There’s a headline you probably won’t see in the evening news.  Unfortunately, it’s the only punishment dolled out to the arsonist that set Amy’s and Lori’s house on fire last October.  (FYI - Amy and Lori are Kim’s sisters, my sisters-in-law). 

I’ve been reluctant to post about the ordeal online, primarily because writing about someone else’s misfortune can remind them of the pain of the incident. Also, the story is so detailed, it is hard to do it justice in a blog-sized post.  That said, it’s been 6 months, and Amy said I can write about it, so I’ll give it a shot.  The big question for the community is at the end - I hope you’ll weigh in.

In late October 2007, around 10pm, Amy and Lori were talking in their kitchen.  A domestic dispute in the neighbors’ place had just died down.  (These disputes were not uncommon and the wall between the units was thin).  Apparently frustrated with the situation, the owner of the left side of the duplex, a man in his late 60s, left to go to the local bar.  The woman living with him, in her 50s and apparently high on drugs, was so mad that she decided to light a fire in the back room on the first floor to get back at him. 

Another neighbor saw the fire and thought it was an accidental kitchen fire.  He came running in to help.  The woman wouldn’t let him in, saying that she had lit the fire and wanted to let it burn!  She then went outside to survey the damage and discovered the fire wasn’t burning fast enough, and that the fire department was audibly on it’s way.  So, she went back inside and lit a second fire, this one on the second floor in the front of the house!  The neighbor who tried to help put out the fire quickly alerted Amy and Lori – banging on the door and yelling (thank goodness!).   In minutes, the left side of the duplex was engulfed in flames.

When the fire department arrived, they did what all firefighters do. They aggressively contained and extinguished the fire, which of course created more damage on Amy’s half.  The picture on the right is of her master bedroom.  We had spent months refinishing the upstairs.  You can see the remains of the original pine floors beneath the ash.  The combination of smoke, soot, and water damage in both homes is in excess of $150,000! 

Amy has been working with the insurance company to get her half restored.  That process has been long and arduous, but is finally under way and looking promising.

The police charged the woman with multiple crimes, but, the case never went to trial.  This April, the arsonist agreed to a plea deal that allowed her to walk with only 3 years probation and a requirement to get mental health / drug addition treatment.  Amy was not given any opportunity to testify. 

As a result of the fire, Amy and Lori will be displaced for about 12 months, and of course could have been killed.  We’re hopeful that insurance will completely restore the place, but that hasn’t been an easy road, either.  Things are progressing now, and I’m hoping to do a great Before and After post when everything’s wrapped up.

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So my thought on this is that the arsonist should have been required to serve significant jail time - at least 1 year, and should have been sentenced to probation and community service after that.

What do you think?  Was the sentence fair?  Would any additional information make it easier for you to decide?

Many of us are still eagerly awaiting the promised economic stimulus package. I expect mine sometime around the middle of May. Click here to find out when your check should arrive. What you may not know is that Baltimore Gas and Electric (BGE) customers are also poised to receive a one time “rate rebate.”

The Settlement

Governor Martin O’Malley just signed a settlement between the State of Maryland and Constellation Energy resolving lawsuits by both parties over $386 million in energy credits approved during the 2006 special session. The agreement relieves Maryland ratepayers of the costs related to decommissioning the nuclear power plant facilities at Calvert Cliffs. And, it institutes a one time rebate for each BGE customer. The only hurdle left is approval by the Maryland General Assembly.

What This Means for BGE Customers

The impact of this settlement is two fold. First, under the terms of the agreement, each BGE customer will receive a one time rebate of approximately $170 by the end of the year. Second, Maryland ratepayers will save $1.5 billion in future payments.

What This Means for Constellation Energy

For starters, Constellation Energy assumes responsibility for the costs associated with decommissioning the Calver Cliffs power plant. This settlement also gives the Public Service Commission stronger oversight of Maryland utilities and requires BGE to elect two independent directors to the BGE Board of Directors. Lastly, future rate changes are limited to 5% and won’t take effect till October 2009.

What do you think? Is this a good solution? Do you think the government is addressing high energy cost effectively?
Image courtesy of lady_lbrty

The following are pictures Kim took on a very sad day in our neighborhood last week:  the house across the court from us caught fire.  The fire and subsequent smoke and water damage have destroyed nearly everything in it.  Fortunately, no one was hurt, and the owners are fully insured.  The insurance company has already gone to work to triage the damage (those pictures were on our other camera).  We’ll certainly be watching how the insurance company performs.

