Possible Gas Leak At Crappy Khan "Murder House" Threatened Whole Neighborhood With Explosion Hazard At 6 AM This Morning, WHEN IS THE CITY GOING TO TAKE ALL THIS S.O.B.'S RENTAL LICENSES? INQUIRING MINDS WANT TO KNOW IN NOMI...

Creative stock photo, not North Minneapolis, blog
post by John Hoff. Photo depicts burning trash
dump behind vehicle at a base in Afghanistan. This 
does not depict a vehicle on fire. 

According to information from some good citizen in the neighborhood, which was forwarded to me by email, this morning there was a possible gas leak at 2401 Ilion Ave. N., the location of a recent homicide reported extensively here on JNS blog. The Minneapolis fire department and emergency crews from Centerpoint Energy and Xcel responded. JNS believes MPD was probably on the scene as well though that fact was not reported to me.

The house is reportedly empty since the arrest of the leaseholders after the recent homicide incident. One citizen, speaking well for all of us, wrote as follows:

Minneapolis's Youngest Slumlord** Faces Rental License Revocations

 Stock Photo of Tornado Damaged House, Photo and Post by Nomi Passenger

"'He hasn't been by here since the tornado. The grass needs to be mowed, and there's pot growing in the front yard,' Kimble said as he pointed to several cannabis plants that had reached up to 10 inches in height."

From what I remember of Alan Kwong, now 28, he is quite the prodigy. One of those brilliant kids who flies through school, completely unchallenged by even the hardest courses that high school and college has to offer.  If I remember correctly, he was one of those geniuses who graduated both high school and college at a very young age. 

So it makes sense that he would continue his over-achieving, record breaking, prodigal lifestyle and become known as Minneapolis's youngest slumlord**, who is facing license revocations for the remainder of all his rental properties.

The Star Tribune has the story here.  Kwong lost one license after failing to fix a furnace and the temporary space heater started a fire in a bedroom.  He didn't fight the revocation because the house was going to foreclose anyways.  Then came the second revocation, kind of similar to the first one.  Kwong failed to repair a home after a fire and left it boarded. License revoked and unchallenged by Kwong because the house was going to foreclose.  But he did not realize that second revocation would cause his remaining licenses to be revoked as well.  The quote at the top of this blog post is from one of his tenants.  I don't know, maybe Kwong is trying to grow some weed as an additional revenue stream? (sarcasm font)

I knew Alan Kwong from several years back, when he served a brief period of time as a director on the Jordan Area Community Council board.  He was never very involved, in fact I remember the chair having to address a problem with Kwong; he'd come to the meetings and read a book right there at the board table.  I remember he resigned in some kind of a mini-scandal about him being suspected of block-busting, an illegal real estate practice described as using fear and lies to influence home owners to sell their properties quick and at low rates to flee the neighborhood due to an undesirable influx of new buyers, such as criminal elements and minorities.  The minority thing wasn't really what Kwong was being suspected of, but more of the criminal element, telling people on his block that gangs and trouble were moving in all around and homeowners should get out now while they could. (Kwong had a real estate license and did all his own deals)

So there you have it folks, slumlords come in all shapes, sizes, ages, backgrounds and intelligence levels. But they ALL need to get the heck out of north Minneapolis, they aren't welcome any longer.

** youngest slumlord title not scientifically proven with data, just an honorary title for blog purposes


(Do Not Click "Read More")

Let's Put Some Limits on Provisional Rental Licenses

Guest commentary and stock photos (of a property that may or may not be owned by a slumlord) by the Hawthorne Hawkman.

I'd been kicking around an idea in my head for a while now about how to go about the problem of landlords who buy up large swaths of properties and then fail to take care of them or even avoid a cascade of foreclosures. I'm referring to Danna D III, Mahmoud Khan, Gregge Johnson, and Paul Koenig, among others.

At the Dessert with Don event this past week (where the Hillside Chronicle blog was generous enough to say that I was worthy of consideration for One Man Minneapolis), I tossed this idea out to a few people. This proposal centered around a pattern I saw when I researched and put live links to these slumlords' properties and noticed...

...a significant number of provisional rental licenses granted for many of these owners of multiple properties. Since city inspectors are too busy to do full inspections on every single rental property before it is rented/occupied, they often grant provisional licenses instead. JNS readers are encouraged to fill in more details, but the gist of it is that a provisional license involves a much less rigorous inspection, with the promise by the landlord that the property will be brought into full compliance within an agreed-upon time frame (usually a year).

