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then it happens to you…

Here are some of the latest updates:

  • A building permit application was filed TODAY!
  • An inspector has been assigned
  • Owner was cited for external changes without certificate of appropriateness on 11/27/2017

Just wanted to share with neighbors that there has been demolition and construction work done recently in our neighborhood that completely ignores basic requirements for the health and safety of our community, and shows a flagrant disregard for regulations that ensure all work is approved and inspected. This is reckless, irresponsible behavior (looking at you,”flippers”).

“Duh, of course that happens around here”, but then it happens to you. Yes, I was naive and relieved that the neglected, empty house next door might be rehabbed into new life after years of sad circumstances and an auction.

Don’t assume just because there is a permit in the window that due diligence has been exercised. After two months of extensive gutting and new construction on the row house with which I share a common brick wall (140+ years old), I became aware that the work was done without approved planning, permits and inspections. The possibility that the structural integrity of the wall adjoining my property has been compromised or worse, causes me to question living safely in my own home until inspections are done. On January 11, last week, the only record of an issued permit for this particular job site was for a dumpster! Who will get to finish line first, the city inspectors or the flippers?

Hope this info may be of use to someone else and awareness may help us look out for each other a bit more.

To check on permits and inspections go to the Permits Web Inquiry to do a search by address. It will show both issued permits and inspections.

25 comments

Michael Jones 01/16/2018 at 6:21 AM

I hope that you called the city and spoke with the contractors and developer. The only way things get fixed is when we speak up.

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Dan Rooney 01/16/2018 at 8:04 AM

Sound like you making friends, Not! I’d be pissed too!

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Neighbor 01/16/2018 at 8:35 AM

This is a serious and important issue. Thanks for bringing this up. Unfortunately I see this a lot, all over town. If you report it to the City they will put a stop work order on the building.

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Sid 01/16/2018 at 9:10 AM

Who are the flippers? A name would be helpful.

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Mary 01/16/2018 at 9:23 AM

Have you called CAR? If your home is as old as you say and in our neighborhood, chances are they have architectural and suitability review over any permits that might be needed. They are very quick to respond. I called them one day regarding some site changes that were happening to an empty lot near me. Truly just out of curiosity as to ‘what was going to be build there?’ It turned out the developer did not have a permit, and they were stopped cold, within 24 hours.

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JessOfRVA 01/16/2018 at 9:48 AM

I had something very similar happen with the house adjoined to mine. I honestly have no idea the level of damage they’ve inflicted on that house–or mine. The new owner sent in a team of guys he hired from Craigslist to come in with sledgehammers. They started taking down plaster walls. It wasn’t until I mentioned that there was a good chance there was asbestos and almost certainly lead paint that the workers stopped. This is after dust started pouring into my upstairs neighbors’ apartment.

At least your folks had the decency to get a dumpster. These folks put together one made out of particle board and planks of wood.

It took repeatedly contacting the city permit and inspectors offices to get this handled. At one point I came home on a lunch break and found a new crew of guys at work and called the inspector, who made an immediate visit. That was probably the 4th call.

Document everything, including who you call and when you call.

The house next door now stands empty, with windows ajar and its doors padlocked closed, and a few notices of violations taped to the door.

Haven’t seen the new owners in over 6 months. I am wondering if they realized they’ve bitten off more than they can chew.

Good luck!

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lanny 01/16/2018 at 10:42 AM

Gustavo, how could you be “…a bit speechless…” about this? It’s not news, sad as it is when it hits close to home.

Many residents can document with photos and email communication with city staff that buildings are demolished on weekends or holidays, without permits; whole-house renovations are done, without permits…and then sold, most likely without full disclosure; work is done on and in buildings which sport condemned stickers; work is done on and in buildings for which there are active “Stop Work Orders.”

I know of one local and ONGOING situation which involves multiple violations, with photos and numerous emails from city staff admitting culpability and making promises…that’s been in the works since 2012 with no substantial action by the city to stop or rectify the situation.

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Eric S. Huffstutler 01/16/2018 at 11:19 AM

The sad truth is that the CAR has become very slack in recent years. The once strict city enforcement department who often cried “false historicism” now casts a blind eye to anything that is not reported.

The city Building Permits site is not user-friendly as it once was. It once posted the history of permits and inspections along with all notes associated with each. Not any longer. And doubt their database is completely updated?

