In the past year, we have had a mostly quiet block. This was not always the case. In our first two years here, we had a problem property next door to us. There was nothing illegal going on at this property as far as I could tell. However, domestic disturbances were a common occurrence. After growing up in a pretty boring suburban neighborhood, this was eye opening for me at first. Over time as a NOMI resident, you get conditioned...hardened, perhaps.
We even started to make light of it, referring to our neighbors as the players in "The Northside Dinner Theater". We, of course, provided the dinner but the theatrics were free. We would perch from our second story office or bathroom with the windows open as we watched the drama unfold. No one was ever in danger as phones were always at the ready to call 911 if need be. There were some damn good shows...
Those folks were eventually kicked out and the tenants that have moved in are mostly respectful and things have quieted down around here. We have to actually leave the house for our theater fix now.
That was until recently when new tenants moved into a property kitty corner from us. What struck me as odd right away was the number of people that would come in and out of the house. Not that there were necessarily shady deals going on (could be). But there are a lot of people living in a house that only has three bedrooms and 1100 square feet. There was a lot of noise, as they would hang out on the front porch and yell at each other. I told myself that it would soon be too cold and peace would be restored for a few months at least. Even the cold can't contain the crazy sometimes.
On a beautiful but cool November Saturday morning, I awoke and proceeded to ease into the day. There was no rush to get ready for the day and I could check facebook and read some news before trying to be productive. As I was enjoying a quiet morning in the house, I suddenly started to hear the screams of young women. My instinct told me it must be coming from the house that is kitty corner, and sure enough it was. A group of 6 young women decided to take their fight onto the sidewalk, rather than fight in the comfort of their own home. The yelling, screaming and fighting carried on so much that they ended up in the front yard of house 4 away from their own. They were wrestling, pulling hair and screaming obscenities. And then it happened....a girl's shirt was removed from all of the pushing and shoving exposing her in total glory. Rather than attempt to recover her shirt (and dignity), she kept on fighting. At this point, I felt the need to intercede so out my front door I went and yelled that I would be calling 911. After telling me what a "decent" person I was, they returned to their house.
Angered that my morning serenity had been destroyed I decided to look up the owner of this property. With my recent work helping my partner's real estate business, I have learned a great deal about researching properties. I found out that the place was owned by RBE Properties, LLC out of Oakdale, MN. Further research found the man behind RBE is named Ronald Folger. Ronald bought up 17 properties in North to invest as a landlord. He spent $18,000 to acquire this particular property.
Living here for a few years now, I am leery about rental properties. Especially when someone who does not live in the community buys multiple properties without the concern for how that will affect the neighborhood. My simple google search of Ronald Folger and RBE did not turn up much in the way of caution tape. My anger over the disturbance subsided and I moved on with life.
And then
this article appeared in the Star Tribune yesterday:) The article is a gem. Turns out, RBE Properties has had 368 code violations since 2009 and because their second rental license is being revoked, all 17 will be revoked for five years. Rather than accept his fate for running sub-par rentals, Folger pulled the classic slumlord move.
Ronald Folger used his tenants as a human shield.
I've seen it before. At a McKinley community meeting, a notorious slumlord was asked to account for his problem properties in our area. He showed up with two of his tenants who made a circus of the meeting. He "empowered" community members to evict his tenants if they so desired, leaving him to rise above it all. Ronald Folger pulled the exact same crap when he went to the Star Tribune to act as the victim of the big bully that is the City of Minneapolis. If his rental license is to be revoked, then where will all these poor folks go? Oh, don't forget its the holidays too.
So, 368 code violations in two years and it is the city's fault that this is happening? Give me a break. Here is one of his
revocations. Jody Waulters, the inspector on this particular case, is extremely fair. We have had recent occasion to work with her in our work as property managers and she could not be more pleasant and willing to work with people who are making an effort to provide livable space for tenants.
