A developer has slowly been taking over this West Philly block. Some residents are paying the price.
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- Опубликовано: 17 сен 2023
- For 66 years, Margaret T. Strothers has cherished her small duplex across from Clark Park. But she now believes it's unsafe because of damage caused by new construction on both sides.
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Cassidy and his company were found to be responsible for the destruction of Mrs Strother's home, but like the narcissist he is, claims to be a victim.
Everything exists for the white man baby boomer. He got his way all his life, even now. He can’t wrap his head around the idea that maybe other people have needs.
Apparently, the court did NOT provide sufficient relief to the victim to allow for true restitution. The court should have granted her sufficient damages to not only finish the repairs properly, but also provide for temporary housing during the repairs and allow for the attorney fees she incurred. I'm sure her attorney was well compensated for his work though.
Agreed. He is a real piece of work.
@@johnnynick6179 it should not have been allowed done in the 1st place. has it been 150 years since actual planning of our nation from farm to cities been done INSTEAD OF CORRUPT POCKET LINING political, corporate heads, developers... YOU KNOW ALL those "educated experts" at POCKET LINING YOU ALL LOVE to run and elect. SMH. and always off our overtaxed dollars.
Yep that narcissistic grin 1:37
"She's got her money, she's got her home, what's her problem" what a jerk. She should have received not only income but DEMANDED the home be repaired and secured. Another example of an older person being taken advantage of. I'd make sure my will stated that the home was to be torn down and a community garden be utilized. I'd make absolutely sure it couldn't be sold. He's just waiting to claim it. Karma will catch up with him.
That is a good idea. A memorial garden to the neighborhood that once was.
Yup.
@@Babu-kr3crI agree.
Yes, it will all catch up to him.
Exactly! I like that idea. Make sure that land can never be sold. I happens too much in many urban areas. The older people worked so hard to buy a home to raise their family in and to pay it off so they and their children can always have a place to live then a greedy developer just wants people to sell or the use dirty tactics to force people out.
He owes her a new house. He destroyed her house and now he is pretending to be the victim.
that 260K was her new house.
@@MrDdub619 I’m not sure what part of the country you live in, but in the northeast you can’t build a house for 260k! In her area it would take a minimum of 500k to rebuild her house with todays cost of labor, material & building standards. She also deserves compensation for her temporary housing, any health impacts from being exposed to mold, and the pain and suffering she’s had to endure in her golden years.
@@MrDdub619 No. That 260K was a slap in the face for her and for every working American. There should never be a reality where your home can be destroyed and potentially taken by a wealthy asshole after you've worked for years to earn it. That anyone would defend such a practice is vile.
Don’t THEY always play the victim 🤦🏻♂️
@@eldritchbeautyabsolutely true! She worked hard and earned her own home. She deserves a new home built for FREE Plus $300k on top. I had to edit this. Shame on that developer for raping historical buildings that have stories of America and replacing it with the BLANDEST GENTRIFIED BULLSHIT BUILDINGS EVER!
There should be a law against this destruction of row houses thus damaging others houses.
They're already are plenty of laws already on the books. What is required is a will to enforce.
Exactly! please call the City of Philadelphia Offices of the District Attorney to press criminal charges against John M Cassidy and the Inspector General to make corrections in the following departments:
Licenses and Inspections, Fire, Police, Planning, Zoning, Sanitation.
The Health Department, Vector Control Unit did bait for the rats that Cassidy harbors, feeds and waters. However, just yesterday we saw a rat scurry into the void on 1252.
Call the above departments to demand the demolition of Cassidy's new construction that falls just short of the neighbors' property lines and the ones with no engineers reports for their foundations.
I'm an adjuster and had a similar claim come across my desk. The developer torn down the townhouse next door and created a ton of problems for our insured.
What was the outcome ?
@bhatch5680 We sent an engineer out to determine what was causing the damage. The engineer determined that the water damage was caused by the construction process from the developer. There was also damage to the insureds chimney and furnace. Unfortunately, insurance won't cover that damage on our end. We gave the insured a copy of the report for litigation purposes.
Shame on the city for not protecting homeowners. This is beyond sad and tragic. Our country has abandoned its citizens because of greed.
God bless & protect Margaret Strothers. My heart breaks for her.
Exactly! please call the City of Philadelphia Offices of the District Attorney to press criminal charges against John M Cassidy and the Inspector General to make corrections in the following departments:
Licenses and Inspections, Fire, Police, Planning, Zoning, Sanitation.
The Health Department, Vector Control Unit did bait for the rats that Cassidy harbors, feeds and waters. However, just yesterday we saw a rat scurry into the void on 1252.
