SearchUser loginOffice of CitizenRest in Peace,
Who's new
|
Stop Cuyahoga County Council from approving new CCLB structureSubmitted by lmcshane on Sun, 01/13/2019 - 09:38.
@Yost4Ohio http://realneo.us/…/stop-cuyahoga-county-council-approving-… … pls shut down this criminal enterprise - thanks in advance for your attention @SteveDettelbach will try and make you drop this investigation http://s.cleveland.com/I4mNpSI -don't #opengov SHUT Down Land Bank @CuyahogaCounty
From Eric J Brewer - former Mayor of East Cleveland: Are you fucking stupid? You're going to give $30 million to two crooks whose organization is under a federal investigation; so they can now rehabilitate the homes they've been rigging laws to give away to their employees and other government workers instead of demolishing them. So you've finally figured out the "D" in HUD stands for "Development" and not "Demolition." All you're creating is another pool of money for James Rokakis and Gus Frangos to steal. Sell the landbank homes to low-income people who want to live in them. Allocate the money directly to the property and manage the gotdamned renovation through the county's building department. Rokakis, Frangos and the thieves they manage in the landbank don't need any more "cuts" off our fucking money. They need to go to jail. The landbank needs to be shut down. It's part of an organized crime ring. You also need to stop creating blight in our neighborhoods with your stupid azzed 3rd party tax lien sales that (guess who?) Rokakis and Frangos got the general assembly to pass. A better idea is to give the properties back to the homeowners you fuckers took them from for back taxes to pay your incompetent-azzed county workers who've created more than $1 billion in debt and trashed our bond rating. The best thing this county can do is stop buying into any more of the bullshit coming from marauders like Rokakis and Frangos who've created "legislative schemes" to enrich themselves at the expense of poor folk. The FBI has already proved the landbank is a criminal organization and you want to give them more money.
Cuyahoga County Council and the County Executive plan to approve a new structure for the Cuyahoga County Land Bank. Taxpayers have to stop this from happening. The CCLB is under investigation by the Justice Department. It is a corrupt entity and has been - from inception.
pg. 18 CLB Services CLB Services is a legally separate entity, statutorily created under Chapter 17 of the Ohio Revised Code, served by three managing members appointed by the President of the Corporation. They are Gus Frangos, CCLRC President, Bill Whitney, CCLRC COO, and Dennis Roberts, CCLRC Director of Programs and Property Management. Charged with the responsibility of conducting asbestos surveys for the Corporation, CLB Services is empowered with the ability to carry out the actions they consider necessary to achieve these responsibilities. CLB Services is fiscally dependent on the Corporation and is therefore presented as a component unit of the Corporation. On July 21, 2014, CLB Services received a loan in the amount of $111,900 from the Corporation to finance its initial operations. The loan has an interest rate of 2.5 percent payable annually. The loan is repayable by July 21, 2019. Financial statements can be obtained from Ronald Pavlovich, Cuyahoga County Land Reutilization Corporation, 812 Huron Road E, Suite 800, Cleveland, Ohio, 44115
Kenneth Tyson, 48, was indicted on one count of conspiracy to commit bribery and honest services fraud, three counts of honest services wire fraud and one count of bribery, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said Friday in a news release. “This defendant used his position to enrich himself with free home repairs when he was supposed to be helping rid our community of blight,” U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman said in the news release. “We remain committed to stamping out public corruption in all its forms.” Tyson is currently the executive director of CLB Services, LLC, an affiliate of the land bank.
It should also be noted that the Cuyahoga County Land Reutilization Corporation has not filed their 990s for public review:
The CCLB or Cuyahoga County Land Bank needs to submit a revised Articles of Incorporation to the State outlining the "proposed" partnership w/Cuyahoga County Community Development Dept.
I have made a public request to review the CCLB's 990s. Other "Land Banks" listed as non-profit (charitable organizations) have posted their 990s on line.
Lake County Land Reutilization Corporation Holds And Manages Vacant, Abandoned Or Tax-Foreclosed Real Property Pending Its Reclamation ... Reclamation, Rehabilitation And Reutilization. The Company Also Assists Governmental Entities And Other Non-Profit Or For-Profit ...
GROSS RECEIPTS
$3,440,600 ASSETS
$7,308,930 The Portage County Land Reutilization Corporation (Pclrc) Is A Non-Profit Organization Created For The Purpose Of Reclaiming ... The Portage County Land Reutilization Corporation (Pclrc) Is A Non-Profit Organization Created For The ...
