The Latest: Rich homeowners get their private street back

[mahatmakanejeeves]

The Latest: Rich homeowners get their private street back

November 28, 2017 Updated: November 28, 2017 6:26pm

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The Latest on the sale of a private street in San Francisco (all times local):

6:20 p.m.

Supervisors rescinded the sale of a private San Francisco street where residents had failed to pay taxes for two decades, opening the way for an investor to buy it for $90,000. ... The vote was 7-4 with those in favor saying residents of Presidio Terrace had not received enough notice before their private sidewalk was sold at auction in 2015.

Supervisor Mark Farrell, who represents the district, said it was not good policy to allow out-of-town speculators to swoop in on land from law-abiding property owners who simply did not know they owed taxes on their street. ... He agreed the homeowners' due process rights were violated. The tax collector had been sending tax bills to an outdated address.

Supervisor Hillary Ronen voted against reversing the sale, agreeing that most people did not expect to pay taxes on their sidewalk but also saying most people did not have a private and gated street in front of their house.
....

Presidio Terrace is lined with lush landscaping and multimillion-dollar mansions. Silicon Valley software manager Tina Lam bought the street, sidewalks and common areas for $90,000 in 2015.

Previously at DU:

Rich SF residents get a shock: Someone bought their street

[old guy]

1. Ah yes. Another example of the power of money.

[gratuitous]

3. Yup

If you or I or some other poor slob didn't keep up on our required filings and got snookered like this, it would be too bad so sad, shoulda followed the law, but now you're gonna get fucked.

But wealthy people always seem to be able to cadge another chance to make up for their errors and omissions. Some people say it just creates a culture of dependency by not holding wealthy people responsible, but most of our society thinks they're entitled to relief from any consequences because it was an honest mistake or oversight.

Poor people, however, will only learn if they are held accountable to the fullest extent of the law for being a day late with a response to an official inquiry or because they sent a payment to the wrong address.

[jmowreader]

2. Good.

You know these guys pay HOA dues. If I lived in a community that owned its streets, and was paying HOA fees for the privilege, I would assume when HOA was paying the taxes they were required to. Very strange situation.