Call the above departments to demand the demolition of Cassidy's new construction that falls just short of the neighbors' property lines and the ones with no engineers reports for their foundations.
Cities only protect the money
Now you see fulfillment of prophesy right before your eyes..but don't take my word for it, read for yourself 2 Timothy 3:1-5
@@andreacooks59 Psalm 37:1-25 sustains me.
@@andreacooks59 Timothy 3 :1-5 inspires us to take what effective actions? Faith without works is dead. Will you come to our rally 11/? We require effective empowering prayers like Psalm 1.
Sir, Clark's Park area has NEVER looked like Zombie land! Gentrification at its finest!!!!!!!!!😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢
Right and he's the savior smh riding in on his white van.
I agree nowhere in West looks like Kensington
What he built there looks like zombie land. That area has beautiful homes.
My thoughts exactly!
He's not telling the truth obviously..Anybody who lives in Philly knows the extreme differences between Kensington and Clark Park..It's literally night and day. but I'm glad he said that, because it revealed his true character. I find comfort in Psalms 37:10,11. (referring to wicked people, "you will look at where they Were and they will not be there." So he's not getting away with anything. I hope she finds peace where ever she resides.
It's called sawtoothing. Developers know with rowhomes, once you knock down one, it weakens and compromises the structural integrity of the remaining rowhomes. Even with rough casting and waterproofing the party walls, the remaining rowhomes are never the same and they will rapidly begin to collapse. All it takes is a little patience for it to become condemned, and then they acquire the land to build.
He replaced those beautiful homes with featureless blocks with no character. A shame for such a nice area.
Why does the city allow it? They should be sued also.
Payolla !!@@Babu-kr3cr
I'm surprised the city even allowed this from a safety perspective
We all know why...
I always knew someone was holding out but never imagined that they destroyed the house, he probably thought he would force her to sell it
Our block was ALWAYS beautiful. Cassidy lies. He even fraudulently applied for a work permit on our house. Which L&I revoked!!!
Nothing seems to surprise me of these blue 👁🗨 devil's !
I was so upset watching this story your home was destroyed my heart goes out to you .🙏
I would sue for a million dollars, and not take a penny less.
In Buffalo NY, Highway 33 was built in the 1960's, and divided Humboldt Pkwy (once a beautiful park...turned into a DOUBLE street) where many blacks live until this day. As a child of the 70s and 80s, I use to wonder why Humboldt Pkwy looked so confusing😯...until my mother explained to me--the highway was built so "THEY" could travel from the suburbs into downtown Buffalo and vice versa. The 33 by-passes the inner city.
@trhg0002 I, too, am a Buffalonian, and not only was Humboldt a beautiful parkway, but it connected two beautiful parks, Humboldt Park and Delaware Park. These two parks are only a small part of the urban parkway system designed in the mid 1800s, by the landscape architect, Frederick Law Olmsted, who also designed Central Park in NYC.
Developers like these do not think about the impact their buildings will have on the history of an entire community and city.
The problem is NOT that a developer has purchased so many homes in one area. The problem is that the court and the city government have not compelled him to make true restitution to this homeowner for the apparent damage he caused. The damage award should have been enough to fully restore her property to its previous condition, including an allowance for temporary housing during the repairs and all attorney fees incurred. I'm pretty sure her lawyer was compensated well for doing a lousy job on her case.
They’re all accountable and have a moral responsibility to do the right thing.
@@Rosedaleb1 yelp. that and everything else
The elected Judge Gwendolyn M Bright was just as bad in eviscerating our case.
@@godisshanistrothers6528 thank you for including her name so we can be sure to not vote for her
That developer destroyed the whole neighborhood. It used to have character and soul, now it is just UGLY and probably expensive. He destroyed the way of life for so many people who had enjoyed it for generations. This developer land grabbing has to stop. There is no way that he should have been allowed to buy the row houses just to knock them down. They were really charming and interesting. He doesn't care about improving the neighborhood. He erected giant industrial looking student dorms to make money.
Where did this woman find a place to live now, with her daughter? What happened to other people there? This man is so arrogant, he said it looked like Kensington. Yeah, I really doubt that lady was outside doing drugs. He is just there to take what he can get for himself. He is so proud of himself too. He calls it farming. These people are not livestock, and they aren't his.
Yes they were very charming and with the park right across the street was an area for the community to come together as a gathering place. That was a well desired area to live
This is what they do. Have you noticed, they never go into “their” ppl’s neighborhoods tearing stuff down? This is redlining! It has NEVER stopped! 🤷🏾♀️🤦🏾♀️😡
The Supa Elite will never stop!
