Croissant Park Neighbor Exposes Distressed Property Problems

sun-sentinel.com/news/broward/fort-lauderdale/fl-esb-distressed-0621- 

20120621,0,1950923.story 

South Florida Sun-Sentinel.com 

City's distressed properties prompt appeal for action 

DON CRINKLAW Forum Publishing Group  1:11 PM EDT, June 21, 2012

Fort Lauderdale residents of District IV and city officials recently met to find a solution to the large number of foreclosed and dilapidated properties sprinkled among city neighborhoods. The meeting took place largely because of Croissant Park resident Karen Doyle, who contacted District IV Commissioner Romney Rogers about the problem.  "A lot of [city staff] have been working on the foreclosure issue for a long time," Rogers said. 

"It's been on the commission's agenda at least twice.  "Please don't think I will go quietly away," Doyle said at the meeting. "This is too big a challenge for anyone to handle alone. We need collective input, because the problem will not go quietly away, either." "We've identified over 1,000 abandoned propertiescitywide," said Fort Lauderdale Police Detective Jorge Maura, offering insight into why so many citizen complaints have gotten 

few results.  "We respond to the reason we were sent on the call, not to what generated the call. We can go to a home 60 times on anything from narcotics to prostitution. But the problem is that the property is abandoned and nobody's checking up on it." Maura suggested that a "new municipal ordinance is needed to create a time frame. The owner will have so many days to bring the property into compliance, or we'll take legal action." 

Creation of a fresh ordinance is an effort that "has a lot of moving parts," Rogers noted.  

The first step, he said, is putting together an inventory of abandoned properties and "code enforcement will begin the process of gathering data." Then it needs to be determined who owns the distressed properties – a person, bank or investment group – and that isn't necessarily a simple matter. Doyle observed that other cities with a similar problem have outsourced property searches to private companies. "Let the owners know that they will have to register the properties with the city," Rogers said. "There will be a charge, say $150. That adds up. It will pay for a lot." And the creation of legal sanctions could help end the properties' drift into disrepair. 

"We can have a bunch of wonderful meetings," said Marilyn Mammano, president of the Harbordale Homeowners Association and acting head of the Council of Fort Lauderdale Civic Associations. "Let's talk about citizens' involvement." She also recommended creating a task force to help the situation. While everyone awaits the next step, Doyle said, "nothing much can come of this unless somebody – like a city commissioner – makes sure it doesn't get the bureaucratic runaround. That can only happen if citizens act as watchdogs.  "Call the city, write the commissioners," Doyle suggested. "They can only move now if there's a complaint."  

Copyright © 2012, South Florida Sun-Sentinel 

Taxable Values Increase 1.2% for Broward

“Ask Lori…Parrish on Appraisal”

Broward County Property Appraiser Lori Parrish Answers Your Questions…

“Estimate of Taxable Value Increases 1.2% for Broward!”

Dear Lori:

I am a local realtor and would like to know when the 2012 taxable value estimates for Broward County be announced?  I understand your office has forecast an increase in property values across Broward County for the first time since 2007.

                                              S.G., Oakland Park, FL (via email)

Our office released the 2012 Estimate of Taxable Values on June 1, 2012.  As we projected last year, the overall 2012 tax roll value did “remain relatively flat” throughout Broward County when compared with 2011. These numbers resulted in a total countywide taxable value increase of 1.2%, resulting in a total taxable value of $125.2 billion.  However, the 1.2% increase does not apply to every municipality within the county (please keep in mind the 1.2% increase represents the sum total of all taxable value in Broward County).  Some areas saw a greater increase in taxable value than 1.2%, while others still experienced a decrease.  To see a breakdown by taxing authority (County, Municipal, District, etc.), go to our website, www.bcpa.net, click on “Site Index” on the left side of the homepage, then click “2012 Tax Roll Information,”and finally “2012 June 1^st Taxable Value Report.”

The numbers released on June 1 will be virtually identical to the final numbers which will be formally confirmed on the Certification of Tax Roll Value on June 29, 2012.  The only changes, if any, will be to correct any errors discovered over the next 30 days and to extend any exemptions received and approved.  All new 2012 exemptions and Save Our Home portability applications filed to date are already reflected in these numbers.

