Pendleton Heights rocks!

[tat2kc]

yea, we had an inspection, but I didn't have him test every single outlet. The plumbing problems were apparent in the inspection, but only fixed enough to pass muster on a second walk through. The dryer outlet was pointed out during one of our tours, and she specifcally mentioned how much she liked that they had moved it upstairs, so we wouldn't have to go into the basement to do laundry. I foolishly assumed that meant that the outlets actually worked, and weren't just dummy outlets to make us think we had hookups.  I was pretty disappointed. I also got a bit suspicious when she showed up memorial day at 9am with her own contractor to look at the things that were failing. That showed us that she was a lot more involved in the renovation of the home than just acting as an agent for the seller.  We thought she was just the listing agent for the property.  I guess that wasn't the case, and she did not disclose this.  I doubt we'll be able to do much about it. We're already close to the statutory maximum for small claims court, which is $3,000, but not enough over to warrant hiring an attorney. 

It is shame too, because we would have bought the house, regardless. The neighborhood is awesome and the house is cool.  (From what I understand, KCAppraiser, not as cool as yours!) So we don't regret the purchase, we regret not being treated in an honest way. 

[cityboy]

tat2kc...I spoke with the fellow who was doing the inspection initially...a friend of mine.  He said that he had to stop immediately because of the issues, but was never called back.  Might be worth a call to him on the pre-purchase condition of the home.  Doug Geyer 913-915-7103 or douggeyer2002@yahoo.com

Good luck with it.

[KCAppraiser]

You know, I thought she was the one who actually owned the house.  Or she runs the company that did own it or something.  I think Eric might have told me that.  I don't remember for sure.  The one thing I do know for sure is to never trust a contractor.  I am finally resolving all of the issues with a contractor that I had on another house.  They will cut every corner they can.  It took me about six months to redo everything that they could have done in about a week if they would have done it right in the first place.  It is just so stupid.
  You know, there seems to be quite a few of us from the neighborhood on here, we really should get together for a few adult beverages some night.  It would be good to get to know each other better.

[tat2kc]

Sounds good to me, Appraiser.  And thanks, cityboy. Doug was a great inspector.  75% of what we are going to sue for are appliances we bought and were supposed to be reimbursed for.  The rest is fixed well enough to last a couple years. At that time, we'll be gutting the kitchen and bathrooms down to the studs and completely redoing it all, so its not a huge deal for us. Its been more inconvienent and frustating. 

When we get ready to do the work, my partner's firm will do the design work, and get us materials at cost.  We'll use a contractor the firm works with.  That way it'll be the contractor's best interest to do a good job, since the firm throws a butt load of work his way.  I've heard about the cutting corners issue with other home owners. I've also heard that the completion date they give you is just a fantasy!!    I think we'll have all the plumbing replaced all the way to the street.  That way we'll know its all new and working correctly.

There does seem to be a bunch of PH folks on here.  We need to have our own little "pub crawl" 

[Boognish]

The owner's a guy named Jorge - I know this because he owned our house as well. He speaks very little English and he lives over on Park. Angela's business is primarily based around selling affordable housing for new Mexican immigrants - I think she got in a little over our head with our two houses! It's very unfortunate that it worked out this way, I hope you get what you are due, but I think we both got steals on our properties, which makes it a little easier to not be AS upset.

[cityboy]

Very urgent notice for P.H. homeowners...please inquire with  Gary Marsh (P.H. Pres.), your opinion matters.  If we don't want another multi-family mistake then email Gary... sermon-anderson@sbcglobal.net ...let him know who you are and what you think.  From experience, these vague multi-family things are often section 8 or worse.

Hello everyone,

In case you have not heard, there is a plan submitted to the planning and zoning board
concerning the building of 15 multi-family units at the corner of Lexington and Garfield.
I have reviewed the documents at the planning office and they are very vague and speak
to a Community Urban Plan for this development.  As there are presently buildings on
that site, I question whether there is to be demolition and rebuild, or if there is to be additional structures.  All rather dicey for Pendleton.  It makes no mention as to whether these are to be
market rate units, or Section 8 units.  Lots of questions.

I have contacted Levy and Craig who are behind this plan and who have just this last week
sent a letter to ask for a meeting with the neighborhood.  (The planning and zoning hearing
is set for the 16th of August, so, I am not happy with such a late notification as to a meeting)
It is imperitive that we question this development and attend the hearing to voice our desires concerning the plan.  As soon as I have a response from Levy and Craig I will be settin the meeting time.  As of now, I am hoping that we can meet at Scuola Vita Nuova on Thursday
evening at 6:00pm.  I will verify this and get a definite time to you all.

Gary W. Marsh

[KCAppraiser]

I sent him an email offering to help.  What can be done to stop this?