@@Frankelmind1 he is in no way elite in the slightest. And yes he is being stopped, right now, RIGHT NOW!
@@godisshanistrothers6528No disrespect but it is kinda late, isn't it?
This video just pissed me off to my core. The developer is literally destroying that woman’s property slowly. And to only give her 261k in todays housing market is a slap in the face. I hope that woman gets the justice she deserves and then some.
$2,610,000 is more like it, and he still wrecked her life.
Yeah... I was thinking the same thing. $216k was a absolute lowball price.
Not from Philly, but the pics of the older homes looked much better compared to the generic block buildings built in their place, couldn’t the older just be restored or renovated?
In order for him to get maximum return, he had to remove the front porches that made it so nice, remove the front yards which kept it so nice and useinimum design and cheap materials with shoddy workmanship to maximize his profit. He maximized the envelope and dispensed with the niceties. Mom calls what he built...... tenements
Modern layouts are drastically different these days. Plus, there might be asbestos, not to mention that the bathrooms, kitchen, plumbing, and electrical wiring would all need updated.
@@chknchkn6385 Did you go in there and inspect? Even if they did need updates, it doesn't mean they needed to be torn down.
Exactly.
@@Babu-kr3cr 66 years ago the neighborhood changed then too. While quaint, those homes don't "fit" the "need" of modern homeowners in layout, nor size.
He destroyed her home,turned her life into a nightmare, and he cries victim. Typical greedy investor tactic. He comes on camera because there's just no way he's doing anything wrong.
How dare she stand up to him.
I've lived in this neighborhood since 1999. Absolutely nothing about 45th Street "looked like Kensington" when that developer showed up. Crazy talk.
I agree. That’s complete lie.
Yes, a lie among other lies he tells!
What's meant by "Kensington" ??
@@diamonds4joyKensington is a neighborhood in Philly that is notorious for being an open-air drug market. Addicts live on the street and it's probably the area with the highest crime rate in the city.
I have lived in the West Philly neighborhood featured in this story for over twenty years. It's never been "like Kensington".
Love the idea of this lady being so happy in her neighborhood. Can't say I am impressed with the engineering or architecture. Charmless. How on earth did he get the permits? His empathy is sorely missing.
I agree with you, empathy is definitely missing
@@rachelels It's been bothering me. His taste and talent are missing too. These type of areas should be considered historic. Upgrades in the same style. A taller unit for student housing not on this street. Too late now. I wonder if anything was salvaged. I cannot believe the city is still allowing irreplaceable history bulldozed for easy growth. Very unappealing. Very greedy. They need better direction. This creepy guy even looks like he could have done time. Definitely dishonest/criminal vibes.
His group and the city are lucky no one was injured or killed. Certainly they have caused trauma. He stole her dream.
Glad she has a child to help her.
how did he get the permits? the city is greedy and starving for revenue. Many of the employees are paper rubber-stamping hacks who are corrupt, lazy and are there because of nepotism and can't wait to get out to collect their bloated pensions.
They get the permits because their paying somebody off at City Hall and The Mayor's Office.
That's an evil man.
$261k is not enough. He wrecked her whole house needs a total rebuild ground up
My dad lives near there. We get notices from developers all the time begging us to sell to them, but he won't leave.
Good stand strong
Hold on with your life.
Document his home's current condition with photos of the inside and out, as well as get estimates of its current value. Stand strong!
very wise advise!@@aureliaglenn2220
Beautiful!
Mrs. Strotheers, you deserve so much more! I’m sorry this has happened to you, i truly hope you’re able to go back into your home.
My grandmother’s house is facing similar issues. Her house is only a few blocks west of Clark park. West Philly has been carved up n the worst ways and it’s totally disgusting. If black folks had ever been paid what they’re worth we would have been able to stand against predatory narcissists like this man.
This is an example of city officials kissing a developer’s rear. They fully knew that what he was doing was risky. Instead of a cash settlement, he should have been ordered to repair the structure with an outside engineer’s supervision.
We don't want him to touch anything to do with us. The city did order him to repair the illegal poles that he installed on our premises without a work permit. When we asked him for his scope of work, engineers design, list of materials, workers permits and certifications, etc... he went ghost and said that we would not allow him to make repairs.
This happened to someone I know in a different part of Philadelphia. The row home next to his was not maintained by the deceased owner’s estate who sold it off. A developer bought it and tore it down. My friends place was attached to it. His place started to leak. The developer denied responsibility. My fiend sued and won.
These greedy developers make me sick! When this developer said, “the amount of hassle this woman caused…” “c’mon lady! Enough enough! you got your money and you still have your house…when’s it gonna give?”
