As a lifelong resident of Chattanooga, I would like to address a situation that has arisen with the city of Chattanooga. I have lived in my home for 38 years, which is paid for, and I pay city and county taxes annually.
On July 29, I received a Notice of Municipal Code Violation from a code enforcement inspector citing issues with my gutters and my home requiring exterior painting, to be completed by Aug. 16. I contacted the inspector on July 30 and explained that my home is neat, clean and the yard maintained. Yes, it does need some painting, but I am on a very tight fixed income and cannot afford to have the home repairs done at this time.
He said he would leave a document with organizations that could perhaps help me. Later that day, a large tree fell on my home which necessitated filing a homeowner’s claim with my insurance. The inspector called again asking if the issues were resolved and I informed him of the tree damage and that I could not have any repairs made to my home during the time the claim was open. He then stated he would give me until Sept. 28 to complete the repairs. The claim was not paid until the last week of September.
On Oct. 3 I find an Ordinance Summons to Chattanooga City Court affixed to my mailbox, requiring my attendance on Oct. 24. I left a voicemail for the inspector that I have contacted all organizations on the list he provided and only one has returned my call, stating that the repairs were not “critical” and they cannot help. I also informed him that I cannot be in court at the designated date and time due to extenuating circumstances.
This inspector has left numerous documents affixed to the flag on my mailbox, in a sheet protector, with no envelope. This is how the summons to court arrived. Anyone walking or driving by can see these documents, which is entirely unnecessary. I have also received numerous letters and phone calls from him.
In talking with others in my neighborhood, I have learned they have been subjected to the same demands and threats as I have from this inspector. I own my home and do not appreciate being threatened and taken to court over an issue that I cannot resolve at the present time. If my home was an extreme eyesore and woefully in need of repair and grossly neglected, I could understand, but that is not the case.
Others in our fine city need to be aware that this can happen to them also, with zero cooperation from the city, with ridiculous deadlines set that are impossible to achieve.
Cheri Taylor
* * *
Ms. Cheri Taylor, what you're going through must be very stressful. It should be illegal and probably is, and certainly unconstitutional what the city is doing to you. Believe it or not, this is not at all new.
It's quite hypocritical that on the one hand the city claims to want to help those who otherwise can't afford to buy a home, then turn right around and make every attempt to take homes away from those who already own them, over something as simple as the home needing a paint job and missing gutters.
This is what Mr. K, I still fear using his actual name, new to the country, attempted to address the issue several years ago when he saw how Chattanooga treated its poor and lower income homeowners. He was able to briefly get the DOJ involved, now obviously just slowed the matter down, only to return in again. Because of threats he encountered, his wife feared for their safety so much so they moved away to another state. We were in limited contact for several years because, from personal experiences, I feared for their safety too. I intentionally limited our conversations, but I did learn in later years he'd earned his law degree and had become an attorney. I've lost contact with him and his family over the decades. But he was genuine, a rarity. He really cared about Chattanooga's low income property owners and sought to right a dire wrong.
You're so right with some of these organizations that give the appearance of helping others. Some are just window dressings and paper tigers. They pay themselves first, and the rest are lucky to get any leftover crumbs if that. Then you have to jump through so many hoops, do cartwheels, fall to your knees and you're still likely to be turned down. But public image and perceptions are everything. No matter how false they are.
Ms. Taylor, we don't have much and I don't know where you live, but I'd like to offer a small token of help in helping to buy paint. Maybe someone can offer to kick at a reasonable rate to do the painting. I'm not at all sure how that might help with the gutters. Out this way we used to how folks who would just show up and pitch in, offering to help, but they were basically chased off too.
You say your home is paid for. That's a trigger right there. Someone wants your home. If the city condemns and takes it, the interested party or parties can buy it for pennies on a dollar. Do a little minimum sprucing up then put it on the market for hundreds of thousands. That's the scheme that was taking place years ago when Mr. K got involved. We figured someone on the inside had to be working in cahoots with the party or parties on the outside who'd targeted some homeowner's property.
Anyway, John Wilson has my info and if you're interested in the offer and want to share with him how to contact you, address. I'll gladly kick in some funds to use as you see fit, even if you can't find someone to do the painting. No strings attached. Nothing. Nada. Yours to keep. I promise you! Just one poor homeowner citizen to another, who's been there, gone through that and know the stress and toll it can take on you both physically and emotionally. It would be a great honor to help if you don't mind.
Brenda Washington