filthy fly sits right in the middle the metaphorical ointment of our Eco Village cluster project; past foreclosure, past redemption, but hanging on by...
...a thin thread of renter's rights until on or about May 10, 2009. The house was owned by Evannor Haymon, a shrewd self-made man who gets his money any way he can, rather like Old Scratch will get souls by any means necessary.
Like face-to-face encounters with The Devil Himself, encounters with Evannor "The Devil" Haymon are rare and rather scary. So imagine the surprise of Hawthorne Board Chair Peter Teachout to run into Evannor in downtown Minneapolis, standing in line behind Peter at the "Plan Review Department."
Peter may have said, "Get thee behind me, Satan!" but what would have been the point?
Evannor was holding a blue piece of paper--Peter said it looked like a building permit application--and a white print out which looked like the standard instruction sheet.
What do you say at moments like this? "So, you know, I got a new truck after the last one was torched on the Fourth of July," could be a place to begin or possibly, "Well, I see business is still brisk at 3020 6th Street North. I guess some things are recession proof!"
Peter asked if Evannor was applying for a renal license.
"No," said Evannor. "You guys pretty much shut me down on that front."
Then Evannor added some stuff about how "people gotta eat" and something like "I guess you got a problem with how some people make their money."
"People gotta EAT?!" I responded, when Peter told me this story. I pointed out the whole "people gotta eat" argument was deeply flawed in its presumptions. Clearly, there is a range of choices in life--legal and illegal--and it's not like crack dealers and prostitutes have been deprived of every other choice, except immoral and illegal choices.
"People gotta eat" may be an argument that can be made amid plane crash debri on a snowy South American mountain, when clearly cannibalism is the only choice to remain alive. In that case, every choice has been taken from you, leaving only horrible opinions as alternatives. However, this argument falls flat in an environment where many, many other choices exist besides prostitution and drug dealing.
All the same...an admission by Evannor like "you guys pretty much shut me down on that front" is very significant. After all, it was Evannor who put forward the argument--over and over, in a variety of ways--that North Minneapolis would NEVER CHANGE and crazy people who grew up in small towns and move to North Minneapolis thinking change is possible are just going to get themselves killed.
Now Evannor concedes change has come. This might be a good time to note the SECOND MONTH IN A ROW WITH NO CRIME REPORTED IN THE ECO-VILLAGE. This area used to be the worst in North Minneapolis. Now it is being radically transformed.
However, crime stats don't tell the whole story, so I refuse to get all excited about such numbers. Crime happens constantly in the Eco Village, since 3020 6th St. N. continues to function (more or less openly) as a "pill house." Since the police are only going to raid 3020 6th St. N. from time to time, this ongoing drug crime doesn't show up on the stats, but it shows up in how people FEEL who are forced to live with constant crime happening right under their nose.
But even the horrible stuff that DOESN'T make the crime stats is changing. This is the "end game" at 3020 6th St. N. One day crackheads will stand at the door and knock, over and over...and nobody will answer. This is not a sunny prediction about a far-off utopian future. That day appears to be just weeks away.
5 comments:
An update on the day of, shall we say, exorcism (The power of Hawthorne compels thee!!!):
Minnesota has a law that now states that renters have 60 days after the end of the redemption period where they can remain in the home. However, there is some confusion over whether or not the proverbial clock starts to tick immediately upon the end of the redemption period, or if the foreclosing company or attorneys have to take some measure themselves to get the ball rolling.
So this week, our partners at the Housing Preservation Project (of Citimortgage lawsuit fame) drafted a letter to be sent to Shapiro & Nordmeyer (sp?), the foreclosing attorneys for Duetsche Bank, the new owners. In that letter, we basically said, "There are problem property occupants at a property your company owns, and you don't have a rental license, so GET THEM OUT NOW."
We'll see what happens from here, but it's only a matter of time.
But doesn't the city have ordinances regarding "lack of utility" (noted as "LINT" in the city of minneapolis property record)? How can people who have no legal lease agreement (with anyone) stay in a property without 1, 2 or 3 major utilities (water, electricity or gas). Regardless of the 60 days if they have the water or gas or electricity turned off they could be forced to vacate if the propery is posted, right?
So I ask this question: is there a bright sticker paper at this property???
No.
It would be too bad if these squatters lost their little clubhouse...Hopefully they aren't engaging in "high risk behavior" in a property where they have precious little right to be in now. The clock is ticking and if there are a lot of people still coming and going it might be something to monitor even more closely.
But what happens when those unlucky characters lose their place??? I wonder if they might have to go move in with their former landlord! I'm sure Mr. "The Devil" would welcome them into his home with open arms!
But I heard that Evannor has lost legal right to occupy another home in his failing monopoly: 2942 Aldrich Ave N, Minneapolis - an address that is listed as his residence in the 'rental license' section of the city property records... Keep up the 311 reports... as soon as that property is cleared i'm sure there will be even less crime in that block!
City of Mpls "Public Record" of Property Info lists: "Evanner Haymon" as both taxpayer & owner of "3007 3rd St N Minneapolis Mn 55411" (Homestead: no valid rental license listed for this place).
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