GROSS RECEIPTS
$1,001,481 ASSETS
$1,228,145 RICHLAND COUNTY LAND BANK
The Mission Of The Richland County Land Reutilization Corporation (Rclrc) Is To Strategically Acquire Properties, Return Them ...
GROSS RECEIPTS
$1,204,398 ASSETS
$203,854 GROSS RECEIPTS
$1,681,481 ASSETS
$820,858 GROSS RECEIPTS
$0 ASSETS
$0 GROSS RECEIPTS
$0 ASSETS
$0 GROSS RECEIPTS
$74,419 ASSETS
$64,461 GROSS RECEIPTS
$19,160 ASSETS
Did you lose your home to a third party tax lien? Contact the NAACP Legal Defense Fund. There needs to be a class action law suit against the Cuyahoga County Land Bank.
( categories: )
|
Recent commentsPopular contentToday's:All time:Last viewed:
|
Parcels held by CCLB 1-13-2019
I have saved a list of the current properties held by the Cuyahoga County Land Reutilization Corporation to share with the NAACP Legal Defense Fund. The NAACP found Cuyahoga County's practice of selling tax liens to be discriminatory (thanks to investigative work by REALNEO Civic Journalist Lily Miller). I encourage anyone who lost their family's home to check the current listings of properties owned by the Cuyahoga County Land Reutilization Corp for their home address. Contact the NAACP Legal Defense Fund - https://www.naacpldf.org/contact-us/legal-assistance/
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Cached NAACP Legal Defense Fund page on tax lien sales:
Date Filed: 02/16/2018
Imagine losing the home you’ve lived in for half your life, where you’ve raised your family and watched your neighbors do the same, and for which you have always paid the mortgage on time. Impossible? Not for far too many homeowners. For decades, jurisdictions across the country have sold tax liens on properties with delinquent property taxes as a means to collect the debt owed – even when that debt is only a couple hundred dollars. Each jurisdiction applies this system differently, but, generally, where there are delinquent property taxes, a local government may sell a tax lien on that property to a third party purchaser, who then has the right to collect the tax debt from the property owner, in addition to interest and fees.
In Fall 2013, The Washington Post published an explosive investigative series uncovering numerous flaws with the tax lien sales process in many jurisdictions. The investigation revealed that this system is being used to charge thousands of homeowners across the country outrageous fees to redeem their properties, with the result that many find themselves in foreclosure over what was originally a very small tax debt. Furthermore, this practice has a disproportionate impact on African-Americans and the elderly – groups that were already hit hard by the foreclosure crisis.
LDF is concerned about abuses in tax lien systems, and is working to ensure that homeowners, and particularly homeowners of color, are not unfairly deprived of their homes. In December 2013, LDF wrote a letter to Washington, D.C., Mayor Vincent Gray and the D.C. Council, condemning the flaws in D.C.’s tax lien system and calling for specific reforms to protect vulnerable homeowners. LDF wrote a similar letter to Cuyahoga County Executive Edward FitzGerald and the Cuyahoga County Council in March 2014, encouraging the council to impose a temporary moratorium on tax lien sales and to establish a task force to investigate the system and ensure that is used fairly.
LDF is closely examining these and other tax lien sales systems across the country and urging jurisdictions that use tax lien sales to collect delinquent taxes to do so in a manner that is fair, equitable, and transparent, and to advocate for reform in those jurisdictions where the system has a disproportionate impact on communities of color.
Cuyahoga County Land Bank -the perfect crime
The county land bank would oversee the renovation of homes and development of affordable and mid-level housing markets.
The Department of Development would provide loans, grants or technical assistance to homeowners for home repair, as well as assistance in obtaining mortgages.
Lawriter - ORC - 323.65 Expedited foreclosure on unoccupie...
Indictment says Cuyahoga Land Bank employee helped company get contracts in exchange for home improvements
Tyson's FBI bust exposes Cuyahoga officials stealing black homes
Ms. McShane
Please be advised that the Cuyahoga County Council does not retain any of the records you are requesting; please contact the Cuyahoga County Land Reutilization Corporation directly to obtain said records.
Regards,
Jeanne
Jeanne M. Schmotzer, MA, CMC
Clerk of Council
Council of Cuyahoga County, Ohio
2079 East 9th Street – 8th Floor
Cleveland, Ohio 44115
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ms. McShane,
This email is in response to your public records request sent to the CCLRC via email on January 14, 2019 in which you requested “990s of the Cuyahoga County Land Reutilization Corp. from 2010- present”.
