Recently, someone on the Irrigator commented that we might as well go ahead and rename our fair city ”Buehnerville.” While that may be a bit of an exaggeration, the most recent news involving Patterson’s famous brothers highlights a lot of what is wrong with the Patterson of today.
In case you missed it, the Irrigator recently reported that the Mayor and City Manager, accompanied by several area realtors, recently conducted a fact-finding trip through some of the blighted portions of town (click here to view the article). The purpose of the excursion was to more closely examine the extent to which our city’s low-income housing is fallen into disrepair. They spoke to numerous residents who’ve been enduring unspeakable living conditions, citing everything from pest and mold infestations to dodging drug needles in makeshift playgrounds. Residents meekly complained to the city representatives and the paper about the state of their homes for fear of retribution.
It was then “revealed” that some of these lovely homes were managed by Westside Properties, the business owned Ken and Larry Buehner. No comment from Larry, who’s now had his latest conflict of interest splashed out in the paper. Kenny’s only comments involved denials of his tenants’ complaints and a shifting of the blame to his tenants having trouble keeping up with their rent. If you’ve ever had the pleasure of renting from a less than reputable landlord, then you’ve probably heard this line: “What are you talking about? I do everything I can to maintain my property. The only time I ever get complaints is from tenants who aren’t keeping up with their rent.”
Of course, to those of us who have lived in town for a long time, this is not news. Many of us have either lived in, or known people who have lived in, these rental properties and have been aware of the horrible conditions that a number of them are in. What is news is that there were several area realtors who took part in these site visits because of their increasing concern that blighted properties such as these are not only creating public safety issues but also making it increasingly difficult to sell homes or attract new residents and/or businesses. Not to the mention the impact these blighted rental units have on their neighbors’ home values.
But the big question is what, if anything, the city will do to make sure landlords like the Buehners provide adequate housing to their tenants. The city has been conveniently asleep at the switch on these properties for years, and now one of the landlords sits on our City Council. Our city manager mentioned in the article that part of the plan to address the issue could involve finding “financial incentives” for landlords to rehabilitate their deteriorating properties. But where is the hammer from the city in the form of code violation fines? Why should landlords who provide substandard (to be charitable) housing be rewarded with grant money when they haven’t even been cited properly by the city for their many health, safety and other code violations?
To be fair, not all of the properties visiting by the city contingent were Buehner properties, and there are other landlords dropping the ball in terms how their properties are maintained (or in this case, not maintained). But it will certainly be very interesting to see how the city addresses this issue moving forward, and whether the city applies both a carrot and stick in a fair, equitable manner for all of our city’s property owners. And of course, it will be most interesting to see how Councilman Buehner handles all of this once it reaches the council (assuming some sort of plan ever does). Will he do the right thing, disclose his financial interests in these questionable properties, and decline to take any grant money secured by the city? Or will he vote to stick his hand in the cookie jar and seek to profit from his dilapidated rental properties? Only time will tell…
Ida Perez said,
October 29, 2011 @ 11:53 AM
This is a most interesting and informative article “Welcome to Buehnerville” of which the writer includes some revealing factors that have a a cause and affect on the present Patterson City Council votes.As harsh as the truth may sound, the Irrigator did published an article(Oct.10,’11) about the “fact-finding” which from its contents indicated that the tour was prompt by the Realtors(representing Westside Council Assoc.of Realtors,Nunes and PMZ Realtors) and were accompanied by the City Manager and the Mayor.For the past twenty years, at least, there have been complaints about the “blight”and ill-kept rental properties.While Real Estate was selling like hotcakes at inflated prices,the affordable rentals by the average resident were there for the least unfortunate who couldn’t afford to buy a home.Patterson became a mecca for those who wanted to invest their “house”money into “real estate”.Then all of a sudden,it appears that the dream dissipated when the economy took a fall.Who was left holding the empty bag?For one,the Banks and Mortgage companies who have the foreclosures,and the Realtors who can’t sell those houses with the inflated prices are now holding the bag with the pyrite or fool’s gold.Are these the landlords that the City of Patterson is going to bail out through grants,bonds and City Codes?If the reader of this article is a Patterson property owner or Stanislaus resident,look at your property taxes…and at the seven items that are voter approved taxes,direct charges and special assessments.(Bond 96,01A,01B,YCCD 20005,2007,2010 and Ambulance District).It is all about money.Because of the devaluation of property,taxes have gone down for some of the property owners,and do correct me if I am wrong.However, there will be a need for more funding for new educational facilities,new hospital facilities,police etc.etc.Now, where will the money for the “financial incentives” for the landlords to rehabilitate their deteriorating properties come from???From the Feds, State, Municipalities…..Whose income?
Ida Perez said,
November 3, 2011 @ 9:52 AM
For the readers of the Patterson IrriGator,there was an article which should have “entertained “those with a wicked twist of the morbid.One has to read between the lines of YOUR VOICE,”A morality tale” by Paul de Landa.At first I thought he was showing off his writing skills for a hopeful first in line for the proposed future Movie Company in Crowds Landing which is being dangle like a carrot by the West Park team.But, after attending the City Council Meeting on November 1st and listening to one of the rental property owners loudly complain of such an injustice to have the Gator press there and not City code enforcement,one had to think that the complaint was being directed to the Mayor and no one else.Also seeing the grafic presentation by the Fire Chief of the fire hazard in that part of town,one must really look at the reality factors.While the line, quote”Brothers Brad and Mole “MISLED” the realty team to the BRothers Grimmm’s squalid rental property”..one has to stop there..”.MISLED”???If there have been complain after complain for years about such problems, isn’t it about time an elected representative of the Community of Patterson at least attempt to do something about it.Why wasn’t at least one of the Four there?Too compromising?Even the Grand Jury can’t touch that because it will get sued.There are problems in the City that are long overdue for attention and before the City begins to continue with the Master Plan Zoneing,some of these problems have to be addressed.The “squalor housing areas” have been in different parts of old Patterson for years and some may just be in a future Commericial Zone which may be more ludicrous than rental property…Maybe…Maybe M street was widened for a reason and it is part of the plan for a major corridor to connect to Commerical properties…Maybe….It is time for a real Public Hearing to assess the real needs of the community of Patterson before Zoning takes place.