THE
GAZETTE VOLUME 8 • ISSUE 16 AUGUST 19, 2021
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OAKLAND PARK
Oakland Park Foreclosure Ordinance Undergoing Major Legal Overhaul By Christiana Lilly The Oakland Park City Commission is asking came about during the recession in 2007, when city staff for a “major overhaul” of a proposed homes were being foreclosed on at a rapid rate. ordinance that would require properties that However, she said that the proposed ordinance are in foreclosure to be registered with the city. needs to “go back to the drawing board.” “I think the definitions have to change. I The ordinance, presented at the commission’s Aug. 4 meeting, currently only also wonder about enforcement mechanisms,” she said. “Does our registration requires this if the home is requirement get us anywhere?” unoccupied. Commissioner Aisha Gordon “It’s kind of overreach for said she asked staff how many the government and I don’t homes would fall under this want to do this; I don’t see us ordinance, as she was “taken getting ahead of anything,” off guard by this request.” While said Vice Mayor Michael Carn. she did not share the number, “This does nothing for me but she said it didn’t seem to be reach into people’s personal something the city needed to business.” pursue. In order for the ordinance to “Right now I don’t see a real be reworked by city staff, the crisis with distressed properties, commission had to approve especially based on the number the first reading. Otherwise, that was given to me. It was a the ordinance would die and very low number,” she said. remain as is. Commissioner Mitch According to the cover sheet Rosenwald, a social worker and provided to commissioners, professor at Barry University, “staff recommends adding the Vice Mayor, Oakland Park added that it seemed more requirement for all properties important for the city to be aware in a state of default [vacant and occupied] be required to register with the City, of code violations, not whether the home is in which will allow for earlier active monitoring foreclosure or not. He also said the ordinance and compliance actions by Community makes assumptions about homeowners who Enhancement Staff.” City Manager David are in foreclosure. “They may be in a crisis, and when people Hebert explained that the information would help staff be notified of violations and are in a crisis, things break down,” he said. “There are other people who have obstacles in warnings. Mayor Jane Bolin, who is a real estate life, when in foreclosure, and still take care of attorney, explained that the ordinance probably their kids.”
“Why should I have to register with you because I’ve fallen on bad times?” - Michael Carn
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While he agreed that the ordinance needed work, Commissioner Matthew Sparks said he didn’t think the spirit of the ordinance was to put a spotlight on people in foreclosure. “All we’re doing is saying we’d like a list of bank-owned properties,” he said. “We’re not actually saying we want you to file before you go into bankruptcy. I’ve been through this and I
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have no problem with owning up to that.” He also shared that he himself was foreclosed on during the recession. Carn emphasized his opposition to the ordinance as it was written. “Why should I have to register with you because I’ve fallen on bad times?” he asked. “No. We just don’t do people like that.”
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