[tat2kc]

I've emailed him also.  I am glad that PH has an active neighborhod association.  I am not sure that the 6 pm meeting will work for us, but I am hoping to be as involved as possible in the association. 

[cityboy]

Just to let you know...

43rd annual Cliff Drive Classic cycling event is Aug 13th 8:30 to 3:30.  The longest-running cycling event west of the Mississippi River, Kansas City is fortunate to host it.  The colonnade at the top of Concourse Park is not only the start/finish line, but also where a couple of cyclists will tie the knot just before the Pro headliner race at 2:30 p.m.  In addition, at 11:30 am kids from three and under through 12 years old can compete for recognition in one of four fun kids' race events.

[staubio]

It is a great race that attracts some top-notch talent.  I'm sad that I have to miss it because I promised to go home and see my parents this weekend. 

There is a CAT 5 class, or what was once called the citizen's class, that anybody can show up and race without needing a license.  Check it out if you like to ride bikes quickly.  I raced the CAT5 last year and got second.  I'd really love to try it again this year, but it isn't in the cards.

[shinatoo]

Very urgent notice for P.H. homeowners...please inquire with  Gary Marsh (P.H. Pres.), your opinion matters.  If we don't want another multi-family mistake then email Gary... sermon-anderson@sbcglobal.net ...let him know who you are and what you think.   From experience, these vague multi-family things are often section 8 or worse.

Hello everyone,

In case you have not heard, there is a plan submitted to the planning and zoning board
concerning the building of 15 multi-family units at the corner of Lexington and Garfield.
I have reviewed the documents at the planning office and they are very vague and speak
to a Community Urban Plan for this development.  As there are presently buildings on
that site, I question whether there is to be demolition and rebuild, or if there is to be additional structures.  All rather dicey for Pendleton.  It makes no mention as to whether these are to be
market rate units, or Section 8 units.  Lots of questions.

I have contacted Levy and Craig who are behind this plan and who have just this last week
sent a letter to ask for a meeting with the neighborhood.  (The planning and zoning hearing
is set for the 16th of August, so, I am not happy with such a late notification as to a meeting)
It is imperitive that we question this development and attend the hearing to voice our desires concerning the plan.  As soon as I have a response from Levy and Craig I will be settin the meeting time.  As of now, I am hoping that we can meet at Scuola Vita Nuova on Thursday
evening at 6:00pm.  I will verify this and get a definite time to you all.

Gary W. Marsh

I thought the enlightened urban dwellers were supposed to be byond this NYMB attitude. Where are these poor people to live???

[chrizow]

yeah, that's what i was thinking?  guess what:  if you move to Old Northeast, you'll rub shoulders with poor people. 

i can understand, from a new resident's perspective, though.  you buy an old house, pour your blood, sweat, and tears into the house, then lose a lot of value due to some jackasses down the block.  but then again, why try to push people out?  they have to live somewhere.  if they can't live in Old Northeast, where will they live?  maybe we can just build some favelas out in Johnson County, MO, Rio style.

[cityboy]

Pendleton Heights has an organized plan for growth and development that was developed quite some time ago.  The concern is that the new development is proposed for an area that has existing housing so where will we put those displaced?  The proposal, which was snuck in the back door quietly, will be reviewed for compliance and either accepted or rejected.  We need to do what is in the best interest of all current and future residents of P.H.  even if that means that the city or a builder will not make money.  The entire process will be watched very closely.  Please know that urban neighborhoods are a bit touchy about "community urban plans" because we have been burned many, many times.  We welcome new neighbors, but would also like to see the current neighbors stay.  One has to be concerned about what is being built in his/her backyard.  Wouldn't you be concerned shinatoo?

As for future govt. assisted living areas....I suggest that the city look to the far less populated and severely blighted areas of the east side where the acres of vacant homes are crying out for redevelopment.  Just an idea 

[chrizow]

i agree that there are much better places to put govt-assisted people than in a booming neighborhood...but you have to admit that phrasing things in terms of a "multi-family mistake" sounds pretty elitist and NIMBY, especially when it is unclear whether the development is slated to be Section 8 or not.

[tat2kc]

I got some more information on the issue, and it is not building new multi family housing. Current mulitfamly housing as been subdivided into more units than is currrently allowed by city code. The owners want a new permit for non-conforming use.  this is not the same issue as not wanting "poor people" in the neighborhood.

[cityboy]

Thanks tat2kc.  Nice to know those folks aren't going to be on the street.  Many have called it home for several years.  SOOO, where are we going to plant these trees that Praxair is buying for us?

[cityboy]

Progress in motion...one-way street in the neighborhood.  Which street is next?

[KCAppraiser]

Yup, Olive went one way today.

