Pompano Beach, FL, April 13, 2010 – The Pompano Beach Community Redevelopment Agency in Broward County, Florida stole prime property from private residents, businesses and churches in the city for private profit even though it didn’t have the power of eminent domain to take properties.
A five year-old eminent domain taking case of Pompano Beach CRA v Gil Eriksen Properties
LLC is coming to a head as complicity in all the attempts to bury and hide the fact that the takings were illegal are being exposed.
SCANDALS
✦ The Pompano Beach Commission was not authorized by Broward County to create a separate legal entity (the Community Redevelopment Agency) nor give it the power of eminent domain to take properties. This illegally created CRA without the power of eminent domain has taken private properties illegally for over a decade, and is still doing it.
• In Pompano Beach CRA v. Derriek Phillips, et al.; Case No. 06-03741 (18), & Pompano Beach CRA v. Phillips No. 4D07-2865 & 2866 the Pompano Beach CRA was found to have been created illegally and have no authority to eminent domain properties in the Circuit Court and District Court of Appeal.
• The 2007 article “Redevelopment Agency Can’t Seize Business, Judge Rules” by Elgin Jones in the Broward Times begins the revealing of the illegality of the Pompano Beach Community Redevelopment Agency.
• The current and 5 year long case of Pompano Beach Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) v. Gil Eriksen Properties LLC; Case No. 06-004169 (21) & Gil Eriksen Properties LLC v. Pompano Beach Community Redevelopment Agency Case No. 4D08-247 involves prime private property taken in 2006 for private development by the CRA that did not have authority to take property.
✦ The Pompano Beach Community Redevelopment Agency and the Pompano Beach Commission have always been made up of the exact same members. Since the members of both entities are the same, it is questioned why another agency was necessary, and contended that it was created to be used as a shill to abscond with property for private gain. The CRA members have a less than stellar reputation.
• Current Pompano Beach Mayor, and longtime commissioner and CRA member, Lamar Fisher is the President and CEO of Fisher Auction Co. specializing in auctions of yes, real estate and “government surplus.”
He has already been penalized for Florida ethics violations in 2007 by doing city business as Mayor with his own Fisher Auction Company.
Now Lamar Fisher while at the same time Mayor, is currently auctioning foreclosures in Florida for the profit of his nationwide company and huge lenders.
In January of this 2010, Lamar’s Auction Company profited from the ponzi scheme of Floridians as his company received 10% of proceeds from auctioning off former Fort Lauderdale attorney and $1.2 billion dollar Ponzi schemer, Scott Rothstein’s office effects.
• E. Pat Larkins, the longtime Pompano Beach mayor, vice-mayor, commissioner and CRA member, now deceased, was President and Partner of Malar Construction Inc, as well as creator of the Broward County Minority Builders Coalition Inc (BCBC) and longtime advocator of property takings for building purposes.
He told private citizens like Jimmy Star of The World of Jimmy Star Grand Castle Showrooms and Entertainment Complex in Pompano Beach, “I want your property and I’m going to get it.” His namesake community center currently sits on land taken by the illegal CRA during his membership.
• Current Mayor Lamar Fisher, Vice-Mayor George Brummer, and past Commissioners Kay McGinn and Susan Foster were all found to have violated the Florida’s Government in the Sunshine Law (or Open Meetings Law) for meeting in private in 2005 with then Sheriff Ken Jenne (who would later be sentenced to a year in prison on federal corruption charges)
before a vote to extend the city’s contract with Jenne’s office.
• Commissioners Rex Hardin and Barry Dockswell have historically accepted campaign contributions from real estate interests to get their seats. In 2008 the Sun-Sentinel reported Rex Hardin said he didn’t see a conflict with accepting a contribution by someone whose project is being reviewed by the city.
• Although demands from the Pompano Beach public starting in 2008 have been made for the Pompano Beach Commissioners to agree to an ethics code, no code has been passed, with E. Pat Larkins calling it “ridiculous nonsense” in the Pompano Pelican and George Brummer starting a counter amendment that any citizen who made a complaint that was found to be false must pay for the city’s expenses, which was passed.
• Currently the Mayor and entire commission have unanimously voted for a resolution to oppose an amendment that will be on the November 2010 ballot that ensures that if a city wants to revise a land use plan, ordinary citizens will get to vote on the changes.
• At the end of the 2009 fiscal year, financial statements show the Pompano Beach Community Redevelopment Agency has $41 million dollars, including $24 million in cash on hand.
✦ The Pompano Beach Community Redevelopment Agency also hired and uses The Urban Group private property acquisition firm to stage illegal takings of private property for the CRA.
• Headed up by President and Managing Director Howard W. Steinholz, The Urban Group representatives use a variety of tactics to confuse property owners, including but not limited to visiting private property unannounced, posing as government officials to enter private property, not identifying themselves, identifying the Urban Group as an independent non-biased
consulting company and/or mediation firm, and posing as an advocate for and representative of property owners against the CRA.
• The Urban Group representatives promise property owners they will receive payment of business damages, moving expenses, and to purchase a comparable property and relocate owners as standard procedure so the owners face no hardship.
• The Urban Group makes pre-suit notifications and false offers to private property owners, saying they better sell their property or they will be sued under powers of eminent domain, then ignores responsive correspondence from property owners as eminent domain actions have already been filed. ""
Full Document and Source Click Here
Posted here by
Investigative Blogger
Crystal L. Cox
No comments:
Post a Comment