In many instances, I'd see maybe ten or more provisional licenses all granted on the same day to the same landlord. Many months after the provisional license was in place, the properties that had them appeared to have little or no work done to be brought into compliance. Even if that did happen as agreed, it was clear that at least the bad apples were taking advantage of the system to avoid maintenance on their properties for as long as possible. Doing so almost certainly allowed them to spend money on even more acquisitions - with perhaps even more provisional licenses.

As you can see from this picture, I was deep in thought about this particular problem. Whoops! Wrong link. I was deep in thought...well, you're just going to have to take my word that I was thinking about serious things.

Like what to do about all these provisional rental licenses. Here's what we DON'T want: we don't want a system so cumbersome that landlords opt to just fly under the radar and rent without getting licenses; there's enough of that already. And we don't want a system that causes delays that are so long that very few people actually want to be landlords in Minneapolis. But yet by granting huge numbers of provisional licenses, it gives slumlords a tool they can and will use to buy even more properties without making repairs.

So what if we put a cap on how many outstanding provisional rental licenses a landlord could have? Let's just say ten at a time, although I'd like to see it close to five if possible. Once a landlord gets a total of ten provisionals, he or she has to bring ALL properties up to full compliance before any additional provisional rental licenses can be granted. Or at least the oldest provisional license must be brought into compliance before a new one is granted.

I believe that if such a policy were implemented correctly, we'd see two things: properties would be brought into full compliance faster, and at least some slumlords would acquire properties more slowly.

So what do JNS readers think? Does this idea bear looking into? Are there other ways we can approach dealing with slumlords?

Talk Of Rental License Revocation At Morgan Ave. N. Whorehouse...

Photo By John Hoff

City officials appear to be taking action, yet again, on 2700 Morgan Ave. N., the notorious whorehouse which is almost single-handedly dragging down the quality of life on the Jordan Pond.

Recently, city officials recommended...

...revoking the rental license, which is held by "Dana D III," the name of a property empire which appears to have fallen on very hard times and, lately, it's hard to tell who exactly is in charge. Dana D III made no attempt to appeal the recommendation of rental license revocation. If you want more details, check out this city document.

http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/council/2009-meetings/20090717/Docs/2700-Morgan-Ave-N-RCA.pdf

Lately, when driving by the notorious house, I've been told by a friend in the neighborhood "Turn your face away. Glare in the other direction." It seems there is constantly some no-account individual sitting or standing outside, waiting for...well, this is a family blog, so I'll refrain from further description.

But I notice they seldom have to wait longer than 15 minutes.

I'm just saying.

Nothing Says "Slumlord" Like Six Basement Egress Windows...

Photos By Jeff Skrenes

This blog previously reported the story of "Mr. Slummy" and his epic hole-to-China, an event which alarmed and galvanized our neighborhood. Well, there's been a new turn of events at 2515 3rd St. North...

Hawthorne Housing Director Jeff Skrenes notes--with alarm and horror--how Mr. Slummy is now adding egress windows to his basement. Each of these windows apparently represents slumlord sugar-plum-fairy dreams of an income-generating bedroom.

There are AT LEAST six egress windows, Jeff says, but he's not positive there aren't EIGHT. Who's counting? In any case, it's TOO MANY. And, for now, we are unable to stop Mr. Slummy because he operates under the dubious claim that what he's actually building here--multiple egress windows and all--is NOT intended to be rental housing but his primary residence.

Here is Jeff's rallying message to the neighborhood, unedited:
----------------------------------------------------------------------

These are the recent pictures of the basement at 2515 3rd St N. What do you notice? This is no ordinary basement. He has egress windows EVERYWHERE.

Most places, you'd think, you'd want one or two such windows in the basement. But something tells me he's not just putting those in for overall safety. There will be numerous BEDROOMS down there. Bedrooms on the second floor. Bedrooms on the third. Bedrooms in the original part of the house, and bedrooms in the addition. He's not building his primary residence, as
he so nobly claims. He's building a MOTEL.

The city claims he's got the proper permits and doesn't need zoning variances to do what he's doing. Okay. Well we still have permit processes for rental licenses and occupancy. We need to come down HARD on this SLUMLORD the RED HOT SECOND he tries to put ANYONE ELSE in this place.