You got nerve ! You made your money too!!! When’s enough enough for you?!?
I have to side with this woman. You, the developer did this. YOU MADE YOUR MONEY, but it wasn’t enough. You tried to squeeze this woman out of her home just like you did everybody else on the block. You ruined her home! And I believe developers like you pay off L&I inspectors and the city inspections off if there are any violations!
You guys have destroyed neighborhoods that didn’t need any development. You guys came into areas in the city that was fine! Developers could’ve went into other areas in Philly to rebuild but chose my neighborhood and completely RUINED the streets, the blocks, the older homes, the entire community! My neighborhood ain’t a neighborhood anymore’ thanks to these bastards.
💯 he can burn in hell
That is absolutely horrible that she has had to go through this in her older age. I feel sooooo sorry for her.
Sue them all out of existence.... Don't forget to sue the City too.
We need a lawyer willing to go up against the City's sovereign immunity
260,000 was not enough to rebuild. She should have been rewarded more ❤
My dad bought a home in Fairfax county va ( second richest county in the us) on almost 4 acres in 2004. His street when he moved there was nothing but older homes on big plots of land. Within the first year of living there slowly but surely all the old houses were being torn down an apartments an townhouses were being built. My dad was given offer after offer from developers to sell his house an land but refused. After a few years he was the only house left on the entire road. After refusing to sell one last time is when the problems started. County codes was coming atleast once a week, dad would fix whatever they found to be an issue and theyd just find something else. Lastly being the privacy fence he had built all around his entire property. It met the standards an codes for the county but they still wanted him to take it down. He finally ended up selling the house an property for ALOT more then he paid for it and bought a home in Florida and one in the mountains of West Virginia. Him holding out as long as he did REALLY ended up paying off for him, but its sad that that home will no longer be there.
Yes sir that's whats happening all over they want to force home owners out build town houses and apartment complexes and charge double or triple than you pay for mortgage sad I have gotten about 7 offers in the last two years for my home but I'm not selling
GREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEED
They want to FORCE us out. Go where and do what with whom??? I say we shall not be moved and the same tide that brought them in will take them out! Stand your ground! Please come to our informational and organizational Rally for Respect for 45th St PHL, on Sunday, Nov 5, 2023 (Dad's 100th birthday) followed by an Eagles V Cowboys Tailgate party!
If anything, your family might develop your land yourselves according to your tastes, needs and goals! Who do they think they are? When will we stop running cause wherever you run to, here they come. After at least 8 generations on all 4 sides in this country, we say NO MORE!
How did the city allow Cassidy to do construction on attached houses? Wouldn't the structural engineer deny this request?
You’d think but I wouldn’t be surprised if he knew someone that pushed the papers through. A lot of people will do anything if their palms are greased.
I’ve been watching those new buildings go up over the past few years and seeing the obvious structural problems the construction caused to the original buildings that people were still living in, obvious to a person who walks by those buildings. This is really sad. $261,000 is not enough to buy a house in Philadelphia, especially in this neighborhood, unless the property is in really bad shape or you’re extremely lucky. The developer John Cassidy and JMC Realty owes Margaret T Strothers a new house to replace the one that was destroyed as a result of his actions and neglect plus compensation for all the expenses and suffering that Margaret and Margaret’s family have endured.
🌿💙💙💙💙💙❇️🧿❇️💙💙💙💙💙🌿
Thank you
I agree.
that should of been part of the settlement !
And I believe the settlement should have been well over a million. Her lawyer certainly didn’t fight too hard for her. What happened to integrity and standing up for the little guy? The row homes they build two blocks away from me don’t have yards and very small front porches. My home has a backyard, a garage (albeit a small one but more than big enough for our car). The newer have no character and are cookie cutter homes and they have HOA fees they have to pay.
That settlement was no near sufficient to repair her house. I'm sure her price gougers Lawyers took 50%-55% of her settlement so she really wasn't left with anything. The Daughter and the other family members should try to reach out via social media to Will Smith and any other celebrity from that city, and see if someone will help this lady while she's still here.
The city depts that approved such as ridiculous act of cutting apart a home that's been attached to other homes for decades and the developer need to burn in eternal.🤬.🤬..!🤬 You don't have to be an Architect or work in Construction to know this is the dumbest thing and should never be done!
I love the old townhouse style with the outdoor porch. (both stories had a porch - upper and lower) It's a shame the new development didn't keep with that same character.
Those duplexes could have been renovated. But no, the developer decided to demolish them and build some hideous homes with no character nor charm.
@@CerciRodriguezusing plywood as substitute for brick wall.
