Real Estate Committee

CITY OF MOUNT VERNON, N.Y. Real Estate Committee – 2024 City Hall, One Roosevelt Square Mount Vernon, NY 10550 REAL ESTATE COMMITTEE Cathlin B. Gleason – City Council President Dr. Darren Morton – Chair Stephanie Vanderpool – Co-Chair Antoinette Anderson - Secretary Meeting Minutes Friday, June 28, 2024, at 9:30am (In-person and via Zoom) Mayor’s Conference Room – City Hall, 1 Roosevelt Square, Mt. Vernon, NY 1. Call of the Meeting: 10:05am 2. Roll Call Present: Chair, Darren Morton Co-Chair, Stephanie Vanderpool Secretary, Antoinette Anderson Absent: Council President Cathlin Gleason Additional Participants: Brian Johnson, Esq., Corporation Counsel Joyce Brown, Esq., Land Use Counsel 3. Guests: Esther Osimeh – Interest in 331 South 2nd Ave Frank Trolio - Interest in 3 Cortlandt Street Dan Amicucci – Interest in 230 S. Third Emilio DiMatteo – Interest in 230 S. Third Jack Addesso, Esq. – Representing 224 N. 7th and 3 Cortlandt Street Mr. and Mrs. Ibarra – Interest in 224 N. 7th Cinthia Ibarra (online) - Interest in 224 N. 7th Valon Nikci – Interest in various properties Jason Hungreder – Observing the process Tishema Brown – Interest in 234 E. 5th and 106 Hillside Ave Marcus Green (online) – Observing the process 4. Approval of May 2, 2024 Minutes: Motion to approve by Co-Chair Vanderpool, seconded by Chair Morton. All were in favor – the motioned passed. 5. Correspondences: Were read for the record. 6. Guests Comments/Open Floor: a. Mr. Adesso, Esq. – following up on his emailed letter on 5/28/24 regarding 2/26/18 offer in amount of $200,00 by Nicknat Realty Corp and cashier’s check for 10%. Also inquiring about the next steps to accepting his client’s offer for 224 N. 7th. b. Cinthia Ibarra (online) – follow up on the status of $240,00 offer made on 224 N. 7th. The Ibarra family currently resides in the house. c. Tishema Brown (online) – following up on the status of offers on 234 E. 5th Street and two other properties. d. Esther Osimeh -frequent guest wanting to keep up with the status of the process. e. Marcus Green (online) – wants to know process to submit offer on properties. f. Dan Amicucci – following up on the status of offer put on 230 South Third. 7. Comments: Corp. Counsel Johnson reiterated that the city has the right to cancel pre-sale agreements prior to the sales transaction of any property and deposits, if made, will be returned. He also reminded the group that the NYS Supreme Court ruling regarding “Tyler” must be taken into consideration when accepting offers on these city-owned properties. Based upon the ruling for “Tyler”, the court suggest that the process of foreclosure sales should include a means to return any surplus beyond the amount of unpaid taxes, interest, fees, and costs to the former property owner. In addition, instructions on how to proceed with this process were recently received from NYS and NYCOM. He has maintained an open line of communication with all attorney’s representing the interest of clients who are engaged in this process. To bring awareness and provide clarity, the Chair reviewed the steps taken and research done with respect to the “Best and Final Offer” process since he became Comptroller. The process has been impeded by the lack of historical documentation prior to 2022. He assured the group that action has not been taken to sell properties that individuals have put offers on. Rather time was taken to do due diligence and to proceed with a process that has been recommended by the State and other authorities. He and his staff have also maintained an open line of communication with individuals, providing real-time information and discoveries as it relates to this process. 8. Old/New Business None 9. The Co-Chair motion to adjourn the meeting. Seconded by the Chair. All were in favor; the meeting was adjourned at 10:47a