Real Estate Committee

CITY OF MOUNT VERNON, NEW YORK Real Estate Committee REAL ESTATE COMMITTEE Mount Vernon City Hall Derrick Thompson, City Council President, Chair One Roosevelt Square Dr. Darren Morton, City Comptroller Mount Vernon, New York 10550 Stephanie Vanderpool, City Assessor 914-665-2398 Elias S. Gootzeit, Secretary EGootzeit@cmvny.com REAL ESTATE COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES For meeting held on Friday, September 30, 2022 at 4:00 pm The Real Estate Committee Meeting was held on Friday, September 30, 2022 at 4:00 pm at City Hall, 1 Roosevelt Sq., Mayor’s Conference Room, Mount Vernon, NY. Attendance: Derrick Thompson, Committee Chair (City Council President)– Not Present in the beginning. Stephanie Vanderpool, Assessor – Present Dr. Darren M. Morton, Comptroller – Present Joyce Brown, City Attorney – Present Elias S, Gootzeit, Legislative Assistant/Committee Secretary- Present Guests: Habitat for Humanity by Matt Dunbar, Orlando Marin and Joan Arnold; Ester Osimeh, Charles Hines, Andrea Haye, Floyd Adams, Alexander Ukponmwan Summary There being a quorum represented by Comptroller Morton and Assessor Vanderpool, the meeting was opened at 4 pm with a Call of the Meeting and a Roll Call. Committee Chair Thompson arrived at 4:14pm. The minutes of August 26, 2022 were distributed, reviewed and approved. Guest Presentations: The guests representing Habitat for Humanity presented on an array of properties that were not listed as Owned by the City of Mount Vernon. Their presentation was more informational than appropriate for the singular purpose of the Mount Vernon Real Estate Committee in establishing a process for determining a systemic re-distribution by direct sale- auction or negotiated price- of City Owned properties that are not needed for municipal use. Ms. Esther Osimeh repeated her interest in 331 South Second Avenue 3120.35 1 Mr. Alexander Ukponmwan resides at 12 Madison Street in Mount Vernon. He reported on an interest in making an offer for a City owned property at 10 Madison Street Block 3152 Lot 2 The property was identified as delinquent in taxes for several years, but not yet a City Owned property. Interestingly, Mr. Ukponmwan was asked by CMVNY Code Compliance officer to help by cleaning up the property and did so. Charles Hines Andrea Haye Floyd Adams is a CMVNY resident who has invested in three properties: that he put back on the tax rolls at 339 A North High Street (Warehouse), 434 South Columbus Avenue and 205 East Prospect Avenue. He has looked at other Zombie homes including 42 Dell Avenue which he has since learned is privately owned. Mr. Adams is seeking a current list of foreclosures that are available. The Comptroller commented that the current list of foreclosures are not available. The clarification has been stymied because the decision-making required is intertwined with enforcement of delinquent payments- in arrears, foreclosed. There is an In Rem list from 2015/16 . The City has a right to engage in the In-Rem process if there is two years or more in arrears. The City is going out to look. Correspondence The following correspondence was received and read to the Committee by the Secretary: 1. Letter from Donnett Vassall seeking return of 106 Hillside Avenue 4032.7 alleges a payment to the Comptroller of $30,000 but does not clarify which of the prior comptrollers or the status of that payment;she is making an offer of for the property. 2. Letter from Naim Muriqi seeking to bid on 32 North High Street which is not a City owned property; and not a subject for this committee. The Secretary was directed to correspond with the sender in response. Discussion The REC determined that when an inquiry/offer letter is received by the REC concerning, the secretary is empowered to respond immediately once the Secretary ascertains whether a subject property is not city owned. The Comptroller continued to expound that City owned property that is not for municipal use is for the City Comptroller to manage. The Comptroller has prepared and caused to be delivered letters to all occupants of properties that have been identified as city owned but not for municipal use. They have been informed of the need for all such occupants, known or unknown to the city, to contact the comptrooler by September 30, 2022 by regular and certified mail. The Comptroller is co-ordinating a “Team” to viit each property including the Building and Law Department. The variables as to the letters sent were: If letters came back un-opened; if letters didn’t come back at all; the Team will visit the premise to ascertain the existence if any of any unidentified occupants. Once appraisals are received on each property by the City Comptroller and Assessor, competitive offers or auction or both will be determined. The Comptroller noted that once the Comptroller knows the value of each property, the Comptroller will recommend whether to accept competitive offers or auction. 2 The target date for a completed set of appraisals for the City owned properties that are not needed for municipal use is October 28th (the next REC Meeting) Adjournment: Motion to adjourn at 5pm by Comptroller Morton seconded by Assessor Vanderpool and passed by roll call. 3