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DEMOLITION in Cuyahoga County - Problem or Solution to Foreclosure Crisis?Submitted by Gone Fishin on Mon, 02/04/2013 - 07:00.
 Photo Dianna Hill According to the Plain Dealer, city leaders and community development gurus believe demolition is the key to improving neighborhoods in Cuyahoga County and are requesting additional federal funds to complete their mission of demolishing everything in sight. http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2013/02/what_to_do_with_vacant_homes_i.html Historical homes that can never be replicated are torn to shreds despite the efforts of more sensible leaders to save these homes. The leaders pushing for the additional funds believe that vacant homes contribute to the domino effect of foreclosures. The conditions for possibly receiving additional federal funds for demolition purposes is to prove empirically that razing vacant structures reduces the number of foreclosures in surrounding areas. If this can be proven, the federal government will consider offering more money for demolition. Otherwise, the demolition money will run out at the end of 2013. I don't think those pushing for additional funds will be able to prove that demolition reduces foreclosures. In fact, my research shows an extremely high record of foreclosures relative to the delinquent property tax lien sale that these same officials that are pushing for additional funds have caused. The record number of property tax foreclosures were filed during the same period of record demolition in Cuyahoga County. In November 2011, Cuyahoga County sold delinquent property tax liens to Woods Cove, LLC. The one year time period for home owners to redeem the liens has run out. In 2012, Woods Cove filed 209 property tax foreclosures. In 2013, Woods Cove has filed an additional 246 foreclosures with many more to be filed. In 2011, Aeon Fincancial was named as a plaintiff for 864 civil cases- almost all foreclosures. In 2012, Aeon was named as a plaintiff in 198 civil cases and most were foreclosures. Since 2011, approximately 1527 foreclosures were filed in Cuyahoga County relative to the delinquent property tax lien process alone. Plymouth Park Tax Services, another scam predatory collector, was the purchaser of delinquent property tax liens in Cuyahoga County from 2004 thru 2008. During this time period, Plymouth Park Tax Services was named plaintiff in 2212 civil cases filed in Cuyahoga County. Most of the court filings were for delinquent property tax foreclosures. From 2004 thru 2013 , approximately 3,739 delinquent property tax foreclosures were filed in Cuyahoga County. Cuyahoga County property owners were sold out to predatory tax collectors. The sell out to the predators has greatly contributed to the foreclosure crisis in Cuyahoga County as property owners are unable to fight off these thieves and are losing their properties in record numbers. This is the direct result of the same officials that are now requesting additional federal funding. They sold out the people of Cuyahoga County and intend to do so again in May 2013. The predatory tax collectors 'donated' some of their property to the county's land bank for demolition purposes only. Probably one of the reasons we are running out of money to demolish homes that really need demolition is because tax payers are footing the bill for the predators. And the predatory tax collectors are leaving behind unsecured, vacant and vandalized property after they force out long time property owners over a couple thousand dollars. These victims did not want to lose their property- many owned for decades and some mortgage free. These foreclosures had nothing to do with any 'domino effect'. The property owners were sold out to predatory tax collectors who fail to pay their own property taxes and maintain their own property, and leave behind vacant and vandalized homes. The same 'risky, out-of-state investors' that the county land bank is attempting to protect us from are the same out of state predatory tax collectors that our great protectors dragged into this county. The predators are charging excessive fees, taking large sums of money from the victims, and then still kicking them to the curb:
The former homeowner now resides in a homeless shelter. 
 The victim leaving his home owned for nearly fifty years- for the last time.
MORE SCAMS FROM THE PREDATORS: The Wiggins family owned their property located at 17214 Lotus in Cleveland, Ohio since as far back as county fiscal office records go - January 1, 1975. They lost their property via delinquent property tax foreclosure to CapitalSource fbo Aeon Financial Services. In order to save the family's property owned for decades, the Wiggins family entered into a land contract with Aeon. The terms are $18,500 for the return of the their family home owned for decades. $8,000 down payment ( which is more than the Wiggins family liens owed to Aeon) and the $10,500 balance due in monthly installments with 8% interest.  The Macon family owned their property located at 17116 Judson Drive since February 25, 1994. They lost their property via delinquent property tax foreclosure to CapitalSource fbo Aeon Financial Services. In order to save the family's property owned for 19 years, the Macon family entered into a land contract with Aeon. The terms are $10,800 for the return of the their family home owned for 19 years. $5,259 down payment ( which is more than the Macon family liens owed to Aeon) and the $5,541 balance due in monthly installments with 8% interest. Although the recorded land contract would not mention any such fees, I am curious to know the attorney fees involved with the land contracts, filing fees, land contract prepartion fees, etc... 