The city should have never allowed this to happen.
That area was always an area that was never like Kensington. Never. The area where the university is at , there was a middle school there. Clark Park area was and is always nice. His units don’t fit in and look cheap and bland.
My sons attended Penn Alexander and my youngest daughter enjoyed the Parent Infant Center. We just couldn’t afford to live in the area anymore. Penn and other developers make it very difficult to maintain living there due to the high costs.
PleSese d in the sample letter I just posted
That’s an asshole move. They knew that tearing down parts of row houses compromised the rest. I feel for that lady
Way to go Philadelphia Inquirer! Now I understand why my mom always loved your editors and journalism. You actually take care of the Philadelphians and allow their stories to be heard on a broad spectrum!
❤😢This is another “Red Lining” story. Cassidy was wrong and so were the courts. They purposely under paid Mrs. Strothers. Hoping that she gives up and sales. Then Cassidy can come along and buy her property tear it down and rebuild all for little to nothing. He’ll connect the new build to the existing builds like nothing ever changed. It hurts my ❤️ to see how developers can and are allowed to keep messing with the elderly. Just to make the mighty dollar 💵. This is a shame. Hell won’t be hot 🥵 enough for some. 🤦🏾♀️
The court should have forced Cassidy to rebuild Mrs Strothers's house. What will probably happen is that the city will serve a demolition order on her.
We received an UNSAFE violation for the conditions that Cassidy left upon us. When we went to appeal the UNSAFE violation, it mysteriously was passed through no effort of our own........ What‽‽‽
@@godisshanistrothers6528: 'When we went to appeal the UNSAFE violation, it mysteriously was passed through ...' Of course, it was. There is no nuance in local government nor any recognition that the dereliction was caused by another's behaviour. I hope there is a just settlement for your mother, but I fear not.
@@godisshanistrothers6528 Is there anyone that can get your story to Roland Martin? Perhaps some celebrities will see you and help you. Or how about setting up a GoFundMe to rebuild? There are many of us in the comments that know this is wrong and want to help. Please do it and post the link when you do. 💛
He already installed the anchor pegs in his 1248 foundation for the building he hoped to build on our 1250 premises which he had listed on his plans approved by the city as "to be demolished"
Justice will be served!!! Those new buildings are simply crushing such a beautiful home. I pray this happens to no one else!! Especially after a family sets their future for comfort and smooth sailing. It’s no fair that a big-time developer can just come in and try to squash out the little people in the neighborhood who work so hard for so many years AND THE LADYS 93yrs old 😳😳😳😳shame, shame shame
This subtle developer take over is uprooting residence as well as decreasing opportunity to be homeowners, This housing discrimination is a collusion between city and developers
But you ok with other type of housing discriminations like single family zoning, NIMBY blocks affordable housing in their neighborhoods because they afraid poor and God forbid people of color will move into their homogeneous mini europa
My condolences to Mrs. Margaret on the losses of her husband, and her home.
Thank you. Please send in the sample letter I just posted
In place of these lovely old row houses I see cheap construction, shame on Philly officials!
Exactly
Yes, the old homes appeared to be very sturdily built, but the new buildings look very cheap.
Please send in the sample letter. I just posted
Of course! The new structures, add nothing to the neighborhood. No character, at all.
Of course! The new structures, add nothing to the neighborhood. No character, at all.
261k is all she got for that!? She should have gotten tripple that amount. Clark Park is a prime location. She was robbed of her home!
🌿💠🧿💠🌿
Thank you
She should’ve gotten at least 1m.
I ve been analyzing This housing discrimination of city and developers for some time now a succession of civil injunctive lawsuits has to be filed against them to stop as well as provide real income access to residence to get own homes
That man know he’s wrong af!!!
Ya think? He seems so out of touch, a real jerk.
My great uncle-in-law refused to leave his small home in South Philly. He was harassed by developers with L&I calls and other intimidating tactics. A mysterious fire broke out and destroyed a fair part of his home, killing his daughter inside. The man was 93 at the time of the fire in 2021. He could not repair the house as demanded by L&I or have it torn down in 30 days. L&I made their demands and miraculously stuck by them. It’s funny how L&I let’s abandoned homes and fire damaged homes just sit and rot in the undesirable parts of the city with no pressure to have them repaired or removed. Sadly his son sold the home to someone I believe was in bed with the developers. My great uncle-in-law died 1 year later. His beloved daughter and everything he worked for was gone in an instant. He was one of two or three residents who refused to leave.