Because the CCLRC is a governmental entity under Section 115(1) of the Internal Revenue Code, it is not required to file IRS Form 990. Therefore, the CCLRC has no records that are responsive to your request.
Sincerely,
Douglas Sawyer
Assistant General Counsel
Cuyahoga County Land Reutilization Corp.
812 Huron Rd E, Suite 800
Cleveland, Ohio 44115
(216) 698-3543 (ph)
(216) 698-8972 (fax)
dsawyer [at] cuyahogalandbank [dot] org">dsawyer [at] cuyahogalandbank [dot] org
Cuy County Prosecutor - Investigate Tony Brancatelli
What is Tony Brancatelli's role in the approval of expenses by the CCLB?
Anthony Brancatelli (Chair), Council Member, City of Cleveland
Brad Sellers (Vice Chair), Mayor, Warrensville Heights
Dan Brady, Council President, Cuyahoga County
Armond Budish, County Executive, Cuyahoga County
W. Christopher Murray II, Treasurer, Cuyahoga County
Nate Kelly, Managing Director, Cushman and Wakefield | Cresco Real Estate
Ed Rybka, Chief of Regional Development, City of Cleveland
Michael Summers, Mayor, Lakewood
April Urban, Research Associate, Case Western Reserve University
Evidently, the "Board" of the Cuyahoga County Land Reutilization Corporation can do whatever they want and pay off whoever they want and it's all okay. The CCLB signed contracts with Hatha in 2011, 2013 and 2015. Gail Glamm- Tony's wife- started work w/Hatha in 2013.
The consultant group was set up by former Cleveland City Council Communication Director Katherine Bulava. When I pressed Douglas Sawyer at CCLB for the board minutes approving these contracts - Sawyer replied that the board does not vote on these contracts.
So what does the CCLB board decide and approve? Was it not UNETHICAL for Board Chair Anthony Brancatelli to NOT REVEAL that his wife was employed by Hatha Communications?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ms. McShane,
The contracts with Hatha Communications did not require board approval. Therefore, the CCLRC possesses no records that are responsive to you request.
Sincerely,
Douglas Sawyer
Assistant General Counsel
Cuyahoga County Land Reutilization Corp.
812 Huron Rd E, Suite 800
Cleveland, Ohio 44115
(216) 698-3543 (ph)
(216) 698-8972 (fax)
dsawyer [at] cuyahogalandbank [dot] org">dsawyer [at] cuyahogalandbank [dot] org
614 out of 1000 properties held by CCLB in East CLE
Every property involves a "wite out" - back taxes "forgiven" -here's just one notable example-remember the CCLB can also just quit claim the property to whoever they want to - NO Questions asked!!! (See: 3025 W 25 quit claimed to George Group) (See also: 3873-3881 quit claimed to CHN Housing Partners)
673-03-050 - Rosedale Ave - no street address/corner of Euclid Ave - unpaid taxes stretching from 1998 amounted to $113,955 wited out by the Land Bank.
TY Mark Griffin
Thank you County IG Mark Griffin for explaining why my email was rejected as blocked. Evidently, web links or attached Google files will get your emails to County officials - blocked. I resubmitted and so far - my message to County Council Representative Pernel Jones will be READ by him:)
550: permanent failure for one or more recipients (pjones [at] cuyahogacounty [dot] us:blocked)
Indictment says Cuyahoga Land Bank employee helped company get contracts...
A Cuyahoga Land Bank employee was indicted in federal court on charges that accuse him of helping a demolition c...
A renewed vision for East Cleveland is taking shape
Sean Ward's East Cleveland Growth Association is poised to inject economic lifeblood into East Cleveland.
East Cleveland Land Bank properties
Sheet1 673-03-050,CUYAHOGA COUNTY LAND REUTILIZATION,ROSEDALE AVE,EAST CLEVELAND, OH,44112, $ 113,954.81 672-1...
216-739-1809
First Source property 672-03-128 wited out by CCLB
When does this transfer to the CCLB and how many other properties were already transferred besides 672-03-128 ?? First Source National Homes Inc - not registered with the State of Ohio as a business filing.
