The address in question is 2308 White Ave, I see there is a Property Notice of Hearing- Demolition with the hearing set for 1/25/2011.

What information are you requesting? All certified letters as well as notices have been unclaimed and returned back to our Department. This is a formal as well as due process we must follow since the owner has failed to make specific repairs. We have advertised that we will hold a hearing for any and all owners/lien holders to appear before the hearing on January 25, 2011.

I am not requesting anything at this time. Now that you are holding the property owner accountable we will see that this is carried through. Thank you

Codes and Building Safety has always held the property owner responsible for any and all repairs. Bur when a property owner walks away from his/her property and we are not able to locate them, and they fail to make any repairs, there is a due process that we must follow.

I can tell you that the owner of this property is deceased, and the grandson who was residing in this home was arrested sometime in July 2010. Our research we performed still shows Henry Harlan as the sole owner of the property.

It is in the system and going through "the process".

Our Property Standards Division notified all owners/lein holders of a hearing to be held on January 25, 2011 - no one appeared at the hearing. On February 7, 2011, we have advertised that this proeprty will be demolished by the City of Nashville.

Again, this is not a quick process, but as I had stated before - we do not close a case file until the property is in full compliance.

Karene,Thank you,Thank you,Thank you for staying on top of these issues. Although I realize they are small in the grand scheme of things, they do affect our quality of life.

I completely understand!

Ms. West reports below that Henry Harlan is the owner of record of the property. The previous owner, Margaret Harlan, a relative, maybe an aunt, was his caretaker. Last summer, the grandson, Troy, told me Mr. Harlan, maybe an uncle, was institutionalized because of mental disabilities after Mrs. Harlan died. This would probably account for his not responding to mailed or posted notices. So, he did not walk away, he was taken away. He is not unlocatable; what ever government department took him away knows where they took him and who his new caretaker is. Meanwhile, do real estate taxes keep accruing on the property? If so, will these unpaid taxes come out of the proceeds of any eventual sale of the property at auction? It is correct to assume that the longer this drags out, the greater is the share of Metro's stake in the property - while the residual value to the incapicated owner continually diminishes?

Mr. Horton: The accress 2308 White Avenue is under a Code Demolition Action by the Department of Codes and Building Safety, and there has been no change in the property. Since the owner is deceased, our Department has the responsibility of placing any property in a 25 year research for ownership. I cannot verify that the "uncle" is one of the heirs to this property.

Even if the Uncle was institutionalized, again the Government could not hold this person responsible. There is a legal process the Government must follow regarding demolition of properties.

If the taxes are not paid, then the property will be sold at a back tax sale and the new owner would be responsible for demolition or repairs. A new owner will be made aware propr to the sale of the pending action by our Department, and no...the proceeds of th sale would not go to demolish the structure. Codes would notify the new owner, in writing, via certified mail that he/she will need to demolish the structure, or show that he/she has the funds to make such repairs to meet the requirements of the code.

Our Department is provides a certain amount of demolition funds each budget year to demolish structures when an owner fails to demolish. It is unfortunate that we do not have the funds to demolish all properties.

The Government does not have a "stake" in the property. If the City has to demolish a structure, a demolition lein is placed on the property. The owner of record will not be able to rebuild or sale the property until the lein is paid in full. I hope this informaiton is helpful

Thank you Karene for your time in explaining the due process on this matter. We patiently wait for a conclusion.

You are most welcome. Again, a demolition process can be lengthy especially when we have owners who are deceased and estates are working their way through the legal system. However, this is a case that we are working diligently on. Feel free to contact me anytime.

The house has been ransacked again, and the neighbors are throwing their liquor bottles in the yard. Someone finally boarded up the front entrance.

Oh no!! Someone came and stole the metal off the back half of this @#$% hole! Then the city screwed up the auction of the property because they didn't know the owner was deceased? Wow, sounds like television!

Oh how I love the process! Now the Rats are looking for a new home! I have poisoned the ones that moved into my basement and hope the rest of the neighbors have had success with them as well. The city has done.....Nothing!!!!!!!

Codes has issued action and this is a pending case. If you have a issue with rats and vermin that is the jurisdiction of Metro Health, not Codes.

Love the finger pointing!

The information I provided is correct. Codes does not have any laws regarding vermin. That is solely the jurisdiction of Metro Health. I suggest you contact them directly. Or feel free to visit their website and you will see they control such issues. I will not respond to this unofficial website again, esopecially when I try to be helpful.