Sales from the last part of 2011, and the first five months of 2012, reflect slight increases in most parts of Broward County.  This data indicates we may have finally seen the end of this catastrophic real estate crash. Sales price trends seemingly indicate Broward reached overall market bottom a year ago and subsequently are holding steady.  In general, we are starting to see mildly encouraging economic signs. Certainly, some distressed properties or isolated neighborhood pockets may see further value drops. Additionally, communities with larger numbers of condo units may continue to see modest value declines, as condo values traditionally take longer to stabilize and recover than single-family homes and commercial properties.

Sincerely,

Lori Parrish, CFE   

If you have a question for Lori, please email her at lori@bcpa.net or write to her at the Broward County Property Appraiser’s Office, 115 South Andrews Avenue, Room 111, and Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301.  (June, 2012)

Robert L. Wolfe, Jr. CFE
Community Outreach Specialist II
954.357.6871 – office
954.357.8474 – fax
954.445.5732 – cell

May 2012 Croissant Park Civic Association Neighborhood Meeting

Hi Neighbors

Our May meeting started at 7:10 pm with the pledge of allegiance and a motion to approve the minutes of our March meeting which are always posted on this blog.  The Board of Directors in attendance were Steve, Rhonda, John, Heather, Loren, and Virginia.

FLPD Officers Jackson and Stevens from the Neighborhood Action Team were here to give us the current statistics on crime in our area, which included four residential burglaries.  Two juveniles were arrested in connection with one of the burglaries.  Another burglary involved a stolen lawnmower.  When asked about the bomb that was thrown into a resident's window early in the morning a few weeks ago on SW 14th Street, Officer Jackson reported that they have a suspect.  Loren inquired if FLPD has a record of the number of speeding tickets issued in our neighborhood recently.  They did not have those figures with them but will try to bring them to us at our next meeting in September.

Our next speaker was Rivana Stadtlander (with assistance by Ebony Pardo) from the RecycleTeam-Green Your Routine.  The City will be delivering a rolling, blue recycle can that will replace our blue and green recycle bins.  These rolling carts will allow us to co-mingle ALL of our recyclables into one large cart that will be easy to roll to the curb.  There will be instructions inside the lid to remind us of which items can be recycled.  Each cart will have a serial number and a space for our address to prevent loss.  Florida's goal is to reduce the amount of trash we send to the dump by making our recycling efforts easier.  The new cart delivery schedule will be on Friday, June 22nd if you live west of SW 4th Avenue, and on July 3rd if you live east of 4th Ave.  On your day of delivery you may put the old recycle bins out and they will take them away at that time.  If you choose to keep the bins for another use at home, just put you recyclables out that day in a paper bag.  We watched an informative short film about the recycling plant in our area that showed us how they sort, bale, and prepare for sale, the various recycled materials.

Our next speakers were Traci Pollock and Khalilah Ffrench from Broward County Transit and FDOT.  They presented the two options being considered that will link the proposed WAVE Streetcar Project that will service the eastside with the westside neighborhoods via I-595.  The two options being considered are: Griffin Road route or
SR 7 route.  For more information or to offer your comments, go to www.centralbrowardtransit.com.

New Business:  Signage and speed tables (humps) on SW 20th, 17th, and 15th Streets.  Speed limit signs south of 17th Street were removed when the sewer lines were in installed and have not yet been replaced.  A motion was made and seconded to open discussion for speed tables. Several residents on SW 20th St. would like to see speed tables installed from 4th Ave to 9th Ave.  They already exist on 20th from 9th Ave. all the way west to Lauderdale Marine Center.  Steve  reported that the City has appropriated funds for speed tables on 20th St.  Various comments and opinions: a resident claims that the speed tables on 9th Ave. don't slow down speeders.  Another resident disagrees.  A 19th St. resident believes that speed tables on 20th St. will cause traffic to increase on her street.  Heather gave a brief summary of the traffic study done in Croissant Park in 2008 and concluded that no creative methods to mitigate traffic were  suggested by the study.  After a lively discussion a motion was made and seconded that we request the City to install speed tables on SW 20th Street between SW 4th and 9th Avenues, at the City's expense, as we understand the funds have been appropriated for that project.  A vote of Association members yielded a count of 19 in favor and one against.  (It was determined that the one opposing vote was made by a non-member of the Association).  After we request the City for the speed tables, the residents of SW 20th Street will receive a mailing from the City to vote on the matter, which will require 60% in favor.

Sandi McClung won the 50/50 raffle and donated her winnings back to the Association.  Thanks, Sandi

Thank you also to Suzy at Expresso for generously providing the coffee at our meetings.

Meeting Adjourned at 8:45pm




Minutes by Virginia