$20,581.09
DATA | Millions in uncollected housing fines
MAIN STORY: Investigator: Millions in housing fines go uncollected
Total Per Diem Sanctions Converted to Civil Judgment for Collection
$ Amount Converted | Defendant Name
$48,806,000.00 EZ ACCESS FUNDING, LLC
$16,350,000.00 INTERSTATE INVESTMENT GROUP, LLC
$12,124,000.00 BRYCE PETERS FINANCIAL CORP
$5,940,000.00 PARAMOUNT LAND HOLDINGS, INC
$5,481,000.00 ALLOTTA FANNIE, LLC
$3,143,000.00 DIAMOND HOUSING GROUP, LLC
$2,422,000.00 UNITED MANAGEMENT AND INVESTMENT, LLC
$2,184,000.00 CARRIAGE HOUSE PROPERTIES INC
$2,058,000.00 CRN MANAGEMENT, LLC
$1,890,000.00 LWBR, LLC
$1,750,000.00 SFS GROUP LTD PARTNERSHIP
$1,638,000.00 BR 104 LLC
$1,351,000.00 FIRST SOURCE NATIONAL HOMES
$1,344,000.00 NATIONAL ASSET MANAGEMENT GROUP
$1,183,000.00 REO NATIONWIDE, LLC
$1,182,000.00 M2K PROPERTIES, LLC
$1,092,000.00 BENWORLD CONSTRUCTION, LLC
$1,092,000.00 PACKARD PROPERTIES, LLC
$1,092,000.00 FOX & MYSIN INVESTMENTS LLC
$1,092,000.00 DONSHIRS DEVELOPMENT CORP
$1,092,000.00 REO SOLUTIONS USA
$1,089,000.00 K D OHIO INVESTMENTS, LLC
$1,000,000.00 SILVER LEAF ENTERPRISES
$924,000.00 KRAFT BUILDERS, LLC
$840,000.00 OHIO HOUSING NETWORK, LLC
$838,000.00 THE L.A.W.C. HOUSE BALTIMORE
$805,000.00 HEM 2007, LLC
$784,000.00 ALL ABOUT GOLF, LLC
$782,000.00 SAFE HOMES LTD
$768,000.00 PARAGON INVESTORS, LLC
$748,000.00 CLEVELAND RENOVATION GROUP LLC
$742,000.00 COMMUNITY COMING HOME FOUNDATION
$742,000.00 FORCUETO LTD
$728,000.00 CORE FUNDING INC
$728,000.00 HEM 2007 LLC
$728,000.00 WHG FIFTH 33
$728,000.00 2758 EAST 79 CAFÉ INC
$728,000.00 C & S CORP
$728,000.00 3845 E 55TH STREET LLC
$728,000.00 973 PARKWAY LLC
Crains Cleveland endorses Justin Bibb
Thank you Crains for endorsing Justin Bibb. It is crucial that Northeast Ohio move beyond reliance on federal dollars to run the City of Cleveland. The tax base has been decimated for decades by the practices of the political machine that includes current council persons, Kevin Kelley and Anthony Brancatelli, Before these two, Frangos, Rokakis and Pianka worked in lock step to keep money going to their allies - other former councilmen like John Zayac and Michael Bustamante. Rokakis and Frangos used CDCs like Tremont West and Detroit Shoreway to test drive the land bank concept and put it into full action mode with demolitions contracts steered through the City of Cleveland and then through Cuyahoga County - creating the bloated NGO, known as the Cuyahoga County Land Reutilization Corp. This entity has no accountability by design and unlike other land banks - is not even required to file 990s. The NAACP Legal Defense Fund found the practice of selling tax liens discriminatory against African Americans under Rokakis and Frangos. Those tax liens were predominantly sold on the east side of Cleveland and especially in East Cleveland - to further development schemes that these two have brokered for years. I have asked Crain's reporter Michelle Yarboe to investigate a large East Cleveladn property transferred to Steven Pontikos (Frangos' sister is Mary Pontikos). Kelley has worked in lock step with Brancatelli sponsoring legislatation that continues to support the land bank and working with their former council members who now sit on the County Council to further funding of this unchecked organization. Brancatelli chairs the land bank. Rokakis also worked land deals through the Western Reserve Land Conservancy and handed that mantle over to Michael Zone as he funded the Detroit Shoreway CDO that had become so unchecked in their handling of HUD community development grants. Zone on council recused himself as legislation was introduced to basically fund his $150K salary at the Western Reserve Land Conservancy. Can Bibb sort out this mess? I am praying that he will make the necessary changes to especially address the misuse of federal monies in the Department of Community Development and the Building and Housing department. Residents want services like recycling that works. Godspeed Justin Bibb.
https://www.crainscleveland.com/editorials/crains-editorial-justin-bibb-mayor