As long ago as 2009, there was talk of the house at 222 4th St. N. being demolished IN THE VERY NEAR FUTURE. Click here for my blog coverage from 2009.
Obviously the very near future was a long time away. Slumlord Mahmood Khan kept matters tied up in court but finally lost his battle. Councilman Gary Schiff was the one who "broke the story" by posting info on the North Talk Facebook page even though the house is located in Council Member Hofstede's ward.
The rest of the story about this structure is...
...Khan no longer owns it because it's been forfeited for delinquent taxes. Khan was given time to retrieve any "personal belongings" at the property. Well, according to my reliable source Khan showed up with a work crew and they started removing windows. Khan tried to claim this was kosher (well, "kosher" wasn't his exact word) because he was the one who put the windows into the house in the first place. However, things that are "affixed" to the structure such as windows, furnaces, etc. become "real property" and are not moveable personal property. So Khan was ordered to leave immediately and neighbors have been told to call 911 if they see Khan lurking near what used to be his own property.
It should be noted this address was where the body of 15-year-old murder victim Annshalike Hamilton was discovered in the detached garage. The murder is still unsolved though Annshalike's mother will tell you, me, anybody at the drop of a hat who she believes murdered her daughter. The removal of this structure will not erase the memory of Annshalike Hamilton, the horror of her murder, or the need for this cold case to be resolved.
Hello, I read through most of the madness of Jill Clark. What part tells how all this started? Thanks, Tom
ReplyDeleteYou might start with this one.
ReplyDeletehttp://adventuresofjohnnynorthside.blogspot.com/2012/05/petition-for-disciplinary-action-filed.html
How does this impact the investigation? Will they still be able to catch the killer?
ReplyDeleteI see two problems with this. First, I don't understand why the solution is always to tear down a building, rather than take it away from the slumlord. In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, the city of New Orleans is having a difficult time maintaining empty lots, which have become overgrown, filled with garbage, and a place where nefarious activities are taking place. Why the rush to demolish homes in North Minneapolis? The solution lacks imagination. There are people in need of affordable housing. Also, playing devil's advocate, how does it make sense to prohibit the stripping down of a house that will be demolished anyway? I agree that this guy is a parasitic scumbag, but why take the wrecking ball to windows and doors, etc, that are in good shape?
ReplyDeleteGood! What a breath of fresh air!
ReplyDelete