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Government damages wall, asks owner to pay for it

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    Building cited for violations caused by government demolition

  • Duration 4:45
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-- you do if your neighbor wanted to buy you are building but when you refused.

They wound up and damage your property well that is so what.

Well what if that neighbor was actually the government.

And instead of fixing the damage they wanted you to pay for the damage that they caught eyes well that's exactly what happened to Michael party.

He joins us now along with his attorney Jeremy Hopkins they are in Virginia Beach today -- tell -- Good morning good morning all right so Michael I understand years ago the in the government of but Newport News tried to buy your bill leave for 36000.

Dollars.

You wanted to 125000.

This was back in 2008.

I understand.

And you're himself so what they what they did -- -- he bought the building next door eventually they tore down that building a what happened here building.

Okay will.

Correct this this building was physically attached tomorrow and it wasn't simply just -- story was that we shared a common wall.

Shortly thereafter after those negotiations failed.

In early 2009.

The city went about to demolish this building that they're no longer wanted.

In the process of tearing down this building they also included part of that common wall.

They damage the -- -- -- that there were many cracks holes openings.

Bricks and blocks were knocked loose.

And basically and I left me in a very porous condition in other words my wall was wide open to the elements.

Brain.

You know June snow and everything else so -- water was coming through my wall and a massive way.

And cause massive inferior damaged mine building as well through -- water damage.

Exactly and have been Jeremy -- stand then big government.

And to Levy a fine against your client -- he fixed the damage that they caught this.

That's correct give mr.

front seat when the city would not step forward and admit what they've done and and do the right thing.

He brought suit -- after he brought suit this city cited him for building code violation because he didn't fix the very damage they cost.

And what's so outrageous about this case is we actually have documents that we acquired from the city.

And in those documents the city admits that before the demolition they knew they were going to damage his property.

And then another -- -- documents between city officials the officials admit that they did in fact damaged his property.

After the demolition and -- it's outrageous because if mr.

-- did this to a government building.

He would be sitting in jail.

But the government did this to him and now they think they can get away with it and I understand.

Your estimate is that it would cost about a 100000 dollars to -- sure property.

Michael why did the government do that to you.

I really can't say the -- what do you think but it's probably just because they feel they can.

We weren't -- as far as the damages were still working on that I don't you know right now I'm just trying to.

Make things right.

And I have no other recourse Jeremy why do you think the it if there was at it and we've actually got a copy of the email that showed that the city knew that if they took down the building next door there would be damaged.

Why do you think the government did it anyway knowing full well that they were gonna damage your clients that business and property as well.

This this particular city has a long history of treating property owners with with in the collapse and they view property owners as really an impediment to the pet projects of the local officials.

And in this case when they couldn't get mr.

prime team to give them the properties.

And a manner they wanted they decided to resort to other means -- and now I think they're just trying to make an example out of him.

Well it's too bad Michael must feel like that you or your own government is retaliating against you doesn't it.

Yes it does yes it does the like a -- like Jeremy said.

Our -- that building for 23 years and I do not have a history of any kind of violations code violations or anything else.

Except for maybe one in 2004 for some call -- -- -- man I've never been cited for any thing and now as soon as I file suit.

I'm getting hit with these.

Code violations and being threatened with fines and Williams on my property and everything else -- it is crazy story we did reach out of the city but they declined to comment alright I'm Michael -- and we hear me now sockets.

Gentlemen we're out of time for today.

Is -- a real quick point.

It was I was just gonna say we were all talking we -- young that if you break something you fix it now I think the question in this case is does that same role quite a government officials.

WellPoint.

Well put good point gentlemen thank you very much for joining us today from Virginia beach -- --

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