The Story: One of the homeowners was cooking his wife dinner on a charcoal grill on the back deck.  A hot coal escaped from the grill and ignited dry leaves below the deck that had not been cleaned up last fall.  The fire quickly spread through the leaves and then caught the deck itself on fire. 

Kim smelled the fire from inside our house and ran out to see what was happening.  She called 911 and was told she was the third report of the fire in 5 minutes.  She said that within 2 minutes of the deck catching, the fire spread up the whole back of the house, up into the second story, and through the attic.   It’s amazing how fast a fire spreads through a stick-built house, particularly in dry weather…

The Baltimore County fire department arrived in just over 5 minutes and quickly contained and extinguished the fire.  We commend them for the quick and effective response!  It makes us feel very good to have a responsive fire department close by, even though we hope to never use them!

Of course, the kids loved seeing the fire trucks (I particularly like the picture Kim took of the fire truck in the third row).  It’s unfortunate that it was under these cirumstances that they got to see them.

What do you think?  Have you had a great experience with your local fire department?  Do you have leaves under your deck you need to rake up?!?

Our community recently voted in a new HOA board of directors and architectural committee.  The new committee is taking a more active role in enforcing the community’s covenants than previous committees have, creating some anxiety, disagreement and resentment among homeowners. 

Without getting into specifics, some of the community’s covenants have not been enforced for years–one home was in violation for more than 10 years–and homeowners feel rather blindsided by the the committee’s recent hard line stance.  Since some of the folks in our community read this blog, I don’t want to get into the actual issues. Instead, I thought I’d write my thoughts on the essential elements of running a successful HOA architectural committee.  Let me know if you would add anything to my list.

Know the Community’s Rules

An architectural committee is usually charged with reviewing/approving changes to the exterior of a home and enforcing the rules for unreviewed exterior changes or run-down exteriors that violate the community’s rules.  In order to know whether or not to approve a project, or whether a home is in violation of the rules, committee members must know the rules.  Each member of the committee should have a thorough understand of what is and is not allowed in the community.

Enforce the Rules Consistently

Since many architectural committees are staffed by unpaid volunteers, it is easy for these groups to slack on their responsibility for covenant enforcement.  Worse yet, committee members may only enforce the rules for homes that are within site of their property, ignoring other properties in violation throughout the community.  Some committee members might want to give friends special breaks.  Consistent application of the rules is paramount.  Committee members should be able to clearly rationalize each decision the committee makes, and that decision should map back to a rule or bylaw.

Make Sure Everything Is in Writing

When a committee charges a community member with a violation, it is imperative that the committee notifies the member in writing and clearly describes the violation, refering the guideline or bylaw the member has violated.  All official correspondence should be in writing, and minutes should be taken at each meeting to record the activities of the committee.  Since most architectural committees rotate members each year, the written record serves to inform new members of previous actions.  The committee should also encourage alleged violaters to correspond in writing and keep copies of their mailings.  This ensures everyone remains on the same page and can be a great help if legal action results.

Always Be Gracious

Many people in a community will make an honest mistake in not notifying the committee of a change to their property.  These people may have lived in the community for 20 years and honestly believed they weren’t doing anything wrong.  In some cases, required repairs/changes to a home could cost many thousands of dollars.  Some members of the community will likely not be able to pay that up front.  The committee should make every attempt to work with a homeowner to make the change to bring a home back into the community’s standards.

Follow Through on Actions

Being gracious does not eliminate the need for rigorous enforcement.  While the committee should make every effort to work with a homeowner, in the end, a homeowner in violation of the covenants must repair / change their property.  If a committee does not follow-through on actions, the community association will slowly disintegrate.  This could mean pursuing legal action against a community member, such as assessing a lien against their property.  Following-through will require resolve and dedication, but it’s important for the future of the community.

Get Legal Counsel

When dealing with homeowners who refuse to repair or change their property after repeated notices, it is wise for the committee to engage professional legal assistance.  The law surrounding HOAs and POAs is complicated.  An attorney can help navigate these waters and ensure the HOA doesn’t find itself on the wrong side of the law. 

