Agreed, yet Code Compliance can bother my tenant about a single a/c unit on the front porch (the only item on porch), but yet they still refuse to do anything about the junk and crap filling the porch at 529 Baker, so done with this joke of a city.

Agree with you on Lansing City Code Compliance. They seem to turn a blind eye to some folks (usually the ones who need the fines the most) and for others, they throw the book at them. I also have an issue with LPD who won't bother to get out of their cars to ticket a car parked RIGHT NEXT to a NO PARKING sign. If I can see the car parked there, they should too. GRRRR.

529 Baker was written out by Code Compliance on July 16th for trash. The owner has seven days to comply and Code will reinspect. If it is not taken care of the City will have their contractor clean-up the site.

Thanks Carol! Anything on 1512 Lyons?

Nothing reported yet on 1512 Lyons but will keep checking.

Thank you Carol Wood. I had made a complaint about this same address about a year ago. I believe the code compliance was told "it was a garage sale". I'm sorry but that too is illegal, you cannot have an ongoing garage sale for over a year. What gets me is the fact that the guy uses 3 city trash barrels to throw his trash out. Hasn't anyone from the city caught onto this? So, whatever you can do to shut this junk yard down would be much appreciated.

Police and code compliance came Thursday evening and red tagged the house. That's great, so no one can live in the house, but what about the "Junk Yard" still in operation? How long will the junk remain to be an eyesore?

This was a tax foreclosure sold to the occupants brother at Treasurers Property Tax auction. I spoke with Mark Smith Thursday about getting taxes paid. He is buying from brother on land contract. We too have been dealing with him for years. Code action is helpful. Thanks!

1512 Lyons was tagged as Unsafe on August 7th and written up for trash. As a tagged property work can only we done on the property between 8:00 am to 5:00 pm unless they has permission from Code Compliance to work after hours or on the weekend. The tag stays in place until it reinspected and deemed safe.

Thank you Carol Wood for that explanation of how the tags work. However, again, yesterday afternoon I observed someone take 4 CART's from a unoccupied residence at 1530 Lyons and take it to the 1512 residence to use. How is that the city is unaware of these 4 -5 or how many CART's are being left out at one address? Doesn't the driver who pick these up at one residence notice this? If this resident doesn't pay his taxes, then how is he allowed to set out 4 bins at one address? I pay my taxes and am only allowed to have one bin. That is crazy. Who is paying for these bins? The bins should be repossessed by the city so that he doesn't continue in this additional illegal practice along with the "JUNK YARD" he is still continuing to run.

Agree. We pay for CART service through our taxes. So if taxes are in arears then once again those of us that pay our taxes subsidize this program for all. This needs to be addressed. As far as this individual I have questioned how he has several CARTS not to mention the fact he receives free services by NOT paying taxes. Genius!

So... it's been 151 days since I opened up this issue. This man is still running his junk yard, its' still in operation despite the fact the red stickers are off the house. The house was never the main issue, the fact he still keeps a running junk yard is the actual issue. He still brings junk in to the yard, and apparently he's bringing in so much junk that he is parking one of his vehicles in a drive way of an un-occupied home. So please Carol Wood, Dan Schertzing, city council, whomever please get rid of the junk once and for all.

Why is this taking so long to resolve????? Junk is still in the backyard and side yard, and he is STILL running his junk business from that address. I did notice that the extra CART containers have been taken away, so now he's down to one. And a new development is that he is using the property of an abandoned house (1530 Lyons Ave.) to park his vehicles in the driveway. So I guess if the city still wants to allow him to run his junkyard from his residence, who am I to say no he shouldn't. Nice job of improving neighborhoods Lansing and our esteemed mayor Virgie Bernero.

In addition to various city departments, these comments go to Mayor Bernero and councilmembers Wood, Dunbar and Yorko. Demand action from them! I have forwarded this to Bakers councilmember Washington. This individual is a "pet" of the city. However, two go "rounds" with him and his filth and junk business is enough. I believe the house is about to go to land bank. Again, second time we have allowed him and his brother to play this game in Baker Neighborhood. The next time he moves, place him in one of the neighborhoods of elected (and appointed) city officials that continue to babysit him.

This issue will remain open until the homeowners on Lyons Ave see the FIVE CART bins removed from address and the junk yard is permanently removed. The City of Lansing must deem that Lyons Ave is considered a commercial zone, because they have ALLOWED the continuation of the resident at 1512 Lyons to run his commercial junk yard on a residential street.
I'm tired of having to repeat myself on this issue. Just yesterday I saw him unload a truck full of junk and place it in his yard. He is bringing junk in from someplace else people. Again he has not one, but FIVE CART bins placed in the front of his home. As the Ingham County treasurer revealed earlier that this guy is a arears for back taxes. So if you don't pay your taxes you get extra services from the city, is that how it is.
Carol Wood, if you are listening and taking note, since the City of Lansing either cannot, or WILL NOT remove the junk or the extra CART bins, please let me know of a document or form I can fill out to have this eyesore removed from my neighborhood. I would confront this person myself, however, I don't want to have my house shot up.

Code compliance is under the jurisdiction of the Fire Dept. Contact Fire Marshall Marshaun Blake 517-483-4105 or marshaun.blake@lansingmi.gov. Also Municode 826.01 indicates a license is required to run a junkyard. Since that is public information, request that the City thru the Freedom of Information Act provide you with a copy of his license.

Mr. Smith, in exchange for paying $4000 on February 23rd (Foreclosure hearing), was given a 60 day extension by Judge Canady to pay the balance of his 2013 taxes. I expect the final $1400 to be paid on time. To avoid Foreclosure in 2017 he will need to come up with $7000. You may need to check code on a "recycling center or scrap yard". Mark does this work for a living.

I don't really care what he owes on taxes, what does that have to do with him being allowed to have 5 CART bins for his "business". And just because this is what he does for a living, does that mean the neighborhood is now zoned Commercial" It sounds like city, county officials gives this guy way too many breaks and doesn't care about what his neighbors think.
And I still see no comment from the city concerning the 5 recycle bins he is using. I've already told you he takes these from abandoned houses in the neighborhood, yet there his is, arears on taxes but still allowed the 5 bins.
Carol Wood HELP!!!!!!

I was providing factual information. Prior to the February 23rd Circuit Court Hearing we expected the property to tax foreclose. My ability to impact property condition increase with ownership. Have you contacted the CARTs office to inquire about their policies and procedures that might limit the number of bins?

Closing this issue. Will open a separate issue regarding the amount of CARTS this guy is able to use every week for his "Junk Yard" business.