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Council addresses dilapidated house on Hwy 75

Lead Summary
,
By
Lori Sorenson

Luverne City Council members put the wheels in motion at their Oct. 13 meeting to condemn a residential property for eventual acquisition by eminent domain.
The large yellow house at the corner of Highway 75 and Lincoln Street has been in disrepair for years, and city building inspector Chad McClure has declared it uninhabitable, in addition to a dangerous nuisance.
At a public hearing Tuesday night, Oct. 13, he said windows at the attic level are broken, the roof is failing, the basement is full of mold, and the siding, cladding and soffits need to be repaired and the furnace is not working.
“I can let someone buy a house that’s not liveable, but I can’t let someone live in a house that’s not liveable,” McClure said.
He said the porch deck has rotten wood, and unlatched doors make the house attractive to children, who could get hurt.
“It would be my opinion that the city should acquire the property through eminent domain,” McClure said at the hearing.
He estimated it would take nearly $100,000 to get the structure compliant with city code.
Property owner Marja Ramage, 67, participated in the public hearing via speaker phone from her home in Townsend, Georgia.
She provided some background on the property and why it’s been allowed to deteriorate.
Ramage said she and her husband bought the house 21 years ago for $24,000 with plans to renovate it for apartment rentals.
She said they spent $60,000 on improvements, such as window replacements and painting the interior and exterior of the house.
The house was divided into four apartment units, each with its own kitchen and fireplace.
But then, she said, her husband fell ill with kidney failure, and when their attention focused on his health, the house became a secondary concern.
Several years ago, Ramage said she had a buyer for the home, but he backed out after the utilities were hooked up and water filled the basement (due to broken water lines from failure to disconnect before freezing weather.)
At Tuesday’s hearing, Ramage said she recognizes the need to comply with city code, and she asked city officials to allow her until next spring to paint the house.
“It has four fireplaces and beautiful oak woodwork,” she said. “It may be the oldest house in Luverne. … It would be a pity to bulldoze such an important part of Luverne history.”
McClure said he’s already been temporarily waiving code violations, and at this point, he said the costs to bring the structure into compliance outweigh considerations, if any, to save the house.
The City Council took no action at the Oct. 13 public hearing, but acquiring the property through eminent domain will be on the agenda of the Nov. 24 council meeting.
If that resolution is approved, the property would be appraised and the homeowner would be paid an amount that is determined to be fair market value.
If the city acquires the lot, the house would be demolished and the property would be prepared for future development.

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