My point is, If codes had done there job correctly we would have been rid of this blight in our neighborhood. You say you will not respond to this Unofficial website again? That is fine, let's see if you respond to the local news station.

Codes did their job. And you are welcome to do as you wish. We issued action and followed "legal" procedures as required by the law.

For any citizens interested in this case. Codes has legally performed their job in citing this property owner to either make specific repairs to the structure or demolish the structure. While we realize it may be a blight in the area, there are specific laws that the Government must follow. Codes has not been able to locate the owners of this property and therefore, Codes placed the property under a Code Demolition Action. Since the owner failed to demolish the structure, the Metropolitan Government will demolish the structure once the funding is available. Any quesitons please call the Codes Property Standards Division at 862-6590.

Ms. West:

I couldn’t resist answering your message when you say, “Codes has legally performed their job in citing this property owner to either make specific repairs to the structure or demolish the structure.”

How can you say Codes legally cited the property owner this when you know the property owner is deceased?

And then you add, “Codes has not been able to locate the owners of this property (and has) placed the property under a Code Demolition Action. Since the owner failed to demolish the structure, the Metropolitan Government will demolish the structure once the funding is available.”

Proposed demolition aside, Metro tried to auction the property in November and halted the auction at the last minute when it discovered the owner was deceased.

Now folks are dumping tires in the back yard of this property that has been derelict since the flood in May 2010.

This adds to the view of siding ripped off, wiring ripped partially out, mattresses and clothing scattered around 15 feet from neighbors' windows, the back addition partially torn down, and additional windows broken or opened.

We have discussed this numerous times with Council Lady Sandra Moore, most recently on January 14th
I asked that Codes deputize our Woodland-in-Waverly Neighborhood Association as a special unit of your NOTICE program (Neighbors Organized To Initiate Codes Enforcement). This because we have been previously advised as individuals or neighbors not to set foot on the property to mow the lawn or pick up

Therefore, will you please talk to Codes’ NOTICE Director Bill Penn and send us a letter deputizing our neighborhood association as a derelict property cleanup crew (similar to the familiar alley cleanup crews) and permitting the removal of loose, materials scattered around outside the building in the yard, driveway, walkways, porches and steps. This to shield us from legal or liability concerns regarding trespassing, removal of private property.

Also please specifically deputize our neighborhood association to mow the lawns, and remove trees, leaves and branches as necessary on an ongoing basis. Like we do when we gather to plant trees on the highway rights of way.

In this work we will invite participation from immediate neighbors, relatives and friends of the owners and previous occupants.

Additionally, if Metro officials intend to proceed with auctioning the property, and need help in finding relatives so they can probate the property, we will be glad to introduce them to the close relatives living next door.

In summary, please see that these things happen:

1. Woodland-in-Waverly is deputized by Codes as a NOTICE crew for picking up and maintaining the grounds around the historic home at 2310 White Ave.

2. Someone from Metro Public Works comes and picks up the load of tires dumped in the alley out back.

3. For purposes of probate, someone from Metro starts a file on the relatives of the deceased owner and begins by interviewing the Witherspoon family at 2306 White Ave.

4. Tell us what needs to be done to prevent this single-family historic home in the Woodland-in-Waverly Historic District from being demolished and replaced by a totally out of character 2.5 story duplex monstrosity.

Thanks – Pete Horton

Mr. Horton.....I would advise that you work directly with Mr. Bill Penn to resolve any ossies you may have with this property. I have answered each of your questions, and feel that I have provided the informiton you had requested. Mr. Penn will be able to tell you what you as an Association can "legally" do...

It would be great for the homeowners in this area to be proud of our neighborhood! Their is no way if this house was in Green Hills or Belle Meade it would ever take this long to close this issue!

It is clear that while I have informed you of the "legal process" this agency must follow, it would not make any difference where this dwelling was located. Codes and Building Safety issues the same identical notices for any property located in Davidson County.

Codes performed an additional research for ownershop and we were provided two additional addresses of where the owners/heirs may be residing and Coides notified them via Certified mail to have the structure demolished on or before March 27, 2012.

I will again ask that you work directly with Mr. Penn to gain the most current status of this case. And if you are not clear on what this Department can do "legally", please feel free to contact the Metropolitan Department of Law and speak with one of the Metro Attorney's for them to explain to you the "legal process" of notice prior to demolition. They can be reached at (615) 862-6541.

Ms. West:

The problem facing neighbors of 2308 White Ave. for almost 2 years is living near a Metro-condemned-and-Metro-neglected storm damaged property that has now become the target for unknown persons who come in at night to strip out wiring and strip off metal siding and leave liquor bottles strewn around the grounds.

