Skip to main content

Council to condemn hazardous property

By
Lori Sorenson

Luverne City Council members took action at their Nov. 24 meeting to acquire the dilapidated property at Highway 75 and Lincoln Street.
According to the resolution that was approved unanimously, the old yellow house north of the Culligan office is a public nuisance and a hazardous building.
The resolution states, "the benefits of acquiring the real estate through eminent domain outweigh the costs."
It also states that due process has been given to the owners, and this process was discussed at the meeting.
City staff documented that the homeowner, Marja Ramage, had been advised in January of 2015 that the house needed upgrades in order to comply with city code.
For example, windows at the attic level are broken, the roof is failing, the basement is full of mold, the furnace is inoperable and siding, cladding and soffits need to be repaired.
At that time Ramage said the exterior would be painted, and that essential exterior repairs would be made.
As of now, however, code issues haven't been addressed, and Ramage, who lives in Townsend, Georgia, is requesting additional time.
At an Oct. 13 public hearing on the matter, Ramage told the council, via speakerphone, that she'd lined up a buyer, Troy Duskin, who had agreed to paint the house.
She went on to explain that her purchase agreement with Duskin was at first set up on a contract for deed, and he's failed to keep up with payments.
He's also failed to make the promised repairs and improvements.
The Nov. 24 resolution puts the wheels in motion to get the property appraised in order for the city to pay the homeowner what is determined to be fair market value.
The fact that two owners are involved may complicate the eminent domain process for the city, because it requires a marketable deed.
At the moment, neither party lives there. Documentation has been filed in the Rock County Courthouse that Duskin is in default on payments, and it may require court action to get a marketable title.
Ramage traveled to Luverne and attended the Nov. 17 City Council meeting to explain her position and plead for more time.
"I have $85,000 of my own money into the house, and I said I'd accept $57,000, which Mr. Duskin said he'd pay," Ramage said, adding that Duskin still owes $53,000 and she's not optimistic that he'll come through with the payments.
Ramage told the council she intends to sell the property and make the improvements, but she needs more time.
"I dropped the price to $40,000, but until he's out, I can't do much more," Ramage said. "Just don't be too hasty to go ahead and condemn it."
At the Nov. 17 meeting, the council reviewed the notes on the property and determined that years of issues with the property require that action be taken soon.
"It puts people on notice that we take our ordinances seriously," Mayor Pat Baustian said. "It's not right for adjoining property owners that the value of their properties is brought down … We have to protect all citizens with our ordinances."
He also noted that even though the process of eminent domain is underway, the city and homeowner could still negotiate a real estate sale.
If the city acquires the property, the house would be demolished and the lot would be prepared for future development.

You must log in to continue reading. Log in or subscribe today.