City works to clean up abandoned, dangerous properties

The city deemed this house at 305 Dewey St. to be unsafe. Owner Mauricio Patino agreed to fix it up by April 1, 2023. W.C. Madden/News & Review

The Monticello Board of Public Works held a special meeting on Nov. 9 to listen to two homeowners who were appealing the board’s decision to demolish their homes under the unsafe building ordinance.

The Board of Works agreed to delay any demolishing after speaking to the owners, who wanted to fix the homes up to make them acceptable to the city. Both homes were determined unsafe by Rich Lee, ordinance enforcer and unsafe building administrator.

“It’s not the goal of the city to make money or fine people or do anything against their will unless you completely ignore the building,” explained City Attorney George Loy.

The board first heard from Mauricio Patino, who agreed to fix up the home at 305 Dewey St. “I’ve been working on the house,” he said. He explained that the house has termite damage.

Mayor Cathy Gross wanted the house to be secured, while Lee was concerned about the roof on the porch. It was also determined that the garage was a problem.

Patino didn’t want to tear down the garage, but he said the roof was bad and he would fix it. Lee wanted it cleaned out as well.

“We don’t want a vacant lot there,” Gross said. “We just need it to be secured and have a safe neighborhood.”

Patino agreed to start on the house by Dec. 1 and have it completed by April 1. “It will be basically like a new house,” he said.

“We appreciate that you want to make your community better as well yourself by taking these properties and making it a better place for all of us,” Gross said.

The second property owner was Maria Angeles and her husband Alex Gonzalez. They own a home at 525 First St. which the city ordered demolished. The home had suffered fire damage. They purchased the home on April 1 of this year.

“I can get it fixed,” Gonzalez said. “I care for my people. That’s the reason I bought it.”

He agreed to start working on the house on Dec. 1 and have it fixed up by April 30.

“It will be like a new house,” Gonzalez said.

He said that he is already getting calls to sell the house because it is on a corner lot.

The mayor thanked him and appreciated him for “making it a better place for all of us.”

The city still has the option to demolish the homes if the owners don’t comply with the agreements to fix them.