Fulfilling a 101-year-old Woman's Final Wish
Neighbors complained consistently about this property to local authorities in the fifteen years preceding our appointment by a Superior Court Judge. Indeed, when it was inspected by municipal health and safety code enforcement, they found it to be extremely dilapidated, structurally unsound, filled with debris, and unsanitary due to repeated trespassing and vandalism. In total, there were 120 ongoing and dangerous violations of state and local health and safety laws. Remodeling this property was not simple, as it was in such bad shape that we needed to restore nearly every part and system in the house. After the renovation, this home is almost unrecognizable from the degraded state it was in before.
Receivership Secures Permanent Housing for 101-Year-Old Former Owner
Once our construction work was complete and we received confirmation from the City that the violations had been abated, we planned to sell this property to a reliable buyer who would maintain it for years to come. At this point in time, we had not heard from the owner and we assumed that the property had been abandoned. Yet, one day out of the blue, we received contact from representatives for the 101-year old owner –an elderly lady, in an assisted living arrangement, who so desired to live out the rest of her days in her own home. Now that the property was safe to inhabit, we wanted to make her wish a reality. The fantastic efforts of our staff prevailed and we were able to secure a sale of the property to a buyer who agreed to allow the elderly former owner to return to her property and live rent free for the remainder of days, as was her wish. During this time, we continued to monitor the Property to ensure it did not revert to its original uninhabitable condition.
Image of relatives of the former owner and their family dog in front of the receivership property, circa 1927
California Receivership Group Goes Above and Beyond to Ensure the Success of this Receivership
This solution worked well. The elderly former owner was able to live at her home with the assistance of her caregiver. Habitat for Humanity helped by building a ramp on the property to make it accessible for her wheelchair. Our Northern California office checked in regularly to make sure that she was well and that the property was being maintained.
Habitat for Humanity installs a disabled access ramp at the property
A lawful permanent resident since 1920, the elderly former owner was not receiving social security or any of the other benefits for which she was eligible because her proof of permanent residency in the United States had expired. Although this was out of the scope of the receivership, the CRG team pitched in; Pierce in our office took her to the local DMV to get a state ID and helped expedite her application due to her age and compelling story. Pierce also helped coordinate the paperwork to renew her permanent resident card, and then helped her apply for and obtain social security benefits. Without the support of the CRG team, she would not have received many of the benefits that she needed and for which she qualified.
There isn't a single solution for nuisance properties
This case demonstrates that there isn't a single solution for nuisance properties; CRG is committed to going above and beyond to craft a plan that fits each property and strives to meet the needs of all parties involved.
The elderly former owner was happy to celebrate her 102nd birthday back at home. We closed this receivership satisfied that we were able to find a solution that pleased all of the parties involved. This case demonstrates how unique each of our projects is, and how important it is that we are able to adapt to these differences and adjust our approach to meet the individual needs of each property.
Receiver Mark Adams and Pierce from CRG with the former owner and her representatives
