The Bill Agapion dilemma
The city's idea to buy blighted land in the Cedar Street neigborhood from notorious landlord Bill Agapion makes sense.
Even though the city will offer more than the fair market value of the land (that offer stands at $1.65 million), it turns the stomach to consider that someone like Agapion, whose penchant for violating housing codes is legendary, would be rewarded for being such a lousy landlord.
Adding insult to injury, the unrepentant Agapion has been relentlessly defiant all along, thumbing his nose at his critics. And he seems to have been born without a conscience.
David Wharton has blogged that the city should use its power of eminent domain to take the land, but that just doesn't feel right (he also is reconsiderinf that idea). The Supreme Court has ruled that cities are within their rights to use such power for the public good, but such a move would set a bad precedent in Greensboro. And if it the city did choose that nuclear option it would be cumbersome and could take years.
The pluses may outweigh the minuses: The city will recoup its investment in increased property tax revenues and whatever it gets from a private developer who presumably will buy the land.
Cedar Street will get a much-needed boost.
And if you believe in karma, Agapion will get what he deserves somewhere along the way.
(For some reason I keep thinking of the banker in "It's a Wonderful Life.")
Comments (7)
To report abuse of the comment feature on this site, please use the feedback form at the bottom of any page.
Allen, if they can take the home of an 80plus year old sick veteran to let some developer build condo's on it in NJ, then why not take the land from a slimeball slumlord. Would it make G'boro look bad or set a bad precedent? It certainly wouldn't set a bad precedent and it might wake up some of the other "slimelords" who hide behind corruption in government to make a killing on the backs of the poor. I would think that someone would want to pin a medal on those who would put a "slimelord" like this out of business. As Harry S. would have said on the subject of paying over the market price: "I'd give him hell and call it market price."
People like Agapion will continue to do as they have done until they "mean away", as I believe Barney Fife once said.
Posted on November 25, 2005 9:45 AM
Mr. Johnson,
I thought I read (on one of these blogs no less) that the State of North Carolina has a law agaisnt "eminent domain", so therefore cities in NC cannot go that route. Do you know whether that is true or not, does NC has a law protecting citizens from eminent domain? Thanks
Posted on November 26, 2005 12:22 AM
No, state law does allows cities to use the power of eminent domain, but North Carolina's laws are a bit more restrictive than other states'.
Posted on November 26, 2005 7:52 AM
Please see David Wharton's blog for details on the eminent domain and its previous use by the city in dealings with Mr. Agapion. The city's Andy Scott shared those details in an e-mail.
Posted on November 26, 2005 7:54 AM
Also, Beth McKee-Huger of the Housing Coalition has an interesting op-ed piece on this issue in today's News & Record. It's not posted yet, but I'll post it later today.
Posted on November 26, 2005 7:56 AM
Eminent Domain??? There are other ways to deal with this issue.
From the looks of this property, the powers that be should be able to have it condemned as uninhabitable and give fair warning to the owner to have it torn down. If Agapion doesn't comply, have the city tear it down, clean up the property, plant flowers, etc., send the bill to Agapion. If he doesn't pay, put a lien on the property.
Happens on the time in cities where there are buildings/residences that are uninhabitable, a public nuisance, and may be a danger to society.
Pay 1.6million for this rat trap? All I can say is we got a buncha of weinies in charge in city hall for even considering this avenue.
They need to call someone at City Hall in Cincinnati, OHIO, lived there for many years, and these guys know how to handle issues (has laws on books to deal with)such as this.
From the looks of it I believe Agapion's got somebody in city hall in his back pocket on this one. Seems nobody's savy enough in our gov.t to deal with this guy.
Posted on November 28, 2005 2:06 PM
Jon, you have the best ideas so far.
I agree 100% right down to the Agapion must have somebody in his back pocket part. He must have had them for YEARS, as he has been allowed to house people in deplorable conditions for as long as I can remember.
Posted on December 16, 2005 11:41 AM