The grounds are littered with mattresses, broken furniture, old clothing, ripped out insulation, torn down framing, and torn off wall board. Neighbors on both sides complain of rats moving over from this mess onto their properties.

Now unknown parties are dumping loads of tires in the back yard.

You say Codes performed "additional research for ownership and we were provided two additional addresses of where the owners/heirs may be residing."

Are those the two addresses I gave Metro Police recently? Does that qualify as Codes' additional research.

As a next door property owner and neighborhood association officer with access to the neighborhood
mail list, why didn't your Codes researcher contact me about possible knowledge or owners and/or heirs? More to the point, why didn't your researcher contact the relatives living next door?

Admit it now, your guys did not try very hard to do their homework.

You say you notified them (owners/heirs) "to have the structure demolished on or before March 27"
all the while knowing that the owner and his wife are deceased and that you cannot really identify any heirs. Have you looked up the relative that was institutionalized? Why did you wait almost a year after you condemned the property for demolition to attempt to research possible heirs and notify them?

In a recent answer on this forum, you "advised" me to contact Bill Penn at Codes. I had done that in December and he did not call back I called again early this year. Same results. On March 2nd I called him and also and faxed him eight pages as part of an application to participate in the NOTICE (Neighbors Organized to Implement Codes Enforcement) program. He has not responded yet.

I will respectfully request that you holler at Bill when he gets off the elevator next time and ask him to please respond to my NOTICE application so that I might "work directly" with him as you requested.

Meanwhile, although Codes essentially controls the property, Metro Police has urged us to clean up the grounds of the condemned building ourselves with help from neighborhood volunteers. Council Lady Sandra Moore approved this plan and offered to help herself and we have requested a police presence to shelter us from our concerns about trespassing.

Pete Horton

I hear it's up for auction this month!

Heard it was sold at Auction, that hasn't motivated codes either.

To all concerned.....my suggestion would be to contact the Department of Codes and Building Safety to gain "accurate" information on nay property instead of using an Internet site that is not related to the Metro Governemnt in any way. If anyone had have contacted our office you would have been provided with the following information on this property:

(1) The proeprty was sold on June 20, 2012
(2) Codes was notified of the sale and of the legal owner on July 17, 2012
(3) Codes notified the new owner that the property was under a Code Demolition Order
(4) The new owner contacted Codes to gain a list of demolition contractors in this area and assured our office that he will demolish the structure
(5) A demolition Contractor obtained an application permit to demolish the structure - but the permit to date has not been issued in June 2012
(6) On September 11, 2012 Codes inspected the property to see if any demolition had begun - our Inpector reported that the structure had not been demolished

As far as Codes not being motivated to do anything regarding this property I feel is a very unfair statement. Codes has followed all LEGAL steps necessary for any demolition case. Since the new owner has failed to demilish the structure, Cods will now prosecute the new owner in court for failing to demolish the structure. If you are not satisfied with my summary or what Codes can legally do, please feel free to contact the Metro Legal Department so they may explain "due process" to you.

I will not respond to this website again due to the fact that it is not the official government website and due to comments being stated that are inaccurate.

There has Never been inaccurate information posted on this website, on the contrary, it is a great way to keep track of the slow and in- efficient efforts of the government agencies that should be here to serve the residents of Nashville, Davidson County, and the state of Tennessee. Yes, this is not a government website, must be why it gets the attention of so many in government. It is called accountability.

This website gets attention because I have been appointed to ensure that "accurate" informaiton is provided. And to be honest, I have advised that you are welcome to contact Metro Legal if you are not satisfied with my reports and accurate information which I am reporting on this case.

No one has ever complained that information is inaccurate, just that it should not take 2 1/2 years to remove this from our neighborhood. If this was next to the Mayors house, it would have been removed 2 years ago. I'm just a tax payer. So the answer is, well we know the answer!

Again.....there is a legal process that this Government MUST follow.....and I see no reason for the comments when I feel that myself as well as the Department has been dilligent in answering all questions and following the due process of the law. Again, I urge you to contact Metro Legal so they may explain a code demolition process to you. Their number is 615-862-6341.

After careful consideration (over 2 years) this Crack House has been demolished! Our Property Value has jumped 10% already! It should never take a city as long as it has taken to accomplish this! What should have happened is the City should demolish the Property and put a Tax Lean on the Property to cover the cost. Case Closed!

Again.....there are LEGAL steps the Government MUST follow. If not satisfied with these legal steps, please contact Metro Legal for clarification on "due process".