Really sorry your uncle had to live his last years, with pain and stress. May his daughter rest in peace. It’s sad that his son chose to sell the place, maybe the memory of the place held to much pain. I know for sure, those who gain from the pain and suffering of others never live good afterwards. May your uncle be at peace to.
Now you got me crying even more! 😢. We Believe Cassie's exit plan is fire because he has created inches wide unobstructed vertical voids at 1230, 1238, 1242, 1246, 1248 &1252. His new construction walls have open wires and penetrations which negate their fire ratings. The voice on his properties harbor wire gnawing rodents and other critters. Additionally he was supposed to put fireproof stucco on the sides of his new houses and rather he was allowed to install petroleum-based vinyl siding. Plus some of his houses don't even have proper fire escapes. They are fire traps for the hapless students that rent them. Our common fire escape with 1248 is severely and dangerously compromised. Our second floor rear door won't even open anymore because his demolition separated the real platform from our building. And more..
It's crazy how I keep seeing stories of developers destroying homeowners lives, and as a renter I'm not seeing the upside to owning. I feel for this lady!
This is why it is homeowners. You have to be on top of things such as changes and cities, only laws, paying attention to who's moving into your neighborhood, neighbor selling etc.
Exactly, If the City wants people to invest in PHL, then people require reassurance from the City that their property and persons are respected. I know a young developer of good conscience who refuses to do business in Philadelphia because of L & I.
@@christophercatchings162 we were on top of things. The city ignored my mother and the other neighbors' complaints for years and years. They were weary and resigned. It is only because I WAS well-rested that we got this far.
There is no upside of ownership if you're constantly being picked on and terrorize because you're black! That developer targeted that peaceful community because the homeowners are elderly black people!!😢
@godisshanistrothers6528 I hope you have peace with this situation at some point. You are advocating for your dear mom, and that takes some courage and endurance in a corrupt world. May God grant you wisdom, insight, and discernment in all this. I hope someone reading through this story is able to give you some guidance. Be well.
"The wicked in [his] pride doth persecute the poor: let them be taken in the devices that they have imagined." Psalm 10:2
Amen!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This is so sad and traumatizing that she should have to deal with this at her age. She can't purchase another home, she can't sell her home and she can't live in her home. So sad that seniors are being treated this way all across the country.
This guy is why people despise developers.. he came in and destroyed this nice neighborhood to make some money.. developers are the scourge of the earth and I hope somebody stops him
He owes her a hell of a lot more than he paid! What an awful guy.
Please send in the sample.letter I just posted
What that developer said was do insensitive. That she still has her home, the home is severely damaged, crumbling and nor fit to be lived in. Look how tight it is squoze between the newly constructed homes. He doesnt care because he hot what he wanted.
Exactly! Very insensitive!! It is truly unsafe for her, especially at that age.. Developer is up in age also.. He's probably gonna be found on the floor, alone one day! Karma
The city allowed this to happen.
That’s who she should have sued.
He laughed and said into the camera that he was lucky. That what he calls it.
He knows he still won because 261k was an insult. Her attorney was horrible.
We require a lawyer willing to take on the city's sovereign immunity
Heartbreaking , The developer should buy her out fairly and compensate her loss obviously she didnt want to leave she being given no choice This should not be she needs a good Attorney to help her.
Yes, can you recommend us to an incorruptible attorney please? Much needed for our next steps.
@@godisshanistrothers6528 perhaps fundraising via a gofundme will help pay for legal fees. If not, could you possibly represent yourself pro se? There is compounding evidence in your favor.
@@godisshanistrothers6528you need to get this on all social media apps and start tagging activists and celebrities.
We have no desire to be bought out. Go where and do what with whom where we will be free from these menaces to society, these Vandal developers.
The new construction looks plain and charmless. Designed to increase square footage and rental income from students who don’t care about the city. They see those buildings as dorms.
Meanwhile the smaller but much more attractive and better constructed homes get torn down and neighbors get torn from each other.
We care about nothing in our country but profits. We “decided” that in 1980 (and continue to) by supporting neoliberal economic policies (supply-side or trickle-down economics) which value only shareholder value, low taxes for the ruling class, no regulation of big business and an attack on workers/wage earners.
We could decide to change back to policies of the late 1940’s - mid-1970’s; the Keynesian economic policies which increased the size and power of the middle classes. Instead we create a system that incentivizes such narcissistic opportunistic developers as seen here.
That money is not enough to fix all that damage. Sad shaking my head. The landlord aka developer is crass.
I grew up in that area and it did not look like Kensington now when I go in that area I barely recognize anything.
A jury found in her favor, yet developer still feels unaccountable. "Because I'm White and I say so". Every dog has their day. 😊
yup.