We KNOW it's going to happen, so let's be prepared.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

JNS says: that's why we call him the Hawthorne Hawkman. He protects the people of the Hawthorne Neighborhood, and we don't take kindly to slumlords 'round these parts.

Attention Real Estate Investors: NoMi Neighborhood Associations Will Put Your (Expletive) Head On A Pole...

Stock Photo By John Hoff

I guess I've been subscribed to some sort of real estate auction mailing list, because I get junk mail notices every so often advising me of auctions. Yesterday, a little canary-colored card told me about an auction taking place June 20th, 2009 through "Williams & Williams Worldwide Real Estate Auction."

Oh, gee, it's "sell absolute" and there is talk of "nominal opening bids" that start at $1,000. And--surprise, surprise, NOT--a few of the addresses listed are in North Minneapolis. Sounds like a slumlord's dream date with destiny!

OK, I guess what I need to do, here, is first list the addresses (so they will turn up in search engines when would-be investors HOPEFULLY research the properties) and, secondly, say how our North Minneapolis neighborhood associations treat slumlords which hit our radar.

Then there is a third thing...

First, here's the list:

2415 Bryant Ave. N.
2023 Queen Ave. N.
2939 Newton Ave. N.
1339 Upton Ave. N.
1510 44th Ave. N.
3927 2nd Ave. N.

Now, then, in regard to how we treat slumlords who hit our radar--including scum who try to act like they are creating an "owner occupied" but, in fact, they're just playing games and intending to create a run down, slummy rental--I would suggest using the internal search engine for this blog and plugging in terms like "slumlord" and "head" and "pole." I'll let history speak for itself in a bloody, graphic way, but here's the ultimate message: DO NOT THINK YOU CAN COME TO NORTH MINNEAPOLIS, BUY UP PROPERTY CHEAP, CREATE SLUMMY RENTALS, AND GET AWAY WITH IT. Neighbors are pissed off and we are ORGANIZED and we have the ear of public officials.

We will get your name. We will get lists of your properties. History shows that juicy stuff will end up on the internet, kicked this-a-way by anonymous sources. And, oh, gee, there is history of neighborhood activists PICKETING YOUR HOUSE, wherever it might be, some swanky suburb.

On the other hand, real and true "owner occupieds" owned by decent people who aren't involved in criminal behavior will be welcomed with open arms and maybe even (what's the word?) SLACK.

It's our neighborhood, and we're not angling for awards in moral consistency. We're just trying to live in a safe, decent environment. Owner occupied housing usually contributes to a better quality of life. (Not always, lord knows) Slumlords, on the other hand, tend to tear down our environment. It becomes pretty easy to pick a side. Around here, a landlord is a slumlord until proven otherwise, and sometimes even then severe backsliding takes place.

I do not SPEAK on behalf of any neighborhood association when I say this stuff. No, rather, I am just saying what I have frequently seen, spitting out my observations in an oh-so-truthful and frank way. See, me being a blogger whose blogging is in the employment of nobody (though I am the grateful recipient of small, infrequent donations) I can say this stuff. And this is stuff "investors" need to hear before jumping in with both feet. So, would-be investors, take this blog post and print it out for your "due diligence" file, because YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.

STAY THE (EXPLETIVE) OUT OF NoMi. Take your scummy real estate wheeling and dealing elsewhere. Here we take slumlords and put their head on a pole.

Oh, yes, the third thing...

Residents of NoMi committed to changing this place for the better need to buy up and get control of as much property as possible. Dig deep in your bank account. Take out a loan. Sell your extra vehicle. GET CONTROL OF REAL ESTATE AROUND YOU FOR THE SAKE OF YOUR SAFETY AND SECURITY.

No, you can't buy up EVERYTHING. But you can buy something nearby, something where new slummy neighbors would impact your quality of life, but here and now there is an opportunity to prevent that with a little decisive action. The forefathers of this nation pledged their "lives, fortunes, and sacred honor." Idealistic NoMi residents could, at the very least, scrape up a grand or two!

Keith Reitman Doesn't Like To Be Called A Slumlord...

Photo By John Hoff

First of all, let me make one thing clear: I've never had an unpleasant interaction with Keith Reitman. He is a savvy, self-made man who possesses a modest empire of what might be called "moderate income housing." Some might apply a particular label to Reitman's enterprise. However, Reitman has told me--in person--he takes offense at the phrase "slumlord."