Below is the aftermath of the officials decision -actual photos of the property left behind- mostly on the east side, minority concentrated areas. I call this the 'domino effect' : 
            
* My blogs expressing my Freedom of Speech Rights- especially on matters of public concern - are my opinion and not the opinion of my friends, family or employer*
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2020-2025 Vision of Greater Cleveland is right on track....
Greener pastures are ahead....
City Planning Commission and Rokakis are all collusive players in the long term strategies, collaborations, and racket to ascertain millions in funds but neglecting to offer any of these opportunities to life long citizens to renovate and own them. They've made the bureacracy so mind boggling that average folks cannot even begin to understand the processes...it's easier to move away and never look back. The few hundred thousand left include elderly, disabled, and countless homeless...but you don't think that the landbank would work with voting blocks like the formerly encarcerated persons to become homeowners do you???? Nope...just keep adding up them quotas!
Get 'em fisher.....you're doing great.
BTW--please edit your blog to fix this typo--Thanks.
"These victims did______- want to lose their property- many owned for decades and some mortgage free. These foreclosures had nothing to do with any 'domino effect'"
Always Appreciative, "ANGELnWard14"
$50,000 grant to study demolition
This $50,000 grant to study demolition is similar to the $50,000 "grant" Cuyahoga County paid to Plymouth Park Tax Services to study delinquent property tax liens. http://realneo.us/content/plymouth-park-tax-services-aka-xspand-cuyahoga-county-victims-corruption-deserve-justice
Plymouth Park Tax Services studied hard. They ripped off a lot of property owners , not only in Cuyahoga County but across the country. Employees of Plymouth Park Tax Services studied a bit too hard and went to prison.
* My blogs expressing my Freedom of Speech Rights, especially on matters of public concern, are my opinion and not the opinion of my friends, family or employer*
Land Bank President - studied too hard or not enough?
I am still trying to figure out if Gus Frangos, President of the Cuyahoga County Land Bank, has studied the foreclosure crisis too hard or not enough.
Frangos has contributed to the foreclosure crisis himself, yet he is the great protector of the foreclosure crisis for the entire county.
Frangos has highly suspicious real estate transactions in Cuyahoga County including, but certainly not limited to;
1. 1158 East 61st Street, Cuyahoga County case no. CV12773022. Decision finalized 1/9/13. Although the decision is not specific in the county's on-line records, it would be interesting to find out if this property is now going into the county's land bank. Since Cuyahoga County was the plaintiff in this case, it is probably safe to assume the county will land bank this property.
So if 1158 East 61st Street is ordered into the county's land bank, would this create a conflict of interest with Gus Frangos picking and choosing who gets the property???
2. CV12780529 Mortgage default case. Settled and dismissed on 2/7/13. Gus Frangos named as a sole defendant.
3. CV1176659 Quinn Court Properties. ( according to Gus Frangos' agent Ladon Ruffin, Quinn Court Properties is owned by Gus Frangos) . Settled and dismissed.
4. CV11766581 Quinn Court Properties. ( according to Gus Frangos' agent Ladon Ruffin, Quinn Court Properties is owned by Gus Frangos) Settled and dismissed.
* My blogs expressing my Freedom of Speech Rights, especially on matters of public concern, are my opinion and not the opinion of my friends, family or employer*
1158 E 61 LLC
1158 East 61st Street - delinquent property taxes $2,093.15 foreclosure granted and ordered for sheriff sale.
The property will be up for sheriff auction twice. If there are no bidders, the property will default to the lein holder- Cuyahoga County.
And according to the official court document below, and sworn testimony, this property was owned by Gus Frangos.
Gus Frangos takes the so called 'expert on the foreclosure crisis' to a entire new meaning.
Of all the nerve:
* My blogs expressing my Freedom of Speech Rights, especially on matters of public concern, are my opinion and not the opinion of my friends, family or employer*
Official complaint made
No learning how to report needed on my end. County officials have ignored my complaint made in August 2012, so I took my complaint OUT of their incompetent hands.