The city, as usual, can care less about historic structures or proper preservation. But skipping inspections is inexcusable, especially when shoddy work can cause property damage and even death.

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On the hill 01/17/2018 at 11:12 AM

Sounds like you need a lawyer. And maybe somebody needs to sue the city as well. Seriously, the only way this sh** stops is when it becomes too much of a liability for the city not to enforce codes and go after code violators.

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K 01/18/2018 at 3:01 PM

This is also happening two houses down from us. No permits filed and it is a total gut job. Has been going (soooo slowly) since November but it didn’t occur to me until reading this post that THERE IS NO PERMIT. It’s a mess – literally. All their junk is in our yard, the workers are rude (leaving trash everywhere) and the construction materials are flying down the street into other properties. Owner has been rude to us when we approach him about it. Now that I’ve realized there is no permit, I’m feeling a little emboldened. So… how do I go about reporting the gut job with no permit?

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lanny 01/18/2018 at 3:34 PM

#10 – First, access the city permits site to find out that for sure that no permit has been issued. Although city ordinance requires that an issued permit be displayed, often it isn’t… And, depending on what’s being done, different permits are required for different work including building permit, electrical permit, plumbing permit, etc

Second, take a couple of pics to document ongoing work

Third email the address of the property, info that no permit’s been issued or that an issued permit’s not displayed, with photo documentation of ongoing work to the building commissioner:
DOUGLAS.MURROW@RICHMONDGOV.COM

Fourth, possibly, if the building is in an Old and Historic District, send the email also to the secretary of CAR:
MARIANNE.PITTS@RICHMONDGOV.COM

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K 01/18/2018 at 5:18 PM

@lanny… thanks! I checked the permits issued site and nothing is there. Will follow through with the emails… the house is definitely old, and it has a heck of a history, but I don’t think we’re in “old and historic” district up here near oakwood 🙂 maybe I’m wrong?

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crd 01/18/2018 at 5:57 PM

@11 Excellent advice. I saw a neighbor operating with no permit several years ago, and a phone call to Marianne Pitts was all it took, presto there was a city car out within hours and work stopped until permits were issued. Mr. Murrow is also very helpful. Phone numbers for both him and Marianne Pitts are available on the city’s website.

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Lanny 01/18/2018 at 6:41 PM

#13 – Calls are useful. Have used that avenue myself.

Documentation though..documentation is excellent if the thing drags on, as some do.

Have also found that, say, unpermitted work is documented and a stop work order is issued and ignored – its easier to show that work continued after a stop work order has been issued.

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Eric S. Huffstutler 01/18/2018 at 9:44 PM

@12 K… You would be correct if this concern is close to Oakwood Cemetery. The O&H (Old and Historic) districts that the CAR has jurisdiction over, only go as far as ‘O’ Street and then just a few blocks, as part of the Church Hill North district.

It may be part of the “Oakwood-Chimborazo” Historic District Registry through the National Parks Service. This is not covered by the city for protection and is only an honorary designation to use as leverage, if a cited historical structure within the district, is in danger and brought up at City Council or local Association (CHA) meetings. This DHR designation does not legally “protect” a property from demolition or alteration but advises against it. Only property within the CAR recognized O&H District is protected.

That said, the borders of the two do not mesh and there are many so-called doughnut holes. I believe the O&H should be revisited and expansion of the districts done, as well as consider new ones to be added. We are losing a lot of historic property because of CAR’s shortsightedness with neighborhoods North of Broad.

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K 01/19/2018 at 9:38 AM

Thanks folks… we’ll see what happens…. 🙂

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lanny 01/19/2018 at 10:49 AM

Outline of and information on each of the city’s Old and Historic Districts beginning in chapter 2,
page 11:
http://www.richmondgov.com/CommissionArchitecturalReview/documents/Old_Historic_Dist.pdf

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K 01/25/2018 at 8:48 AM

Y’all are awesome. City car came out on Monday, permits taken care of Wednesday. THANK YOU for being so encouraging!

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lanny 01/26/2018 at 3:20 PM

The link to the WTVR story here may explain police activity to residents in the area of an incident that ended last night in Church Hill: “A teen has been arrested after police say he stole a car and led Henrico police officers on a chase that came to an end in Richmond’s Church Hill Thursday evening.”

http://wtvr.com/2018/01/25/teen-arrested-after-allegedly-stealing-car-leading-henrico-police-on-chase/

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