"Whose idea was it to force everyone from the building?
What other options were discussed?
Why were none of the ideas I presented on my latest blog post chosen?
Why did no one take into account the Constitutional Rights of the residents of Heritage House?
Who told you there were no owner/residents living in Heritage House?
You say you sent everyone a letter with contact information-- who were they to contact?
How is it that landlords are required by law to give no less than 30 days notice of an eviction but the City of Greensboro can do the same in a couple of weeks? How many days notice, exactly, were residents given?
Some I have talked to who contacted the city told me they were told their property was being taken by eminent domain but eminent domain requires that a project already be publicly announced BEFORE said projects are taken so legally eminent domain cannot be used. This suggests those who were answering the phone were either inept or a conspiracy is going on.
How much did the City of Greensboro forgive in Water Bills last year? Koury Corporation alone got over $60,000. The City can forgive water bills to Billionaire developers but not poor people?"
And this one:
"Heritage House was at one time owned by the Greensboro Housing Authority-- why was it sold?"
I'm still in possession of all my e-mails with Ms Hightower should anyone want to see them. RecycleBill@gmail.com On August 11, Ms Hightower apparently decided she didn't like my questions so she sent me answers to an almost completely different set of questions:
"Billy: We didn't take away anybody's home that we didn't help relocate. I,m not misguided, only by your standards. I'm a paralegal who understands the process mire than most. Why aren't!t you asking e HOA why it didn't execute those liens and foreclose? That's not the city responsibility.
1. Once the water was bing shut off, property is condemned and people ca not stay.
2. There was no other option once they refused to pay the water.
3. Why was your idea better than anybody else?
4. The rights of the residents were overly considered. It was handled with their welfare in mind.
5. Nobody told me, I knew there was a couple of owners supposed to be living there, but if that was uncertain.
6. We sent all owners notification of the shut off date with the Housing contact number as well as City number and I know it was used because I received some calls.
7. We posted a 30 day notice which was also in the letter.
8. I know nothing of any conversations about eminent domain. Who were the conversations with and who from the City told them this information? Need details. Not answering questions formulated around "unknowns".
10. I don't know what we forgave in water, but I do know these landlords are not poor. Some were taking in thousands monthly in rent which their failure to pay. HOA caused the hardship for those few who were trying to do right.
I've answered your questions, I am now going to help some other folks.
Sharon Hightower"
I repeatedly e-mailed Ms Hightower asking her to answer the questions but she refused to do so. She just kept insisting she had already answered my questions. It was my hope she would rethink her answers but her holier than thou attitude never lessened and on Thursday she sent me the following e-mail:
"Billy: I answered your questions, read your email on August 11, 2014 at 2:54 pm."
So I did and you just read what I found. Sharon Hightower avoided the following questions altogether:
"Whose idea was it to force everyone from the building?
What other options were discussed?
Why were none of the ideas I presented on my latest blog post chosen?
Who told you there were no owner/residents living in Heritage House?
You say you sent everyone a letter with contact information-- who were they to contact?
And this one:
"Heritage House was at one time owned by the Greensboro Housing Authority-- why was it sold?"
And the few answers Ms Hightower did give me-- you decide if those answers were sufficient. The Heritage House fiasco has, if nothing else, proven the Greensboro City Council is unfit to serve. Right now predatory attorneys are offering desperate property owners $100 per home and what did Sharon Hightower have to say about that?
"Residents who do not own a unit can not sell what they don't own and they are not being preyed on. This is America and folks can make any offer they choose, that doesn't mean people will accept. ALL kinds of people are taking advantage of this issue to be outrageous."
Yes Sharon, you're being pretty outrageous yourself if you think allowing predatory business practices against property owners put in financial hardship by the City of Greensboro is something that should be allowed to go on. Outragous is the fact that some of the people you claimed to have helped don't have the money to pay next month's rent and you're ignoring them despite the fact that I e-mail you to tell you about them specifically. The City creates a problem then won't help the people most affected by the City's actions. That's outrageous, Ms Hightower. When she's on the street next month will you also have her busted and locked away in jail for panhandling?
I tried, honest I tried to get off on the right foot with Sharon Hightower but the fact is the lady refuses to admit Council's mistakes. And therein lies the problem with Greensboro governance: Until you can admit your mistakes you can never take the first step towards correcting them.
On Wednesday I'll be posting a series of e-mails between myself, interim Police Chief Anita Holder and if he answers, City Attorney Tom Carruthers. I'm expecting more lies to be told.