From: Miles, Adam amiles [at] osc [dot] gov
To:
Subject: White House Correspondence
Date: Wednesday, January 16, 2013, 2:23 PM
Dear,,,,,,,,
I am writing in response to your correspondence, which was forwarded to the U.S. Office of Special Counsel from the White House. In you letter, dated November 8, 2012, you indicate that you would like to report wrongdoing. The U.S. Office of Special Counsel (OSC) serves as a safe conduit for the receipt and evaluation of whistleblower disclosures.
If you would like to disclose a violation of law, rule, or regulation; gross mismanagement; a gross waste of funds; an abuse of authority; and/or substantial and specific danger to public health or safty, you may file a whistleblower claim online, using OSC Form 12 (www.osc.gov/oscefile/), via fax at 202-254-3711, or by mail, Office of Special Counsel, 1730 M Street NW, Suite 218, Washington, DC 20036.
Please feel free to contact OSC at 202-254-3600 if you have any further questions,
Sincerely,
Adam Miles
* My blogs expressing my Freedom of Speech Rights, especially on matters of public concern, are my opinion and not the opinion of my friends, family or employer*
1188 East 61
Delinquent property taxes $8,952.15
* My blogs expressing my Freedom of Speech Rights, especially on matters of public concern, are my opinion and not the opinion of my friends, family or employer*
Receiving large loans and transfering property
There is a pattern of Gus Frangos transferring property from his name to a self-created LLC, obtaining large mortgages, transferring property with no mortgage release, and then alleged new owner not paying property taxes.
It reminds me of this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fFGZufk4HFs
* My blogs expressing my Freedom of Speech Rights, especially on matters of public concern, are my opinion and not the opinion of my friends, family or employer*
Den Demolition
I traced Den Demolition to the Frangos' family.
The responsible person listed for Den Demolition is Firdeo Satka. The listed address for this company is 13405 Lake Avenue, Lakewood, OHio.
The Satka family entered the real estate business by leasing Cleveland parking lots. Satka might have been aided by unusual funding by St. Paul Creation Federal Credit Uniion and is being investigated for the unusual funding. Satka has allegedly engaged in the shell game of hiding businesses under numerous LLC's- same as Gus Frangos.
Very interesting information on the Satka family here http://www.lovelakewood.com/blog/2012/07/22/credit-union-collapse-touches-noted-lake-ave-house/
According to a complaint filed in the United States District Court, the numerous fictitious entities created and/or controlled by the Satka family resulted in loans from St. Paul Creation Federal Credit Uniion in the amount of $3,543,821 being reduced to a zero balance. http://www.lovelakewood.com/pdf/law/120722_satka_aff.pdf
For a couple hundred dollars, one can simply create another LLC and continue on with the shell con game.
According to the Ohio Secretary of State business records, Gus Frangos has incorporated 132 businesses / LLC's and is/was the agent for 43 more entities.
I wonder if DEN DEMOLITION gets county contracts?
* My blogs expressing my Freedom of Speech Rights, especially on matters of public concern, are my opinion and not the opinion of my friends, family or employer*
Attorney willing to be "individually" responsible for client
I have been in the legal profession for over 23 years and have never heard of an attorney willing to be "individually" responsible for their client's debts. That excuse doesn't cut it for me:
If Gus Frangos is not the owner of this property, why did he sign the document as being the owner:
* My blogs expressing my Freedom of Speech Rights, especially on matters of public concern, are my opinion and not the opinion of my friends, family or employer*
Frangos family versus Satka family
Gus Frangos incorporated 15315 Madison LLC and named Louis Frangos as an agent.
The property located at 15315 Madison Avenue transferred from 15315 Madison Avenue LLC to the Satka family on 6/28/04 for $320,000.