Please send in the letter I just posted
What a shame Cassidy. Your lack of accountability, responsibility, integrity and compassion is despicable… Aside from the city’s “inspection”- based on the deterioration of her home which was a direct result of your ripping the houses apart - you should have stepped up and made it right! Simply done right by her. Be careful that your own greed doesn’t bury you Cassidy. The money she was awarded did not make her house a home again… I can’t imagine the distress and mental anguish this lovely 93yr old woman is experiencing. 🙏🏾
My mother is horribly depressed and she suffers PTSD from when he struck the house several times to the north and several times to the South during demolitions with heavy equipment one time she fled and hid in her car. She has so much drama that the only way I found out is that we had an eyewitness who came by and told me.
It is a shame what this developer did and that this was allowed to happen. This was not just a house, it was a beautiful home. This was not just a city block, it was a community. No one should have to leave their home because if circumstances like this. Kudos to shani and margaret and to the reporter and photog crew at the Inquirer for shining a light on what is happening to neighborhoods like this in cities all over the country.
L&I is one of the most corrupt entities in Philadelphia government; developers have them in pocket. Note all the development to "rebuild" a block because "it needed him", only to deem all housing for students. How was the neighborhood helped if the neighborhood is locked out of renting an entire block.
Kudos to Mrs. Strothers for pursuing the matter in court.
This block never looked like Kensington, how ignorant!
Why is the new money trying to get rid of the old residents of these homes? Hmmm must be the quick money they can rake in. This is despicable!!!! We need to change this for future generations!!!
Man I'm from Philly we need to stop selling and hold the properties
Yes! Please send in the sample letter I just posted
How the hell was that even legal? The developer destroyed her house. Unreal. The city should have NEVER given a permit to do this for ATTACHED homes. All or nothing.
This is so sad💔 and too common here in Philly. Gentrification is a cancer to this city. I'm so sad that Mrs. Strothers was a victim to this sickening cancer. All those beautiful duplexes were destroyed while it can all have simply been renovated.
Sad she wasn't offered a unit to stay in in exchange for her property as a legacy resident.
Cassidy built student lets. They are no substitute for a home of 66 years.
We don't wanna live in his substandard fire traps. Violations out the whazoo. We prefer our double I-beam steel frame, hardwood plank floors, real plaster walls, fireproof brick homes with porches and back decks to his encroaching plywood sticks, plywood floors, plasterboard, flammable vinyl siding, open to the elements, rooming houses with "dangerous and faulty" foundations,.... his out of compliance dwellings that lack engineers reports.
True, he could have put her in one of the new units and have given her free rent or low-cost rent until she passes away. She's elderly, that's likely at most 10-15 years for such an arrangement.
@@chknchkn6385 She wants her house, not a student apartment.
My late Dad, Super Jay, used the GI Bill to purchase 1250 S 45th St, a duplex for our generations to thrive. We have absolutely no desire nor reason to quit it or go elsewhere. What Cassidy can do is, since he aimed to make our house independent and freestanding... Is he can follow code and deed us the 5 feet side yards on either side rather than the illegal, unsanitary and dangerous ≈5 and ≈3inches voids he built on his properties to have us be free of him and his messes. That is what he can give us.
Those houses were like a row of teeth. When one is missing the the integrity of the others is compromised.
The first break in the row was 1230 which was owned by Cassidy and experienced two mysterious fires which negatively impact 1228 & 1232 and from there it went down.
Saying it looked like Kensington is such a stuck up comment. He’s making it look like Kensington if anything fucking everyone else’s house.
This is a perfect example of greed on the part of the developer.
❤ May God watch over Margaret she deserves a safe place to live❤
She wasn’t obsessed with you, she demonstrated evidence that the structures that your contractors erected caused damage to her home & placed her life at risk.
What you wanted was to shut her up. Ethical building would have been to place adequate space & structural support around her home to minimize damage.
Since the strength of the community was the location & connection between neighbors, a nice communal meeting area/garden could have been suggested to encourage these bonds.
Growth & development are inevitable & has value, however being a good neighbor is of greater value.
This situation could have been handled differently.
Replaced nice looking homes with featureless blocks and ruined what was left. What a mess on all fronts.
I wish I could renovate that house for her.
Clark park never looked like Kensington, he should go fix that!
Start a GO FUND ME PAGE for her.
Done.
The go fund me is on the yellow banner inside the link for our proposal. I am trying to post it here.
