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U.S. NEWS Wednesday 29 november 2017

Rich homeowners urge San Francisco to return sold-off street

By JANIE HAR
Associated Press
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — An
investor scooped up one of
the toniest private streets
in San Francisco after its
wealthy owners didn’t pay
property taxes for years, a
sale that the well-connect-
ed homeowners want city
leaders to reverse Tuesday.
By taking up the issue, of-
ficials have sparked criti-
cism that the city is not
as fair and equitable as it
claims, but a playground
for the rich who don’t have
to play by the same rules
as everyone else. San Fran-
cisco has some of the most
exorbitant property prices
in the country and has be-
come increasingly unaf-
fordable for many people.
But those who live on Pre- In this Aug. 7, 2017 photo, is an overview of the Presidio Terrace neighborhood in San Francisco. Wealthy homeowners whose pri-
sidio Terrace say the city vate, gated and very exclusive San Francisco street was auctioned off after decades of unpaid taxes are asking supervisors to undo
should never have sold the sale Monday, Nov. 27, 2017, prompting cries of elitism in a city obsessed with property and fairness.
their street without proper- (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
ly notifying them. They say the sale or leave it alone. Feinstein’s letter. half were returned as un- notice of a sale is returned
the annual tax bills of $14 The issue is unprecedented “That was another damn- deliverable, including for undelivered, the govern-
and auction notice were in San Francisco, although ing piece of evidence to Presidio Terrace. Hom- ment needs to strive further
being sent to an outdated supervisors in other Califor- vote with the buyer, who eowners say at that point, to alert property owners
address. nia counties have reversed bought it fair and square,” the treasurer’s office was before selling.
City Treasurer Jose Cisneros sales as allowed under Peskin said.It marks the sec- required to do more to no- “The government has to
says the association repre- state law.Homeowners ond time the association tify them that their property do more if there are rea-
senting some three dozen learned about the sale ear- has defaulted, but it won was for sale.“It’s a consti- sonable alternative efforts
homeowners was responsi- lier this year and petitioned back the street in 1985 after tutional issue,” said Matt available, and here, I think
ble for updating its address the board for a hearing. paying up.Amanda Fried, Dorsey, spokesman for the there are,” he said.
and should have paid its The issue is giving at least a spokeswoman for the homeowners association. Shepard Kopp, attorney for
taxes on time. He backs one supervisor voting pains. treasurer, said the group “If the process of that sale the new owner, argued in
new owner Tina Lam, a Aaron Peskin said he would has not paid taxes since was constitutionally imper- a scathing court brief that
Silicon Valley software side with the new owner in 2000, which is as far back missible, it settles the ques- San Francisco should not
manager who bought the a “hot second” if he could as records go. In 2015, the tion. It should not have give politically connected
street, sidewalks and com- because of the way the office posted for auction been sold.” homeowners an out for fail-
mon areas for $90,000 in association has behaved. a lot that owed less than Michael Kirkpatrick, an at- ing to do what is expected
2015. However, he said that the $1,000 in back taxes, pen- torney with national con- of every other property
The oval-shaped street in homeowners make a rea- alties and other charges. sumer-rights organization owner in the city: pay their
upscale Presidio Heights is sonable argument that Fried said the office sent Public Citizen who won a taxes on time.
lined with leafy palms, lush government should not certified notices to nearly similar case before the U.S. He said the Supreme Court
landscaping and multimil- take property without bet- 1,500 addresses that prop- Supreme Court in 2006, sup- case might not apply be-
lion-dollar mansions. Previ- ter notice. erties were being auc- ported the homeowners. cause it involved a house
ous residents of the gated Still, he was annoyed by tioned off and more than The court held that when a and not vacant land. q
neighborhood include U.S.
Rep. Nancy Pelosi and Homeless Samaritan to get house, dream truck, trust funds
U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein,
who wrote a letter that ac- PHILADELPHIA (AP) — A dream truck, and provide 34-year-old Johnny Bobbitt blocks to buy her gas with
cused the city of bureau- New Jersey woman has him with a small annual sal- Jr. come up with the plan. his last $20. She didn’t have
cratic bungling. raised more than $385,000 ary. McClure, of Florence Town- money to repay him, so she
The San Francisco Board for a Philadelphia home- Kate McClure said on her ship, ran out of gas on an set up the online fundraiser.
of Supervisors is scheduled less man who came to her GoFundMe page Tues- Interstate 95 exit ramp She says two trust funds and
to hear the case and de- roadside aid — enough to day that an attorney and late one night in Philadel- a bank account are being
cide whether to rescind buy him a home and his financial adviser helped phia. Bobbitt walked a few set up for him.q