City of Eureka Goes After Floyd Squires Jr.
Disclosure: I rented my first place up here from Floyd Squires Junior's parents back in the '70s after moving up here. Floyd Jr. used to hire us to work on his properties, painting and whatever. They always treated me nice enough.
The Times- Standard reports on an escalation in the ongoing feud between the City of Eureka and rental landlord Floyd Squires Jr. They finally went ahead and condemned one of his properties on G street that was the scene of a recent shooting:
"“Collectively, the conditions we found there were, in my opinion and the fire marshal’s opinion, immediately dangerous,”
Let's not fool ourselves into thinking this was done in the interests of Squires' tenants. It was done more in the interests of the neighbors. No, those tenants aren't at risk of a house fire for now, but they face the risks of living their lives on the street, assuming they can't find somewhere else to live, and most will admit the Squires rent to people other landlords would rather not.
This seems akin to me to people calling animal control about an animal they think is neglected or abused. Animal Control comes out, removes the animal and takes it to the dog pound. If a home for that animal isn't found soon enough, that animal might be euthanized. And we feel like we're doing that animal a favor by calling Animal Control.
Same sort of thing with the Squires' tenants. We try and make it sound as if we're acting in their best interest by throwing them out on the streets. I'd be surprised if the tenants feel that way.
How to appease the neighbors that might be fed up with both the conditions of the property and the tenants? I don't know, but I recall reading of a landlord of a property down near 8th Street that was sued by neighbors over conditions there and he finally cleaned up the property. Whether that's been tried with the Squires and whether it might work, I don't know, but when Squires' tenants are thrown out, where will they be sleeping next? In your front yard?
posted by Fred Mangels @ 9:25 AM
12 comments
12 Comments:
I know a young 28-year old man living at the G street house.
He is a likable sort for the most part but has some mental issues going on like mild schizophrenia, paranoia, and manic depression. He can't really hold down a job without blowing out after a few days. He's one to punch a hole in the wall because of his impulsiveness and then later regret it after realizing what he did and the possibility of being kicked out and homeless. He's not good at seeing the consequences of cause and effect like you and I do. His family disowned him long ago. He doesn't have much of any support system. He gets beat up a lot and sometimes robbed for petty things when he's outside on the streets.
He lives in a large single room to himself. There is a shared bath down the long wooden hall which is dirty and disgusting. Pigeons live inside the roof. The trash bins outside are flowing over their rims in wet, moldy garbage and food.
His elderly chain-smoking house manager keeps to herself and gets a free room in exchange for handling most of the minor problems when she has to. His fellow residents are all male and mostly quiet, but problems do arise with them or when other people come through the building which is open to the street all the time. There is some substance abuse by the residents, mostly alcohol and weed, and kept on the down-low.
He told me he really has nowhere else to go and can't afford anything better or nicer. He wishes he could. He feels bad about his situation and doesn't know what to do about it, much less where to even begin. His mind is scattered and unable to do simple tasks in any sort of normal order. He doesn't like to take the meds he should be on because they make him feel lousy, he says. He is appreciative of the Squires and doubts anyone else would rent to him. He's probably right. I know I wouldn't.
He gets $660 a month in SSI disability. He pays the Squires' $400 in rent. He gets by on the remaining $260 per month and doesn't eat much. He says it's hard to get by and that he's not allowed food stamps while on SSI.
So yeah, the Squires' are slumlords, the building moderately gross, neighbors are rightfully upset over the problems, and he's between a rock and a hard place.
I feel sorry for him and don't have an answer here. I'm glad I'm not in his shoes and don't have the handicaps in life he experiences. In that regard we're fortunate to have something better, I guess.
Squires receives tax money through section 8 etc. He has a minimum responsibility to keep his place livable. Additionally, providing substandard housing undoubtedly leads to more emergency room visits and costs to taxpayers. Yes, it is sad for the residents, but they deserve better as do the neighbors. Squires shouldn't be able to prey on the poor and milk the taxpayers. Remember, while its true he rents to people that would otherwise have a difficult time finding a home, nobody else will rent from him either.
Ever research the "Human Rights" constitution & council? That's who these idiots stand for, the UN who is against Americans, gays, homeless, abortionists, .. all who will not be a satisfactory sex slaving baby producer.
Notice how this happened while decent caring citizens were distracted by the UN's Human Rights march, aka women's march?
That's their plan. Distract & attack. While we are distracted, they push local governments to do their bidding. Fair enough warning, or do I need to post their instruction manual, pamphlets?
Best write up so far Fred.
The tenants, through the neighbors, is just the eye candy for media.
The real issue: forcing a property owner to subsidize low income renters as if they deserve first class space; and, that subsidy is "being forced to fix up the building above and beyond what scuzzy bags lifestyles justify", even though code requirements are less.
Scuzz bag tenants don't clean bathrooms, city comes in and gives Squires shit because the tenant complains about stains in the toilet.
Squires biggest eyesore candy for the city seems to be that as a rental owner, he should have fresh lying painted buildings, even though many home owners in Eureka live like white trash, rats really, with buildings that make Squires places look like mansions.
Personally, The city is just pulling rank on Squires, hotels and motels,etc... in order to force sales to developers like DANCO......The city wants it's buildings to look better, but it picks and chooses through politics and development potential (mixed with Victorian heritage) to pinpoint who and where to attack.
"Squires shouldn't be able to prey on the poor and milk the taxpayers."
Funny, you cite gubbamint first with its abuse of the poor through section 8.......Section 8 don't pay jackshit to keep maintained the degradation and delapidation caused by scuzz bag poor fucks who live like shit and don't give a shit how they live, knowing they don't own jack shit, so why give a flying fuck jack shit about some building that the gubbamint fucks are subsidizing?
You fucking idiot.
Fire Marshal's opinion, wow......Opinion versus facts.
Eureka citizens, pull your heads outta your asses.
Gubbint corruption and conspiracies use "opinion over facts and the minimum legal standards" all the time.
In HOJ's opinion, fire marshals are classic bullshitters when politics is involved.
Thank you so very much for taking the time and effort to write. We have a massive problem in our country of lack of care for our mentally ill. When I retire I want to volunteer to help those who are diagnosed with mental illness. They deserve a safe, clean environment. We need more mental health facilities.
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" They deserve a safe, clean environment."
I'm not sure I understand why the mentally ill deserve anything.
Mentally ill versus people playing mentally ill......Fucking gubbamint looks at the $$$$$$$$ fraud that fake patients generate as good business.
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