What do you think? Did I miss something in this list? Have you found yourself at odds with an HOA?

My parents’ commercial property just became the victim of a crime that has spread throughout the nation: copper theft via air conditioner vandalism.  With copper prices on the rise (a 6ft’ 1/2″ pipe costs $14 at big orange), air conditioners are becoming a target since each unit can contain more than $100 worth of recycleable copper.  (Larger units can contain many hundreds of dollars worth).  Police said that a skilled vandal can dismantel an air conditioner in a matter of minutes and be off site before they even get a call.   Here’s several pics of the devastation:

A Simple Solution To A/C Vandalism

Since most of these thieves don’t want to stay on the premises too long, the solution is rather simple: install a strong fence around the perimeter of the units.  The fence must be strong enough that a truck can’t drive through it easily (as that is often the first step in destroying the units).  My parents have already contracted to have the A/C replaced and a fence constructed.

As a back-up, review your insurance plan to ensure equipment coverage at reasonable deducitbles.  My parents were fortunate in that they will pay little out of pocket to replace the unit.

In the News

I did some brief research and found this article in the WSJ from 2006 on residential A/C vandalism. Just another thing to worry about, I suppose.

What do you think?  Have you or someone you know been the victim of copper theft?

Many neighborhoods have them. Ours does. You know what I’m talking about — it’s that house. It’s the house that has hot pink siding and green shutters, or four full-size satellite dishes, or a lifelike replica of a WWII navy fighter jet in the side yard. Or maybe, like the one in our neighborhood, it’s just vacant and in disrepair with no owner in sight.

In our community, that house is a green-sided traditional colonial that’s been without an occupant for about 4 years. Complete with huge, deteriorating solar panels on the roof (that’s what’s under the blue tarp), a deck with no rails, and an interior that’s weather worn due to roof and window damage, this house is a mess.

Several folks in the neighborhood have tried to do something about it, but to no avail. The county cuts the lawn occasionally and issues a fine to the owner, but they refuse to condemn the property. I’m not sure that the tickets are paid, but they are removed from the door. Apparently the standard for condemning a house in the county is pretty high.

Unfortunately, this house is on a prominent corner in the neighborhood. I’m sure it has had an effect on the property values of the houses near it. The immediate neighbor’s house was on the market for a year.

The owner of the property had listed the house for $380,000 about 2 years ago, an amount that simply didn’t make sense in any market, much less the one we’re in today. Last week, we finally saw it reduced to $250,000. It was marked as pending in the real estate database (meaning it is under contract by a buyer). This week, the listing is gone. We’re hoping that a buyer closed the transaction and the place will finally get some needed TLC.

What Can You Do About a Run-down House in Disrepair?

There’s nothing more frustrating than feeling helpless to fix a situation like this. Fortunately, there are a few avenues you can pursue:

Talk to the Owner…And Take a Friend

Obviously, the first step should be to try to contact the property owner and reason with them. There’s no substitute for friendly confrontation. Just don’t approach them angrily or your likely not to get any action. It may be helpful to take another neighbor with you who feels similarly.

Contact the HOA or POA

If that doesn’t work, and you are fortunate enough to live in an area with a home owners’ association (HOA) or property owners’ association (POA), you can appeal to the governing board of this organization. In order for an HOA/POA to act, the home must be in violation of the covenants of the community. If the house is in disrepair, it probably violates the covenants. Many HOAs have the ability to fine the homeowner, repair the house and charge the homeowner, or in worst cases, foreclose on the property. The latter is very rare and usually ends up in a court battle.

Contact the Local Government

If you have no HOA/POA and the property is in serious disrepair, you can contact the local government to see if you have any options. Most local governments in populous areas enforce some type of property maintenance laws. However, my experience is that governments are very slow to act on property issues unless they present an eminent threat. People simply don’t like the government involved in their individual properties, and this is reflected in our public policy.

If All Else Fails…

If the government is unwilling/unable to help, you’re left with the final, truly American option: move somewhere else. Of course the negative side effect of this is the slow decline of a neighborhood. Those who care about their properties move out to live near other similarly-minded people.

What do you think? Do you have that house in your neighborhood? Have you tried any of these tactics or others to solve the problem?