* My blogs expressing my Freedom of Speech Rights, especially on matters of public concern, are my opinion and not the opinion of my friends, family or employer*
Den Demolition
Owner of DEN DEMOLITION, Firdeo Satka, also has ties to 1020 Bolivar, LLC.
http://www.bizapedia.com/people/FIRDEO-SATKA.html
The same 1020 Bolivar LLC which has ties to the Frangos Group http://thefrangosgroup.com/1020bolivar.html
And the same 1020 Boliver LLC which houses the Cuyahoga County Workforce Development http://www.superpages.com/bp/Cleveland-OH/Employment-Connection-L0501391129.htm
At the time of my last research on 1020 Bolivar, this property was tax delinquent in the amount of $62,328.72
* My blogs expressing my Freedom of Speech Rights, especially on matters of public concern, are my opinion and not the opinion of my friends, family or employer*
Algimantas Dailide was permanently deported from US
The person who allegedly signed the mortgage with 6311 St. Clair LLC in 2008, Algimantas Dailide, was permanently deported from the US in 2002 due to his nazi war crimes. http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/2004/January/04_crm_017.htm
Ladon Ruffin, the agent for 6311 St Clair swore under oath in 2011 that Gus Frangos owns the property located at 6311 St Clair:
And county records show a recent judgment in the amount of $87,612.31 relative to 6311 St Clair LLC, JL 12 478293
No property taxes paid in years. Delinquent property taxes owed $6,875.22.
This is the same property in which Gus Frangos agreed to be 'individually" responsible for the mortgage.
Gus Frangos was recently sued over his failure to pay his mortgage:
* My blogs expressing my Freedom of Speech Rights, especially on matters of public concern, are my opinion and not the opinion of my friends, family or employer*
Satka Family
http://www.fbi.gov/cleveland/press-releases/2014/lakewood-man-indicted-f...
THE SATKA FAMILY:
1. Owns demolition companies ( DEN Demolition - Progressive Demolition )
2. Friends of Gus & Lou Frangos.
3. Involved in USA Parking.
4. Failed to pay property taxes for years & was given a free ride on property taxes
5. Made the 'Dirty Dozen' list for most owed in delinquent property taxes- taxes owed $347,356.64 for 1020 Bolivar Inc.
6. 1020 Bolivar received county founding to house a county workforce center during the tax delinquency period.
7. Gus Frangos incorporated 15315 Madison LLC and named Louis Frangos as an agent:
1325 CARNEGIE AVE
CLEVELAND,OH 44115
Effective Date: 06/17/2004
Contact Status: Active
The property located at 15315 Madison Avenue transferred from 15315 Madison Avenue LLC to the Satka family on 8/9/04 for $400,000.
STOLEN MONEY TO THE FRANGOS FAMILY
Den Demolition
13405 LAKE AVENUE
LAKEWOOD,OH 44107
Effective Date: 05/15/2013
Contact Status: Active
Cuyahoga County’s first “Dirty Dozen” list is below. This list was compiled by scanning the county’s delinquency files for large taxpayers and by combining multiple delinquencies of parcels owned by the same individual or business. Some property owners who owe large amounts are not included on this list because they are seeking a property tax exemption (and thus may end up not having any tax liability) or for other reasons.
- See more at: http://executive.cuyahogacounty.us/en-US/110111-delinquent-taxpayers.aspx#sthash.Y41LUP2r.dpuf
This shit gets really deep.
Jim Rokakis former partner in crime, NICHOLAS ZARNAS- was named in a lawsuit with 1020 Bolivar Inc.
Probably explains why property taxes were overlooked for years:
http://statecasefiles.justia.com/documents/ohio/eighth-district-court-of...
Jim Rokakis and his partner in crime sold ONE of their many properties for TEN MILLION DOLLARS.
How the fuck does a career public servant have the ability to do this? http://realneo.us/content/cuyahoga-county-land-bank-creators-dabble-ten-million-dollar-property-jim-rokakis-gus-frango
All the scammers are partners with Nicholas Zarnas:
Meantime, another Frangos company, Bolivar LLC, has filed a civil complaint in Cuyahoga County against Nicholas A. Zarnas, another Cleveland developer. In 2005, the Frangos and Zarnas were partners in an effort to construct a $5 million housing complex in downtown Cleveland. That project received a $1 million brownfield clean-up grant, according to Cuyahoga County's 2006 economic development annual report.
http://businessjournaldaily.com/frangos-had-tax-problems-cleveland-too-2008-6-10
Jim Rokakis and Gus Frangos' partner - Nicholas Zarnas - became involved with the Frangos' in an 'apartment venture', which is the same 'venture' that Jim Rokakis partnered with Zarnas and sold ONE of the apartment buildings for 10 MILLION dollars. Zarnas continued on to partner with Lou Frangos and Gus Frangos in other development, which he admits to not finishing the renovations. I wonder if the One Million brownfield clean-up was the unfinished business ??