[FangKC]

Section 8 Housing is not always a bad deal.  There is Section 8 housing in the New Quality Hill development as well as some of the downtown office building conversions, and lofts in the River Market.  The Westside also has section 8 in the Villa Del Sol development along Penn Parkway.  Longfellow Heights apartments and townhomes on Hospital Hill are also section 8. These are all decent, attractive housing that helped to begin revitalization of the neighborhoods they are in. All of these developments offer market rate apartments with some section 8 mixed in.  They are not entirely section 8 housing communities. Sometimes it's only 5 percent of the tenants. HUD has moved away from the practice of building "projects." The preference now is not to concentrate low-income people in one area.  They are spreading section 8 clients all over the city and even in the suburbs.  In many of these situations, those paying market rate for their apartments aren't even aware that their neighborhood is a Section 8 client.

The housing authorities all over the country have also become much stricter and have no tolerance policies. If you create problems, you are out.  If you are selling drugs, you are out.  If you are convicted of criminal activity in the housing,  you are out.  Criminal background checks are done on all prospective residents (including the children).

One doesn't have to automatically be worried about low-income housing per se.  It's the type of development. The things to be worried about are the percentage of low-income people who will be living in multi-family housing, and the quality of the development.  Will the buildings fit into the character of the neighborhood, and be an attractive addition?  Will the development be designed to attract only single people, seniors, or families, or will it be a mix of all of those groups?  Who will the managing company or agent be?  Companies like McCormack-Baron run a pretty tight ship, so there aren't many problems in their communities.   Or, is Angela Torres the managing agent?  Section 8 housing these days is being managed by individual landlords or private real estate companies.  The Housing Authority itself just screen clients and oversees rent payments and home inspections. They are directly managing less and less housing themselves.

One has to keep in mind that it was federal and state money, combined with city and county TIF and other tax deferred programs, that have helped get the momentum going downtown.   For example, the redevelopment of Quality Hill would not have been possible without federal and state assistance.  Also benefitting from these financing programs were Library Lofts East and West; Rivermarket Lofts; Chambers Lofts; Walltower Apts., Jazz Hill, and the Beacon Hill redevelopment.

On Armour Blvd., the Ellison Apartments also benefitted. I've heard that the same money may be used to convert the Graphic Arts Building into housing as well as the Professional Building and Gate City Bank building. Without this money, many of the projects wouldn't have happened.

Another thing that people need to be aware of is that in many of these types of developments, the Section 8 contract expires after so many years, and the developer no longer has to accept people receiving housing assistance.  Many developers convert buildings to rental at first, using some HUD money, then plan to go condo a few years later. They are waiting for their Section 8 contracts to expire.

Another thing to consider is that publically-subsidized housing can actually benefit the neighborhood. For example, there are probably elderly couples and singles that can't really maintain their homes, or afford the upkeep any longer on fixed incomes. Yet, they don't want to leave the neighborhood where they've lived all of their lives.   They can sell their house and move into an apartment that was built through one of these programs, and remain.   There are also probably families living there that have elderly parents living in other parts of town and it's not convenient to check on them every day.  PH residents could move their elderly parent into one of the apartments.  Cost would not be a big factor because their rent is determined by their income. That way they could be close enough to check on each morning.  My point is, make use of the situation. Don't wait for low-income people from outside the neighborhood to be put into those apartments or houses, use them to benefit people already living there.

Now, that said.  Reread my post earlier about strict historic districts not allowing new housing, and the exemption for the Feds and state governments.  For these reasons, it is in the interest of the historic neighborhood to sometimes be proactive about the construction of new housing on vacant lots.  Neighborhoods with few vacant lots don't attract the notice of governments seeking places to build low-income housing.  Nor will a cheaply-constructed house be plopped down next to you if a high-end house is already built there.

Pendleton Heights residents might want to think about finding a development partner and creating the new housing themselves.  Under this scenario, the neighborhood has some measure of control over what the end product will look like.  And example of this approach is the Westside Housing Coalition, which has built some nice houses recently.

Go talk to the Union Hill Neighborhood Association and find out who developed the new housing there. That area has a great mix of old and new and the neighborhood as a nice feel to it.  The homes demand high prices as well.

Find a quality developer like George Birt, who knows how to create a high-end product, and who has experience in older neighborhoods.  It doesn't have to be him, but someone like him.

In my estimation, it would be much better to create new high-end infill housing that PH residents would feel adds and improves the neighborhood instead of waiting for government-sponsored programs to come in and build without your consent.  Create the neighborhood you will want to live in.

[Beermo]

Independence.

My brother recently sold his house in the 400 block of S. Jackson. He paid $26K in 1994 and got $135K for it a week ago.

wow! sounds like 39th street a few years ago.