To this I respond, "I have worked for low-income property managers in the past. I think it's fair to say I have slumlord blood running through my veins. And I don't mean that in a negative way."

But Reitman doesn't like the phrase. At all. So when people who have a problem with Reitman talk behind his back--and they so often do--they make a point of saying "slumlord" loud and often.

By what appears to be strategic shifting of loyalties, Reitman has played a role under both the "Old Majority" and "New Majority" in the Jordan Neighborhood, where grass roots politics have the intensity of revolution. Currently, Reitman sits on the board with "New Majority" members, and talks with them amicably, and votes on board issues. However...

...over in the Jordan Neighborhood, they have NEVER forgotten Reitman's true nature. It is never far from their mind how he was the seller at 1564 Hillside Ave. N., the deal at the center of the Larry Maxwell mortgage fraud trial, and how somehow $5,000 got scraped off the seller's side of that deal and ended up in the pocket of Jerry Moore.

Lately, here at the Johnny Northside blog, I have an emerging mission and emphasis. I will get my hands on lists of properties owned by slumlords, I will publish these lists, and I will let the chips fall where they may. Several weeks ago, somebody sent me a list of Reitman properties. KEEP IN MIND this list is a couple years old. It is not considered current. Consider the list a beginning, a basis for discussion.

The list was compiled by some people in the Jordan neighborhood who were researching slumlords. At some point, a public presentation was made, along with PowerPoint and pictures projected on a screen. The young woman giving the presentation was kind of shy, not really much into public speaking, but she had a job to do and was up there in front of the audience doing it, by god.

In the middle of her presentation about Reitman properties, somebody started to boo. Loudly. Repeatedly.

Boo. Boooooooooo. Boooooooooooooooooo.

This person turned out to be Keith Reiman himself. And, as a result of this action, a kind of imbalance was created in The Force, an imbalance which I now intend to remedy through a two step process.

Step One. Here is the list which I emphasize, AGAIN, is an old list:

1. 1405/1407 21st Ave N Minneapolis, MN 55411 - Provisional – 13 Housing violations, 132 Police incidents, 20 Police reports filed.

2. 2111 4th St N Minneapolis, MN 55411 – Provisional – 53 Housing violations, 40 Police incidents, 2 police reports filed.

3. 1406 Golden Valley Rd Minneapolis, MN 55411 – Provisional – no violation, incidents or reports.

4. 1600 Golden Valley Rd Minneapolis, MN 55411 – 52 Housing violation, no police incident, reports.

5. 1301 Holden St N Minneapolis, MN 55405 – 13 Housing violations, no police incidents, reports.

6. 1564 Hillside Ave N Minneapolis, MN 55411 – Approved – 44 Housing violations, 75 Police incidents, 11 police reports filed.

7. 2373/2401 James Ave N Minneapolis, MN 55411 – 26 Housing violations, 72 Police incidents, 11 Police reports filed.

8. 620 Lowry Ave N Minneapolis, MN 55412 –Approved – 25 Housing violations, 67 Police incidents, 9 Police reports filed.

9. 1910 Penn Ave N Minneapolis, MN 55411 – Provisional – 11 Housing violations, 23 Police incidents, 1 incident.

10. 2331 Penn Ave N Minneapolis, MN 55411 – Provisional – 23 Housing violations, 1 Police report filed.

11. 2335 Penn Ave N Minneapolis, MN 55411 – Provisional.

12. 2341 Penn Ave N Minneapolis, MN 55411 – Provisional - Homestead.

13. 2522 Penn Ave N Minneapolis, MN 55411 – Approved.

14. 1900 Portland Ave Minneapolis, MN 55404 – Provisional.

15. 1336 Upton Ave N Minneapolis, MN 55411 - Provisional.

16. 1409/1405/1407/1411 West Broadway Minneapolis, MN 55411 - Provisional.

17. 1415 West Broadway Minneapolis, MN 55411 -Approved.

18. 2329 West Broadway Minneapolis, MN 55411 - Provisional.

19. 2601 West Broadway Minneapolis, MN 55411 - Provisional.

20. 2619 West Broadway Minneapolis, MN 55411.

21. 2623 West Broadway Minneapolis, MN 55411.

Step Two: Mr. Reitman, I have this to say:

Boo. Boooooooooooooo. Booooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo.

Readers and contributors, keep the lists coming of slumlord empires dragging down North Minneapolis.