Foreclosed properties could fall under nuisance law penalties

From the SF Examiner,

Photo: Mike Koozmin, SF Examiner

Owners of foreclosed properties in San Francisco, such as banks, are coming under fire for allowing some of those homes to fall into disrepair.

Supervisor Malia Cohen, whose District 10 includes the Bayview, has introduced legislation that would subject foreclosed properties to The City’s nuisance law, which allows for court abatement injunctions and fines. It also would triple the nuisance penalties for owners of 10 or more foreclosed properties.

The proposal is an attempt to address one of the impacts of the foreclosure crisis.

Read more at the San Francisco Examiner

An interesting opportunity?

It never even occurred to me that the steep hill that separates the 1900 block of Quesada Ave from the 1700 block was anything but part of the Palou-Phelps mini-park.  However, it would appear from postings on Zillow and Trulia that there are actually five lots up there on the western side of the hill, just south of the last house on the odd side of the 1900 block - and four of them are for sale.  A developer would have to make some major infrastructure changes to the area in order to build something on them, including extending the street up the hill, so at first I wasn't really sure what the point of these 'lots' would be to a buyer.  What I supposed could happen is that the people who own 110 to 122 Bridgeview (just west of these lots) could extend their own back yards by buying them up, but since they've been on the market as long as they have, I don't see that happening anytime soon.  They are listed at $110K for the middle two lots, 1909 and 1911, $129K for the top lot (least accessible, but best views), 1901, and $149K for the most accessible lot at 1915 Quesada.

Interestingly, a quick search on the web brings up a document on the SF Rec & Park website dated last fall, entitled "Palou & Phelps Park Extension", that indicates that these lots are actually part of a possible plan to expand the park by 13500 square feet.   Hmm...

Another quick search, this time of tax records, shows that these lots had taxes in the $10-$30/year range prior to 2011.  For whatever reason, this year, the properties appear to have been assessed at market rate, and taxes have jumped between 7000-14000%!! Is it a coincidence that right around the time that the properties' taxes jumped the Dept of Rec & Park came out with their extension proposal?

After my little experience with the SFPUC last month, I'm not sure I believe in "coincidences" when things like this happen.