Town demolishes veteran's house while he has surgery

[Voice of Reason 10,298]

WEST HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. When a U.S. Navy veteran traveled from Long Island to Florida for a knee replacement, his house was the last thing on his mind. But now his memory of it is all he can think about.

Philip Williams' home was demolished in the spring by town officials while he spent about six months recuperating from surgical complications in Fort Lauderdale. Back in New York, officials in the Town of Hempstead deemed his modest two-story home unfit for habitation and knocked it down.

The 69-year-old has now waged a legal battle against the suburban New York town. He wants reimbursement for the house and all the belongings inside.

"I'm angry and I'm upset. It's just wrong on so many levels," he said "My mortgage was up to date, my property taxes were up to date ... everything was current and fine."

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/town-demolishes-veterans-house-while-he-has-surgery/ar-AAfLzph?ocid=U227DHP

[TBoneTX 46,369]

City governments that don't do their due diligence or homework before acting...

[Janelle2002 3,865]

This is how America treats it's Veterans. Sickening

[MacUK 983]

This is how America treats it's Veterans. Sickening

What has being a Veteran got to do with anything? It would be a terrible thing to happen to anybody.

[Dakine10 5,452]

The house was condemned. The roof was falling in, there were holes in the exterior walls. It was coming down one way or another. The owner will be compensated at fair market value. His status as a veteran was not relevant to the situation.

The issue here is whether the city followed due process in attempting to contact the owner. He missed his chance at resisting the condemnation and at retrieving his property. If the city is in the wrong, he will get compensated in court. Or more likely, they will just settle.

[Teddy B 17,252]

The house was condemned. The roof was falling in, there were holes in the exterior walls. It was coming down one way or another. The owner will be compensated at fair market value. His status as a veteran was not relevant to the situation.

The issue here is whether the city followed due process in attempting to contact the owner. He missed his chance at resisting the condemnation and at retrieving his property. If the city is in the wrong, he will get compensated in court. Or more likely, they will just settle.

It's sad that this happened, but in the long run he might make out better than what he had before.

[Dakine10 5,452]

It's sad that this happened, but in the long run he might make out better than what he had before.

The worst part is any irreplaceable items. In some places they make an effort to store property, and others they either sell or scrap it immediately. Hopefully he can get that stuff back.

[The Nature Boy 7,659]

The house was condemned. The roof was falling in, there were holes in the exterior walls. It was coming down one way or another. The owner will be compensated at fair market value. His status as a veteran was not relevant to the situation.

The issue here is whether the city followed due process in attempting to contact the owner. He missed his chance at resisting the condemnation and at retrieving his property. If the city is in the wrong, he will get compensated in court. Or more likely, they will just settle.

Exactly on all counts. The veteran angle is always way over played. As a veteran I do not enjoy special rights, or think it's appropriate to play the veteran card when it does not have any bearing on the story

[Janelle2002 3,865]

Exactly on all counts. The veteran angle is always way over played. As a veteran I do not enjoy special rights, or think it's appropriate to play the veteran card when it does not have any bearing on the story

The article title includes veteran. I think how this country treats it's veterans is poor. You should have more empathy and sympathy for people who have served this country, especially if you're a veteran.

[The Nature Boy 7,659]

The article title includes veteran. I think how this country treats it's veterans is poor. You should have more empathy and sympathy for people who have served this country, especially if you're a veteran.

Unlike many here I don't think anybody owes me anything. Other than what was promised when I enlisted.

Tell me , what diffrent outcome would you expect if he was not a veteran.

Him being a veteran has zero to do with this story

[ready4ONE 5,400]

I don't think that his being a veteran is relevant either. It does sound like the town was somewhat negligent in giving notice however if I were leaving town for 6 months or better I think I would have had my mail forwarded and found someone to watch my home during such a long absence. He was not in a coma following an unexpected horrific accident.

Having said that I have to say "Thanks Obama!"

[Teddy B 17,252]

Unlike many here I don't think anybody owes me anything. Other than what was promised when I enlisted.

Tell me , what diffrent outcome would you expect if he was not a veteran.

Him being a veteran has zero to do with this story

I wonder what the outcome would be if he was a car salesman.

[The Nature Boy 7,659]

I wonder what the outcome would be if he was a car salesman.

??

[Dakine10 5,452]

I don't think that his being a veteran is relevant either. It does sound like the town was somewhat negligent in giving notice however if I were leaving town for 6 months or better I think I would have had my mail forwarded and found someone to watch my home during such a long absence. He was not in a coma following an unexpected horrific accident.

Having said that I have to say "Thanks Obama!"

Yeah, you can have mail forwarded to a hospital so I think the home owner has a share in the blame for not doing that.

When the municipality is trying to reach you, they usually only have your home address, your phone, and your mortgage holder. It seems they sent letters to 4 banks, so they may not have had the mortgage information or maybe he didn't have one. If the town was sending mail to his residence for the required amount of time, they probably covered themselves legally.

In my experience, towns don't mess around with condemned houses like this. It's better to have an inconvenienced home owner than risk nearby residents getting injured or killed.