I grew up & lived around there. It’s NEVER looked like Kensington!!! The Clark Park area is still lovely…
This is not even West Philly, it's Southwest!! Any time I hear someone calling anything south of Baltimore Avenue West Philly it makes my blood boil. Anyone who is from this area in Philly knows this. This includes myself. Every time gentrification gets a hold of a neighborhood it starts to get erased. I don't have an ounce of time for the problematic dog whistling man comparing the neighborhood to Kensington and degrading this poor displaced woman. He didn't "save" the neighborhood and it looked nothing like Kensington and never has.
Someone mentioned a garden, a garden would be perfect, but you know he'll find a way to destroy that. These people think that you just throw money at a problem and it makes it go away, well Mr. Man, IT DOESN'T! This is not just her home, it's her heritage, legacy and memories, you can't buy those!
Cassidy is so wrong for this. The house will have to be demolished. It would cost at least 500k to rebuild a home for her. Cassidy has the connections, cash and complexion to cover a newly constructed home.
They destroyed that lady’s home 😡
The good old days. Neighborhood picnics in the park. Families of tge Neighborhood laughing playing and enjoying food and company if the neighbors all in peace not having to worry about being robbed or shot.
We are not I never have been in fear of being shot on our Ubuntu village block.
You would think he would be more kind he's old too. He ruined what she had planned for in old age to live in her house now basically homeless. He should say he's sorry and give her a home. He's cold hearted.
Ms. Strothers, I'm sorry this happened to you. You should be enjoying life and not have to be dealing with this bs. That self-absorbed developer knows he caused the damage to your house. And he has the audacity to complain and say he's not going anywhere. Ms. Strothers was there for a lifetime before you and that's how she feels. Take those ugly, no personality homes with you. She is weaved into the history of that neighborhood. She belongs there. People are so delusional.
Hopefully you can not only report this but also to fight for this family.
I used to live in the house right on the corner of 45th and Woodland for a few years. My landlord used to fight with that guy Cassidy all of the time. He finally sold it and it's torn down and that new building is in its place.
Hey Monty! Please come to our Rally
The example of this story explains why the King James version of the Holy Bible says, "The LOVE of money is the root of ALL evil."
We maintain that is the perceived lack of money & love that is the root of all evil.
When you have whyte privilege/whyte supremacy on your side. You can say and do just about anything you want and don't have to be accountable for it.
Not true. At the heart of this is money and socioeconomic classes. You see these same abuses and others no matter the race of those impacted and even in countries that have largely homogenous populations.
Yes some white privilege was involved however we find that this is more of a CLASS and VALUES struggle. We value Ubuntu community model whereas Cassidy values to overlord model.
The point is, you damaged her house and her property
This man came in: like “he” was the great hope for the community which the community has been thriving great before “he” got there, he brought nothing but destruction in along with his bad attitude. I hope this woman will get better compensation, then the pennies which “they “gave her. Shame he is like the devil.
L and I. Pass what they want to pass and what they don't want to don't get pass I know that
This is why homeownership is important. If the block was owned by the residents that lived there that refused to sell, a developer wouldn't have been able to come on and destroy those rowhomes.
The developer destroyed her home, he owes her alot more money and she needs a good lawyer to prove it. The city doesn't care. It's about who has the power to advocate for themselves. Being poor is expensive. It's always a lose lose situation being poor. Time and time again we have seen the big fish eat the little fish. That's why being poor is the nightmare of the rich. The gate that is brings in inevitable.
The duplexes allowed both homeowners and renters to live harmoniously on our block. It all started when he purchased 1230 which then suffered two mysterious fires.
When someone claims "they always been lucky", just know that something isn't right about that person
Wow, what he did to her home, is beyond criminal!
This guy, Cassidy, ruin this woman’s house. The money was not enough.
Please send in the sample.letter I just posted
I remember this beautiful neighborhood so well ! This is heart breaking.
You would have done better to preserve the beautiful University City houses. So sacred to the community , the students have always enjoyed those old houses. Some great people have come out of this community. Shame on you sir! It’s not about money it legacy,history of which you know nothing. Bravo momma for standing up!
The way the home was before looked so beautiful.
Back then there was such a community, from what the woman is saying and pictures showed.
Sad
“I have always been lucky.” You were not lucky Sir, you have always been Privileged. There is a difference.
Why did the jury award her so little??
Our lawyer and the judge eviscerated our case. The jury was looking for ways to give us more money.
This is heartbreaking and the City of Philadelphia should correct what has happened in this neighborhood and other neighborhoods in Philadelphia where is occurring.. This kind of behavior is pushing many residents out of the homes they've been living in for years..
I wish the community as a whole would have resisted selling their properties to this unscrupulous devil. Our people are going to have to learn to stand together in order to resist the gentrification of our communities.
This pissed me TF off! Philly needs to do better!!!