Developer of downtown project cites his 30 years in real estate
Nicholas Zarnas acknowledges that he hasn't sold any of the condos or finished renovating any of the apartment buildings he's working on in downtown Cleveland.
Zarnas became involved with Lou Frangos and USA Parking Systems, owner of the Realty building in downtown Youngstown, after working with Frangos' brother Gus -- a former Cleveland councilman -- in the apartment venture.
Besides parking lots, USA owns three office buildings on Prospect Avenue in Cleveland. Frangos has hired Zarnas to develop them into residential housing. They include:
UAn eight-story building near 4th Street, a block from Jacobs Field, that could be 14 condos or apartments.
UA five-story building near 11th Street and the Cleveland State Convocation Center that would be 25 apartments.
UA four-story building near 19th Street that would be 16 apartments.
The 4th Street project has bank financing and construction is ready to start, Zarnas said, but none of the projects is too far along.
http://www.vindy.com/news/2001/sep/02/developer-of-downtown-project-cite...
Jim Rokakis gets extremely pissed off when folks discuss his shady business. He calls employers, threatens the writers, and demands that any unfavorable writings be removed "not next week, not tomorrow, but now."
On Wed, Jul 22, 2009 at 7:39 PM
Dear Norm,
I just saw the following post at Real NEO:
http://realneo.us/content/sale
It is outrageous, slander and I will take legal action is this is not removed, and not next week, not tomorrow, but now.
Please call me on my cell at XXX-XXX-XXXX.
Somebody has to take responsibility for this bullshit--and I am told you are the person I need to contact.
Jim Rokakis
While Jim Rokakis was county treasurer, he engaged in highly suspicious real estate transactions with a partner who received county funds. Gus and Lou Frangos were also partners with Jim Rokakis' partner Nicholas Zarnas. The recently federally convicted Sako Satka was involved with all of these thieves and got a free ride on his property taxes for so long he was on the 'Dirty Dozen" list owing over $300,000 in delinquent property taxes.
Meanwhile, Jim Rokakis was nickle & diming poor people and selling them out to tax lien companies for petty delinquent property taxes.
Jim Rokakis appointed con artist Gus Frangos as president of the county land bank because Rokakis said so- despite Gus Frangos committing mortgage fraud, hiding property behind numerous no property tax paying LLC's with so many housing violations the property should have been condemned.
The county land bank is now giving - as in FREE - hundreds of land bank properties to Sam Miller (Forest City) and fuckhead Robert Klein (Safeguard Properties).
Fuckhead Robert Klein's company SAFEGUARD PROPERTIES has ripped off thousands of property owners and contractors across the country. There is a pending federal racketeering charge against Safeguard Properties, a pending class action lawsuit filed by the Illinois Attorney General, and literally thousands of other complaints. Instead of telling this thief hiding behind Safeguard Properties to get lost, our county GIVES them FREE taxpayer's property. Hundreds of FREE properties- minus any competitive bids- just handing taxpayer's property right into the thieve's greedy hands. The land grab is called corruption. This same act (non-profits handing over property to for-profit companies) was illegal in the Indy County Land Bank and the Feds said so during their raid at the Indy County Land Bank.
Jim Rokakis is a self-proclaimed 'Foreclosure Specialist". If he were so damn special with foreclosures, why is this county so fucked up with folks running away from their property? Why didn't this specialist stop this shit before it happened?
How many of the foreclosures are a direct result of Jim Rokakis' tax lien sales? Why didn't his partner's partner ever get sold out to a tax lien company? How did Gus Frangos lose his property via tax lien foreclosures while his six figure salary is being paid by the collection of delinquent property taxes?
Why is Rokakis begging for MILLIONS in demolition funds to demolish other people's property? Why is Rokakis' / Frangos' partner's partner (federally convicted felon) receiving so many demolition contracts?
Rokakis is a foreclosure specialist because he predicted the foreclosure crisis. I suppose if one is engaged in this type of behavior, they should be able to predict the outcome. It ain't high math!
*My blogs expressing my Freedom of Speech Rights, especially on matters of public concern, are my opinion and not the opinion of my friends, family or employer*